A great way to make a room seem more grand in your home is to install crown molding. Follow this simple guide and you'll soon have a room that'll be worthy of showing off.
Go Shopping for Crown Moulding
First you'll want to pick your molding out. You want to keep in mind the overall architectural style of the home and the room before deciding, although most crown moldings are very similar in style. Then you'll buy enough for the perimeter of the room (you measured, right?) plus additional cornice boxes for each corner (if you want, and if your corners are square). Buy a litle extra to allow for cuts.
Time to Cut Moulding
You'll need a table-mounted circular saw for this job. The convenient thing about these monsters is that they do a very clean 45-degree cut, which is key for square, flush-mounted corners. Measure twice, cut once is the contractor's rule, so make sure you've got the lengths you need to reach from corner to corner. If you have a wall that's too long, it's okay to mount two pieces flush with one another, but it's not ideal.
Paint Considerations
Most crown molding is usually white and comes pre-painted. However, if you bought raw wood or primed molding and you want to paint them, now is the time. Remember also that you should paint the walls underneath the new molding (if you're planning to) before you hang them. That way, you don't have to worry about masking around those pretty new moldings.
Mounting Time
The most efficient way to hang crown molding is with two people (to hold each end) and a third running an electric nail gun. It goes without saying that you'll need to be extremely careful with this piece of equipment. Nails go straight in to the molding and through to the wall about every 3 to 4 feet. Don't worry about the little holes they leave. If you're using cornice boxes in your corners, those mount the same way. Just make sure your nails are long enough to shoot through the cornice box and into the sheetrock or plaster. You should be seeing a difference already!
Finish Moulding Installation
With a little white spackle (assuming your moldings are white), go back and patch up the holes left by the nail gun. If your moldings aren't white, you may need to paint over the spackle once it's dry. Now you're finished! Enjoy your new room with those regal crown moldings.
