Create a new look in any room of your home by installing crown molding to bridge the gap between walls and ceiling. This relatively easy home update can add architectural interest—and enhance the value of your home for possible buyers. Use our step-by-step guide to get started.
You don’t have to move walls to create a new look for a room. Thankfully, you can dramatically alter your home’s decor by working with much more manageable details: moldings and trim. Along with paint color and window treatments, moldings represent the simplest way to add style and definition to any room.
Crown molding bridges the junction between walls and ceiling, a prominent location where the architectural accent can shine.
Most home supply centers offer a variety of pre-milled molding materials. For the pure traditionalist, or if you plan to stain the trim, the solid wood trim available in many styles is the best choice, albeit a more expensive one. If paint will cover your molding, consider finger-jointed wood, wood composite or urethane trims to lower costs.
Urethane molding trim offers additional flexibility: it’s lighter weight, can be installed with just construction adhesive, and generally allows you to use heftier profiles.
Custom milling can be done by local woodworking shops, but be prepared: this route can incur additional costs, especially if the shop has to custom design a cutting blade for the profile you want.