HOW TO INSTALL CROWN MOLDING

10 SIMPLE STEPS TO INSTALLING CROWN MOLDING

After spending so many months stuck at home thanks to the pandemic, your living spaces may be getting a bit stale. But, how do you give your home a facelift without doing a complete overhaul? You can start with crown molding, and here’s how to install it in ten easy steps. If you’re the DIY type, this project is right up your alley!

STEP 1: GATHER YOUR TOOLS

One of the hardest things about installing crown molding is making the corner cuts. This is because the trim sits at an angle to the wall and ceiling. For this task, a coping saw works better than a miter saw, and the nice thing is, any mistakes in a coped cut can be repaired using caulk. 

STEP 2: MEASURE AND MARK

Measure the wall where the first piece of molding will go and mark where the bottom of the piece sits. 

STEP 3: MAKE YOUR FIRST CUT

Cut your first piece at a 90-degree angle. You want the ends to butt up to the side walls.

STEP 4: CUT AGAIN FOR AN INSIDE CORNER

Change your miter saw to cut a 45-degree angle. Place the second board against the saw and be sure to hold it tightly for the perfect cut that fits tightly against the adjoining piece. 

STEP 5: PAY ATTENTION TO HOW THE PIECES FIT TOGETHER

Pay close attention to how the pieces fit together. This part isn’t always obvious, but if you designate your table as the “ceiling,” it will help you keep everything in perspective. 

STEP 6: CUT AT A 45-DEGREE ANGLE

It’s important that you cut crown molding in the right direction. For instance, when cutting an inside corner, the bottom of the molding is longer than the top. For an outside corner, the top is longer than the bottom. 

STEP 7: COPE THE JOINT

Where one piece of molding meets the next in the middle of the wall, the joint should be invisible (or nearly so). To make this happen, you need to use your coping saw. Take little bits at a time as the end of the trim is delicate. 

STEP 8: CHECK FOR FIT

Before attaching the two coped ends together, check the cut. Place the cut end of the trim against a flat surface and look for gaps. Use the coping saw to cut away any high pints until the cut end fits flush. 

STEP 9: ATTACH THE TRIM TO THE WALL

If your piece is long, you’ll need assistance to hold it in place while you attach it to the wall. Push the piece into the corner creating a tight fit. Attach it to the wall and use caulk to fill in any gaps. Be sure you’re using paintable caulk for this. 

STEP 10: MAKE CLEAN OUTSIDE CORNERS

You have two options for finishing the outside corners of your crown molding. The first option is to use a miter saw and cut perfect 45-degree angles. Since these corners are more noticeable than their inside counterparts, you’ll want to be especially careful to create perfectly fitting corners. 

If this sounds too daunting a task, you can opt for pre-made corner blocks instead. These crown molding corner blocks are designed to go over the outside corners of crown molding to hide imperfections and give the trim a finished, professional look.