Crown molding why

To get intricate details like ropes or beads in a wood crown, these components are often machined separately and then inserted into a groove cut into the crown. This impressive one-piece cornice has a meandering Greek key design of interlocking geometric shapes. A dough-like mixture of sawdust and resin forms the decorative beading and the "lamb's tongue" motif on this paint-grade crown.

The earliest crown was planed by hand from the New World's plentiful supply of wood. Simple profiles predominated, owing to the high cost of adding complicated carved details. The use of crown waned in the s, but simple strips are a handsome upgrade to more modern ranches and split-levels, as long as they are in proportion to the ceiling height. In the late 19th century, Americans favored crown that was big, bold, and often encrusted with classical details, such as dentils and acanthus leaves.

This earlyth-century style supplanted Victorian-era excess with clean lines and no-fuss shapes. Crown could be painted or, if milled from quality wood, such as oak, stained to highlight its beauty. When you can't find a matching profile at a lumberyard or home center, the easiest way to get a copy of your existing crown is to send a cutoff to a wood millwork shop or a maker of foam or plaster moldings, such as Fypon or Hyde Park. But if a scrap isn't handy and your crown doesn't have details like dentils and leaves, make a template using a profile gauge left.

Press the comb-like device against the crown, then trace the shape onto cardboard, noting which edge is the crown's face.

Crown molding is usually installed so that it appears to run seamlessly around a room. It's easier to do that with foam and plaster trim because their joints are filled; they don't need to be perfect.

With wood crown, filling isn't an option—cuts have to be precise so that joints are virtually invisible. That's a challenge in the real world, where corners are never exactly 90 degrees and wood fibers are constantly swelling and shrinking.

Here are two ways to keep joints tight. Coping: This technique, used only with wood crown on inside corners, involves cutting along the profile of one strip so that it fits over the face of the adjoining one.

It takes skill and time to make this cut, but it's much better than an inside miter at hiding a joint, and it's forgiving of out-of-square corners. Go here to learn how to cut copes. Corner blocks: These factory-made pieces, placed at outside and inside corners shown , eliminate the need for coping or miter cuts; the crown ends just butt up against the blocks' sides.

A slight bevel in the back of the crown ensures tight joints in out-of-square corners. Corner blocks come in different styles and can be used with any material. They do simplify joinery, but because they project slightly beyond the profile, they can interrupt a crown's continuity.

TOH Pro Advice: "To minimize your view of the joints in wood crown, make sure the copes and bevel joints point away from the room's main entry, where you might otherwise see shadow lines between sections. In a kitchen, crown molding adds dimension to upper cabinets, making them, and the room, feel taller. Capped with a 1x board, the crown above this window serves as a handsome shelf for displaying baskets in a pantry. Capping the head casing with crown gives heft and classical stature to any door or passageway.

Crown is a fitting way to finish the top of a fireplace mantel. As you can imagine, these moldings would be extremely expensive to produce today, both in terms of the material and the labor required to create a uniform carving from scratch.

Fortunately, over the years, craftspeople discovered more affordable and easier materials to work with. Solid wood and plaster were the lone options for many years, but options have now expanded to include plastics, foam, medium-density fiberboard and other choices. Wood and plaster are the traditional materials that molding has been built from for most of history.

These materials are still commonly used today. Some homeowners who want to install crown molding in their homes purchase strips of unfinished wood molding which they then paint or stain and cut before installing it with finishing nails. Medium-density fiberboard is a more affordable option than traditional hardwood.

Plaster molding typically comes in 6-foot lengths that have been hand-cast. Plaster molding is not as DIY-friendly as wood. Wood and plaster still take a great deal of skill to install, and it's still expensive for most middle-class families. However, the new options have caught up with the traditional ones, and you can now find convincing alternatives that do not lack in appearance or build.

A better DIY plaster option is plaster-covered foam, which is light and flexible and fairly easy to work with. Polyurethane is another popular option today. Polyurethane foam looks a lot like plaster, but it's easier to install. Flexible polyurethane looks more like wood, which makes it a great option if you want a wood look with a more modern material.

Our crown molding here at Focal Point is made from polyurethane and is the most DIY-friendly option you'll find. Whereas other products out there put more pressure on you to cut and join pieces together with perfect precision, our crown molding kits give you an easy, perfect finish every time. The molding corners, in particular, take the stress out of trying to contour corners to join them together.

The corner detail takes the guesswork out of it and leaves you with an impeccable transition that adds even more beautiful detail to a room. Since we're talking decorative molding, let's take a moment to address the question of spelling. You may have noticed that molding is sometimes spelled with a "u" and sometimes without. The reason you see both spellings is that one is the official British spelling and the other is American. As with other words like "honour" or "colour," the spelling that includes a "u" is the British spelling.

The American spelling is simplified and doesn't include the "u. It wasn't until the nineteenth century that English speakers attempted to standardize spellings, and the British and American linguists were not on the same page. American lexicographer Noah Webster made a point to break away from some British spellings, opting for more minimalistic spellings. While "molding" without the "u" is the official American spelling, you'll notice that many American companies stick to the British spelling.

This is likely due to the historical nature of decorative molding. A similar example is in how some American theater companies, particularly those that perform Shakespeare plays, stick to the British spelling of "theatre. Whether you opt for the British or American spelling, there's one thing everyone can agree on — decorative molding is a beautiful architectural feature befitting the loveliest homes both in Europe and here in the U.

Is crown molding outdated? Absolutely not, but it certainly has a rich history. From its beginnings in classical antiquity to its incorporation into some of the most beautiful works of current architecture, decorative molding has always been the perfect means of turning bland surfaces and corners into works of art.

At Focal Point, we're passionate about the history of molding and the future of this beloved architectural detail. We believe every homeowner should be able to enjoy the beauty of crown molding. That's why our products deliver the character and sophistication you're looking for, and you can install them in a single afternoon.

How do we make the installation process so easy? Using our Quick Clips , you will place the mounts around the room with a single screw and then gently tap the molding panels — which you can cut to size and paint — into place. You don't need to be an experienced carpenter to honor or emulate history — all you need is a passion for DIY projects and our crown molding kits. Contact us today if you have any questions. With so many choices available, Dixon says that prices are hard to estimate.

The least expensive options are those made of composite; Home Depot carries a huge range. Plaster is always the most expensive, because of the labor and level of detail. Dixon himself loves moldings from the s, when rooms started getting more modern and molding became flatter, with less detail. He does like to see people experimenting with materials.

But what Dixon really admires is the persistent tradition of historically appropriate molding. Among them: C. But there are still opportunities to be creative. For example, an elaborate crown might be a fun trick in a tiny powder room, drawing the eye up to distract from the fact that the room is very small.

But usually, a heavy crown in a small room will only feel oppressive. I encourage people to keep it simple; ornate is just a distraction.

Dixon also prefers to see molding of the appropriate era. Paint color can really make a difference in how the high the ceiling feels. Fans of modern architecture often want to dispense with molding altogether. Specifically, chair-rail molding can even help protect walls from being dented, scratched, or damaged, and are known for their resilience. Crown moldings do not always have to be white. This is a frequent design faux pas; in fact, crown moldings should be the same color as the moldings that are already in your house.

They can also be painted or stained to match existing color schemes, making them perfectly suitable for any room decor. All of the crown moldings in your home do not need to be the same style. Different styles of crown molding may more appropriately suit some rooms but not others; there is a wide array of crown molding styles to choose from, and you should take advantage of these options to maximize their aesthetic potential in each particular room.

However, it is essential to consistently use the same crown molding size around your home to maintain consistent dimensions and visual proportions. Your email address will not be published.