Add a Victorian or Mission look to a room with crown molding.
Crown molding brings a Victorian or Mission look to any room depending on the style chosen. Regardless of the style, the temptation exists to miter (a 45-degree angle cut) the molding. For rooms that are perfectly square, this is ideal. However, a perfect joint or square room is rare. Putty will not fix the gaps that are left and dry winter weather makes the wood shrink, which widens the gaps. Solve this problem by cutting cope (cut the end to fit snugly against against the joining piece of molding) joints. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Measure the room with a tape measure.
2. Using a stud finder, locate the wall studs and mark their position faintly high on the wall with a pencil. Make sure the marking is low enough that the molding will not cover it.
3. Place the molding against a framing square and note the difference between the face of the molding and the corner of the square.
4. Cut a scrap piece of wood to correct the difference using a miter saw.
5. Place the cut wood on the ceiling, next to the wall, and draw a line. Place the cut wood on the wall, next to the ceiling, and draw a line.
6. Measure the wall that is opposite the door. Cut a piece of molding to this length.
7. Hold the molding in place on the wall and mark the locations of the wall studs on the molding close to the outer edges of the molding.
8. Predrill two pilot holes the same size as the finishing nails. Put the molding in place and hammer two 16d nails, at an angle, in to the predrilled holes and joists to catch the framing. Predrilling holes keeps the molding from splitting during installation. Nailing the molding at an angle also solves the problem of the ceiling joists being up to 16 inches away from the wall.
9. Measure the adjacent wall. Cut a piece of molding a few inches longer than the wall and hold it against the wall. It will flex a little.
10. Draw a 45-degree angle, using the framing square, on the end that meets the previously installed molding. Start from the bottom of the edge and draw upwards. The line and angle do not have to be perfect. It is merely a guide to show the general direction of the cut.
11. Lay the molding on the miter saw so that the bottom of the molding is flat on the miter box. Lean the molding back to bring the edge that goes along the wall tight against the fence on the miter saw. Turn the saw in the direction of the line drawn. (If the blade of the saw and line won't come close to lining up, turn the molding over and try to line it again.)
12. Set the saw to cut at 45 degrees and make the cut close to the end of the molding.
13. Cut along the 45-degree angle cut, made by the miter saw, using a coping saw. Tilt the coping saw back at a 45-degree angle to create a thin edge where both pieces of molding will meet.
14. Place the edges of the molding together. The fit probably won't be perfect.
15. Sand or file down high spots in the coped edge. When the joints fit together, cut the uncoped end of the molding 1/8 inch longer than the measure length. Push the molding into place. The extra flex in the molding adds strength that helps push the coped joint closed.
16. Nail the molding to the wall and ceiling when the molding fits together with no gaps.
Tags: 45-degree angle, piece molding, draw line, edges molding, framing square, longer than