TRIM & CROWN
|
Below are instructions for applying decorative wood moulding to your rooms.
If you don't wish to use corner inserts there are a number of web sites that can give you how to guidance for using a coping saw.
Start by typing the term "install crown moulding" into your favorite search engine.
No matter what your going to apply, from trim to crown installation moulding, cutting an inside or outside corner can sometimes be difficult.
For the best results use flush cut wood lengths along with pre made blocks and inside or outside corner pieces. Such inserts will eliminate the need to use a coping saw (inside corner) or cut a 45 (outside corner) and can be purchased for all types of moulding including around windows, doors, ceiling crown, chair rail, and base boards.
Whenever possible, buy moulding sections that are somewhat longer than the wall or door frames that you’ll be nailing to. Otherwise you'll need to overlap two pieces together then cut using a 45 degree splice (with a miter saw).
If you need to splice don't do so over an obvious place like a door or window. Remember to round up your measured lengths to the nearest inch or two so as to allow for waste when buying your wood.
MOULDING TOOLS NEEDED
Cloth Rag.
Framing Square.
Hammer (or air mailer, nails and compressor).
Measuring Tape.
Miter Box & Fine Tooth Saw (or electric miter saw).
Nail Set.
Pencil.
Sand Paper
Small Square.
Utility Knife
Caulking & gun (or squeeze tube).
Coatings (stain, clear coat or paint).
Finishing Nails.
Glue.
Moulding (and corner inserts).
Nail Hole Putty (filler).
Painters Tape (masking paper if needed.
INSTALLATION MOULDING
1. Prior to beginning, check both the inside and outside corners or around the doors and windows with a framing square. Also, if you intend to apply crown installation moulding, eyeball the ceiling for level.
If the walls, windows, doors, or ceiling are excessively uneven it's probably best not to enhance flaws by using a moulding. On the other hand, when a surface or corner is out by an eighth of an inch or less then the gaps can be compensated for by using paintable moulding and latex caulking.
2. I like to use a paint sprayer (with a small orfice tip) for paint grade wood work. Coat the trim with two applications of high quality latex paint before nailing it up. If your using a grained wood like oak for your crown installation moulding or casing and trim, you should stain and clear coat it prior to application. Those who don't have access to a paint sprayer, can use a brush or roller that's designated for the product being applyed.
Be sure the roller is nappy enough to push the paint into the grooves or curves that the face of a piece of trim usually has. Also when spraying, brushing or rolling the coating being applied needs to be done in one continues stock. It should also cover the entire length of the crown installation moulding or trim in the same application. Not doing so will leave overlaps, or roller and brush marks. Putting the product on quickly and in small sections is fine but the last stroke must be applied in one direction and coat the entire length of your wood trim.
3. Begin by apply corner pieces to the inside and outside of your walls, doors/windows, or ceilings for your crown installation moulding and trim. Use wood glue and finishing nails to affix the inserts. Try the best you can to insure everything is level on all sides. A small square and thin pieces of wood shim may be needed for leveling.
4. Once the corner inserts are dry your crown installation moulding or trim can be cut to fit in between each glued on corner piece. Measure the length you'll need then cut it flush using the saw and center line of the miter box (or electric miter saw).
5. Be sure the crown installation moulding and wood trim is level and lines up with each corner insert. Most moulding has a profile or pattern cut into it. The cut usually leaves grooves or lines in the wood. These lines are the best place for your nails to go. Nailing on a flat or curved surface makes it difficult to hide the hole with putty. Nailing in a groove when possible then using a small nail set to hammer the nail head below the wood surface works the best.
6. Using nail putty, fill any holes, scratches or imperfections you see. It may also be easier to fill the cracks where your crown installation moulding or trim butts up against the glued corner pieces. Your filler should be smooth and level with the surface and needs to only fill the imperfection itself. Applying to much putty will be easily seen and look unprofessional. Colored filler can be used for clear coated wood. More than one application of putty may be needed so as not to use an excess amount. Less is best in this case.
7. A dripless caulking gun or squeezable tube works well for paintable
trim. Remember to keep pressing the release button if you decide not to use a
dripless gun, otherwise you'll have a large mess to clean up. Cut the end of the
caulking tube at a 45 degree angle. When cutting the hole for the caulk to come
out smaller is better. To much caulking will smear all over the walls, when it's
smoothed out. To little will not fill the gaps and leaves an uneven caulk line. By having a smaller hole it's easier to control the amount of caulk coming out of the tube.
Keep cutting thin slices from the tube tip until you see caulking not plastic. With the tube in the caulking gun place the pointy tip you just sliced so that the 45 sits in the space where the crown installation moulding or trim lays flat against the wall or ceiling. Slowly
pull the trigger and draw the gun along the edge of your trim and wall surface. The speed you use depends on how fast the caulking is coming out of the tube. If when doing crown installation moulding, for example and the caulking isn't sticking you'll need to change the angle of your gun, slow down and try again. Do this for a two or three foot stretch then use your finger to drag along the molding and wall surface smoothing out the caulking. Wipe the excess that's on your finger onto an old cloth rag. If you have a lot of caulking on the wall or your finger the hole in the tube is to big or you pulling the gun trigger to hard. Quickly use a damp rag to remove caulking that can't be removed with your finger. If the caulking doesn’t fill the gap and isn't a long continues smooth line then the hole is likely to small. If it looks good keep pulling the trigger of your caulking gun around the room. Start in the wet caulking lay out a three foot bead then quickly smooth with your finger. Do so until your
painted moulding has no gaps, holes, cracks or scratches. Once everything is dry lightly
sand the caulking and filler with a fine sand paper to remove burs, bumps or uneven areas. Caulking is difficult to sand so remember less is more. When caulking a crown installation moulding to stipple ceilings you may need a light touch and more than one application.
If you're using clear coated hardwood moulding, caulking is not needed. In such cases your cuts will need to be precise and the trim will have to lay very flat against the wall. With painted trim gaps and holes can be fixed using caulking or nail hole filler. Keep in mind a continues bead of caulking along the length or a piece of moulding looks better than filling a gap here and there. If you have missed spots or holes, refill only after the first application of caulk or filler is dry. Once the crown installation moulding or trim is nailed down and the gaps and holes are filled a final coating or two of paint (small roller and brush) or clear coat (brush) will be needed over the caulking or nail holes. The entire length of trim must be coated in a continues stroke or it will flash. Use painters tape and paper to protect the walls if needed. Some trim, a crown installation moulding, for example may not have a wood backing to nail it to. If so use glue or a combination of both glue and nails. Before starting any project ask your building supplier for assistance regarding the types of product you'll need and application advice.Applying crown installation moulding and trim then caulking, filling and painting or clear coating in a test area like a basement washroom, will help iron out problems that may occur before tackling your bedrooms or living areas. Also when nailing up trim, having a helper will make the job faster and easier. If you plan on painting the ceilings and walls it would work best to remove everything from the area, cover the floors, plastic off the windows, paint the ceiling, spray or brush the trim then use painters tape (for the trim) so you can cut and roll the walls. The height of a chair rail can be judged by taping a section of trim to the wall then standing back for a look. If it's purpose is to stop a chair from hitting the wall then use the chair as your guide.
Looking for a painting technique or wall design solutions other than crown installation moulding, click the home link. You should be able to find an idea or project by reading the text. If I've missed something or you’d like to ask a question, e-mail me. Your address will be held in the strictest confidence. I'll also try to answer you in as prompt a manner as possible.
