- Get the right tools.
You can either purchase or rent the tools you need, which include:- 25' tape measure
- level
- pencil
- miter box
- saw for your moulding material
- nail gun or finishing nails and hammer
- nail set
- caulk and caulking gun
- spackle
- sandpaper
- paint
- Don't hesitate to ask for help.
Get professional advice from the expert at the home improvement center or lumber store about how to cut and install the type of moulding you're buying. - Prime, stain, or paint the strips of moulding before you install them.
You'll save lots of time and effort if you paint the strips of moulding before they're installed in the room. Line the pieces up spanning sawhorses or chairs and the work will be a breeze. After cutting and installation, you'll probably have to do some final touch-ups. Be sure to finish both the right and underside of the moulding to prevent warping. Let the finish dry thoroughly before installing. - Start with an easy room.
For a first-time project, start with simple baseboard molding. Use it for practice and learn from your mistakes. - Measure twice, cut once.
This rule has never been more valuable. Measure the walls carefully, mark the proper length on the board, measure the wall again, measure the board again, then cut the piece of moulding with the proper miter angle. You want the cuts to be as accurate as possible (but remember that you can fill small gaps or mistakes with joint filler). - Test as you work.
Lay each piece of moulding in place as you work with it. You might even want to lay each strip in place, cut the next, and so on, until you've finished cutting all the pieces. Then, when everything is ready to go, attach all the strips of moulding to the wall at the same time. - Nail the mouldings to the wall.
To attach the mouldings to the wall, use fine finishing nails with a small hammer or a nail gun. Be careful not to dent the face of the moulding. Set nails just below the surface of the moulding with a countersink. - Fill in the gaps.
There is likely to be a small gap between the wall or ceiling and the moulding. Lay a small bead of caulk down at the joint and lightly press the caulk into the gap. - Cover the holes.
Use a wood filler compound or spackle to fill any indentations made in the surface of the moulding by the nails. Let the fill dry thoroughly and sand down any irregularities. - Finish it off.
Cover any caulk and wood filler with paint or stain, using a small brush or foam brush.
There's nothing that adds pizzazz or value to a room like well-installed crown moulding.
Here are some extra tips on installing crown moulding.
- Study and practice.
Corners in crown mouldings are not as easy as they might seem. Because the moulding is curved, you need to match up two surfaces. If you're a novice, you should practice cutting several corners before you get started on your ceiling. - Camouflage any joined pieces.
Try to install joined strips of crown moulding where they'll show the east. Be especially careful not to join two strips over a focal point like a fireplace or big picture window. Cut all beveled joins so that they'll not be noticed. Carefully sand joins and smooth out the surface.
- Attach at a solid area.
Attach strips of moulding into studs when possible rather than just into the wall. This will provide a more secure installation. Not the placement of studs and mark them lightly with pencil or using a snip of blue painter's tape.
You'll love the look of new decorative moulding in your home.
For some very detailed information about decorative moulding and how to install it, visit Do-It-Yourself.com .