Categories: Technology

Discover The Secrets Of A Master Carpenter’s Crown Molding Installation.

The words of my master carpenter, “You just have to be smarter than the wood,” echo in my ears as clearly as they did when I was a young apprentice. Understand the wood’s natural qualities and how to work with them to create the desired object. Wood cannot be welded together, but it can be glued. To some extent, you can bend aboard. Where exactly does it break, and are there any ways this breaking point might be altered? Is there a preferred wood for specific projects? Which woods are easier to work with when molding, planing, cutting, or sanding? There is some basis in science for answering these questions, but mastery takes practice. Some things can only be learned via hands-on experience with the wood, but I can show you some tips and tricks to get you started on the right foot.

Crown mold installation might not sound too challenging if you’ve never done it before. Not rocket science, but still a bit puzzling. Let’s begin the standard crown installation. Even though I can’t possibly address every possible scenario, the material in this post should equip you to perform a good job. Remember to take things slowly and methodically.

Let’s figure out the length of the molding, its finish, how many feet you’ll need, and the equipment you’ll need. For example, if your ceiling is 8 feet high, you should use a molding that is 4 inches wide. This is based on the rule of thumb that the width of the molding should be half an inch for every foot of ceiling height. There’s no hard and fast rule here, but an excessively thin molding will make the space look smaller.

Did you plan on painting or staining the trim? In either instance, the molding should have two coats of paint before installation and a third coat added afterward.

If you want to install crown molding in a particular room, you should take its linear footage and add 10% for waste and trial-and-error.

You will also need a compressor with a finish nail gun and a brad gun, 2 1/2″ nails, some 1″ brad nails, a nail set, a caulking gun, safety goggles, and a coping saw. Note that 8-penny and 4-penny nails can be driven in and set with a nail punch, but keeping the molding piece steady enough to hammer in a pin can be challenging.

Let’s discuss the most critical component in achieving tight joints: the pitch of the molding during the cutting and installation processes. It’s essential to keep the same angle when cutting and setting up. How, then, is it decided what pitch to use? Use the tip on the molding’s reverse side to make this determination. The bottom angle is typically 52 degrees, though this varies between brands. The saw’s pitch can be found by removing 14 inches from the blade’s crown. Put it inverted on the miter saw and proceed with the cut. Now set the saw’s crown angle so the molding’s bevel rests flush on the blade’s fence. Mark the top of the crown on the wall with a pencil while holding it in place.

Find out how far your pencil mark on the saw’s fence is from the tabletop. Construct a measuring block of that size. The impact on the saw will be the top edge of the crown, and the measurement you take will be the distance down the wall from the ceiling. You can calculate the angle at which to cut each section from here on out. Holding the gauge block perpendicular to the top, make marks at each corner and every 6 feet along the wall. When assembling a component, use this mark to indicate where the bottom of the crown will go. A crown mold stop helps keep the height at the right angle while cutting. If your saw doesn’t have this capability, you can attach a block of wood to the fence by clamping or screwing it to keep the crown at the angle you want.

You can begin measuring right away. When taking measurements, you should always do it from wall to wall, never from molding to molding. Don’t rush, and make sure you measure twice. Take your measurements from the top of the room. Always measure from the highest point on a wall, as slight variations may vary from top to bottom. If you want to be sure it fits perfectly, add a sixteenth of an inch to the measurement. Let’s speak about long points and sharp points for a little. These expressions designate the vantage point from which an angle is determined. Let’s pretend you need to get the distance between two mitered corners, one on the inside and one on the outside. The trim length will be measured from one end to the other. The majority of corners you’ll see will be square or almost square. To get a perfect miter, divide the degree of a corner by 2. A real square corner has a degree of 90 degrees. Forty-five degrees is 50% of 90 degrees. This will change from corner to corner due to factors like framing carpenter error and drywall compound buildup. As explained in Step 12, a coping joint is required since a few corners are perfectly square.

It’s time for us to make our first slash. Now comes the tricky part: you must invert the saw crown. What was once the crown’s apex is now its base, and what was once its base is now its base. What was left is now the right. Visualize the saw’s horizontal surface as the roof and the vertical fence as the walls. Picture the saw attached to the ceiling so there’s no room for error. Get some scrap material and try it out. There are typically five different kinds of cuts that need to be made.

The first is a square or straight cut, which is used when there is no molding on the next wall and you must cut it into an inside corner.

The next type of miter is the inside corner miter, which is angled inward toward the object being cut.

The next type of corner is the exterior, which slopes away from the object being worked on. I suggested cutting the miter at 45 degrees and a half to guarantee a snug fit at the molding’s front.

Next, we have the coped joint, typically seen in interior angles. The molding profile must be trimmed to fit flush against the face of the existing molding in the corner of the next wall. Be sure to get a length measurement before you start stowing away. A coping saw is what you need for this. After an inside miter cut, start sawing down the face’s edge. Use a coping saw to trace the miter cut’s outline on the molding’s face. When butting the molding into the corner piece, slant it back under the face cut so that just the front of the molding touches. You may check that only the front of the crown molding contacts the scrap when you bring it up to the mirror. It is sometimes essential to alter the back cut to achieve a perfect fit. Use a wood file or further coping saw work to accomplish this.

Scarf joints, used to combine two or more parts into one longer one, are the last cut to discuss. Make a 22 1/2-degree angle cut on the joined ends by flattening the rear of the molding against the saw’s fence. When assembled, you’ll have a little more space on which to apply glue. In this kind of cutting, the crown is not at an angle. When putting in scarf joints, ensure the components are as evenly matched as possible before hammering in the nail. Be sure to use adhesive, then sand the connection, if necessary, to make it look like one solid piece.

You can finally proceed with nailing the part into place. Under the drywall, throughout the whole length of a wall, there should be more than 2 inches of the top plate exposed to use as a nailing surface. Using a broad crown requires locating the nail studs. If you’re working solo, you can use the reference mark you produced previously to drive a nail halfway into the corner opposite the end you’ll be fitting. You can hold the other end in place with the pin while you work on the joint.

Now, rest the end opposite the joint on the nail and align the joint with the other using one hand to bow the middle out. When the bottom borders are in line, you can let go of the curved part you were holding.

Either the top or bottom of the joint may be exposed. Don’t freak out; tap the two pieces up or down with a hammer and a wood block to change their roll or pitch. If the joint is loose at the bottom, you can close it by placing a block of wood on top of the piece you are joining and tapping it with a hammer. If the joint is loose at the top, you can close it by placing a block beneath both parts and lifting them until they click into place. Don’t ever try to make the miter cut work. You can have confidence in the cut you made with a saw if you hold your pitch correctly.

Acquire the habit of firing a nail with one hand while pressing in with the other. It’s important to remember to keep your non-nailing writing well away from the work area. After you’ve adjusted the pitch of the crown and fixed it into position, using the reference mark to line up the bottom edge of the molding, move to the opposite end and nail the height approximately 16 inches from the back. Nail the next piece in place without getting too close to the corners so that you may make the necessary changes. Nail the work to completion every 16 inches, making any necessary adjustments to the pitch as you go. When nailing, ensure the object is flush against the ceiling and wall.

All the holes in the crown molding must be filled with putty and sand after installation. The crown molding’s edge, both below and above, can now be caulked. It’s an art form in and of itself. It’s important to remember to maintain constant pressure on the trigger as you move the caulk gun. Carefully release just enough to seal the hole. It is possible to add on afterward. Before you can move your ladder, you need to remove the extra caulking using a moist rag.
My parting advice is to take your time, plan everything out, stay focused, and try to outsmart the wood or the tool you’re using. Following these instructions will give you years to appreciate your hard work.

Master craftsman Jeff D. Millsaps, who has been working with moldings and millwork for over three decades, authored this tutorial. If you want to learn more about how Jeff can help you make your house or company more elegant, visit his website at.

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