Install Wall and Ceiling Moldings | |
Adding decorative molding to an ordinary room can have extraordinary results. Moldings define a room and give it details that attract the eye whether it's a deep cornice at the ceiling or a traditional chair rail on the walls. The new molding systems sold at home centers and lumber yards make this otherwise difficult job an easy one. Wood and polystyrene molding systems are available in a dazzling array of styles and sizes. They are called molding systems because you buy strips of molding with various components that eliminate the need to make miter or coped joints. The components include inside and outside baseboard corner blocks, rosette corner blocks, and plinth blocks. There is usually a display of the system in the store to give you an idea how the system works and what the different styles of moldings look like. These wood and polystyrene moldings can be installed with construction adhesive and finish nails. Basically, the nails hold the molding in place while the adhesive sets up. These systems are easier to install than traditional moldings because they have decorative corner blocks that take the place of difficult to make joints. Inside and outside corner blocks are also available for crown molding, which eliminates making a difficult compound miter cut usually required to join the pieces of molding. With these systems, only straight cuts are necessary and these cuts can be made easily by hand with a fine-toothed saw. You can use an inexpensive miter box to help make accurate square cutting easier. This type of molding is also quick to layout and measure, since you don't have to make allowances for the waste at each joint. Installation of either wall or ceiling molding is straightforward. First, you nail and glue the corner blocks in place. Then measure the distance between the corner blocks, cut the molding to fit, and install it between the corner blocks. Slight mismatches or cracks at the joints and the nail heads can be filled with acrylic caulk. Doors and windows are trimmed out in the same way. You install the corner Rosette corner blocks at the top of the jamb and the Plith blocks at the bottom. Then cut the molding to fit between the blocks. You can save time by applying paint or stain to the long sections of molding before you cut and install it. The moldings made of polystyrene sold primed and ready to paint. Wooden moldings require a light sanding and an application of wood conditioner so the stain will appear even and not blotchy. The easiest way to work on the moldings is by placing them on a set of saw horses and apply the finish with a paint roller. Written by the editors of HouseNet Copyright HouseNet, Inc. |