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Architectural millwork and molding can add detail, character, and elegance to just about any room, but it can be difficult to put up on your own. A great innovation has made crown molding easy enough for one person to do alone.
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The invention is polystyrene crown molding, made and distributed by Creative Crown Molding of Dallas. Enough molding for a whole room comes in a box only four feet long and weighing just a couple of pounds. |
These cornice strips are lightweight, easy to handle, can be cut using regular woodworking tools, and require no nails or screws to install.
Start by cutting a 45-degree miter on one end of a strip of molding. |
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| Then square up the factory
cut on the other end of the strip. |
Instead of screws and nails, this molding is attached using construction adhesive. Cut off the tip of the adhesive tube nozzle. Then puncture the inner seal and load the canister into your caulking gun. |
On the back of the polystyrene trim, place half-inch wide, several-inch-long strips of the adhesive. Leave about six to eight inches between the strips. |
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| The next step couldn't be simpler. Just press this section of molding onto the wall, bracing it just beneath the ceiling. The adhesive holds it in place. |
Square up the ends of the next section, apply adhesive to it, and press it in place, making sure the ends of the adjacent pieces of molding align with each other. |
When you reach a corner, cut a 45-degree miter on the end of the piece that will go in the corner; the longer side of this miter should be touching the wall. Slide this mitered end into the corner and mark where the other end of this piece overlaps its neighbor. |
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To make sure you cut the other side of this piece to the precise length, nibble away at the material with the blade, moving the blade closer and closer to the the line you marked until the piece is the perfect length. |
Now you can continue the process around the rest of the room. The adhesive should hold the molding in place as it dries; if necessary, strips of painter's tape will prevent slippage and ensure that the cut ends and joints stay exactly in position. |
Remove the painter's tape after a few hours. Once the adhesive has set, apply acrylic painter's caulk to the joint along the top and bottom of the molding. Tool off the excess with your finger. The caulk can also fill small gaps in the miter joints. |
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To conceal irregularities where the molding sections abut each other, apply a bit of spackle with your finger, then smooth off the excess with a putty knife. |
Once dry, the spackle can be sanded smooth with number 320 sandpaper. It can be helpful to fold or roll the paper to fit the molding's contours. |
Finally, it's time to paint the new trim. Try using a spout like the one pictured here one. It helps to keep paint out of the can rim when stirring and pouring. Learn more about these paint-saving lids here. |
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It's a good idea to use painter's tape when painting this molding. Transfer your primer and paint to a small container that you can easily hold in one hand. Apply at least one coat of primer and two coats of paint, and sand lightly between the paint coats. |
A big time-saver is to paint the molding before you put it up. It allows you to paint while in a comfortable position and without having to worry about being careful around the edges. You will have to touch up a bit at the joints. |
That's all you need to know! Wood trim is beautiful, but installing and finishing this polystyrine trim is easy and fast. So the question comes down to choosing your weapon: nail gun or caulking gun?
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