Q1: The foam crown molding we purchased has a very decorative pattern.
The pattern is very similar to the third molding shown on this site:
http://www.invitinghome.com/Crown_Molding/Molding_List.htm
While it is possible to match the pattern when making a scarf or butt
joint, it is not possible in the corners as far as I can tell. To
further complicate matters, several of the corners are something other
than 90 degrees (20, 35, 45, etc.). What is the best way to handle the
inside and outside corners? Just make the cut and match the best you
can? Use some caulk to feather in the mismatched contours? Show guests
your new crown molding with the lights dimmed?
Q2: We have bull-nosed outside corners. This means there will be a
small gap at the bottom where the molding meets in these corners.
Would it be best to cut small quarter round plugs out of 1" thick wood
that would slip up into these gaps? Or, does it work just as well to
fill the gap with a little caulk, smooth it out, and let it go at
that?
On Feb 7, 2:02 pm, Ike <[email protected]> wrote:
> Q1: The foam crown molding we purchased has a very decorative pattern.
> The pattern is very similar to the third molding shown on this site:
>
> http://www.invitinghome.com/Crown_Molding/Molding_List.htm
>
> While it is possible to match the pattern when making a scarf or butt
> joint, it is not possible in the corners as far as I can tell. To
> further complicate matters, several of the corners are something other
> than 90 degrees (20, 35, 45, etc.). What is the best way to handle the
> inside and outside corners? Just make the cut and match the best you
> can? Use some caulk to feather in the mismatched contours? Show guests
> your new crown molding with the lights dimmed?
>
> Q2: We have bull-nosed outside corners. This means there will be a
> small gap at the bottom where the molding meets in these corners.
> Would it be best to cut small quarter round plugs out of 1" thick wood
> that would slip up into these gaps? Or, does it work just as well to
> fill the gap with a little caulk, smooth it out, and let it go at
> that?
Caulking is usually necessary along the ceiling and the wall to
compensate for waviness and can make up for some minor mismatches at
the corners. However, you should get the best joints you can no
matter what the corner angles are. To do this you must measure the
corner angles with a tool like the angle gauge from Starret or similar
and then make the cut using a compound miter saw according to the
proper settings for that angle. These settings can be found in charts
available from a guy named Drake at www.compoundmiter.com. He also
sells some angle gauges of his own and has a complete guide book. If
you want this job to turn out nice, you need to cut precise angles
because even a degree or 2 off can leave a large gap.
Rocky
Ike wrote:
> Q1: The foam crown molding we purchased has a very decorative pattern.
> The pattern is very similar to the third molding shown on this site:
>
> http://www.invitinghome.com/Crown_Molding/Molding_List.htm
>
> While it is possible to match the pattern when making a scarf or butt
> joint, it is not possible in the corners as far as I can tell. To
> further complicate matters, several of the corners are something other
> than 90 degrees (20, 35, 45, etc.). What is the best way to handle the
> inside and outside corners? Just make the cut and match the best you
> can? Use some caulk to feather in the mismatched contours? Show guests
> your new crown molding with the lights dimmed?
You could cheat and use pre-made corners from that same web site:
http://www.invitinghome.com/Crown_Molding/Crown_Molding.htm
> Q2: We have bull-nosed outside corners. This means there will be a
> small gap at the bottom where the molding meets in these corners.
> Would it be best to cut small quarter round plugs out of 1" thick wood
> that would slip up into these gaps? Or, does it work just as well to
> fill the gap with a little caulk, smooth it out, and let it go at
> that?
Depends on the radius of the bullnose and the size of the gap. Caulk
shrinks and sags so it's best left to small gaps. Expanding foam,
trimmed flush and spackled, is good for larger gaps.
R
Mike O. wrote:
> With molding like you have pictured you probably need to cut inside
> angles and forget about trying to cope the detail of the molding. That
> being said, with inside or outside miters you should be able to match
> the pattern at all the corners. The exception will be on your last
> joint.
As someone pointed out in alt.home.repair, you can make the last corner
joint match by adding an extra butt/scarf joint in the middle of a
straight section. It will break the pattern, but the joints will all match.
Chris
On Wed, 07 Feb 2007 11:02:42 -0800, Ike <[email protected]>
wrote:
>While it is possible to match the pattern when making a scarf or butt
>joint, it is not possible in the corners as far as I can tell. To
>further complicate matters, several of the corners are something other
>than 90 degrees (20, 35, 45, etc.). What is the best way to handle the
>inside and outside corners? Just make the cut and match the best you
>can? Use some caulk to feather in the mismatched contours? Show guests
>your new crown molding with the lights dimmed?
With molding like you have pictured you probably need to cut inside
angles and forget about trying to cope the detail of the molding. That
being said, with inside or outside miters you should be able to match
the pattern at all the corners. The exception will be on your last
joint. To accomplish this you need to start in the least obvious
corner and work your way around the room in one direction ending at
the same place you started. Once you cut your angle on the first
piece, look for the matching are on the next piece and make your cut
there. You will probably need to waste the length of one pattern (if
that makes sense) to get to the same point to make the next cut.
>Q2: We have bull-nosed outside corners. This means there will be a
>small gap at the bottom where the molding meets in these corners.
>Would it be best to cut small quarter round plugs out of 1" thick wood
>that would slip up into these gaps? Or, does it work just as well to
>fill the gap with a little caulk, smooth it out, and let it go at
>that?
When we go around bull nose corners instead of making two 45 degree
cuts to make a 90 degree corner, we will stop short of the corner and
cut a 22 1/2 degree cut then cut a small pie shaped piece with a 22
1/2 degree cut on each side to make the turn then a 22 1/2 degree cut
on the next piece to continue down the wall. This takes a little
experimentation but makes a nice corner and shares the gap with two
small gaps instead of one large one.
Going around a 1" radius bull nose, the pie shaped piece will be about
9/16 " across the back side of the bottom of the crown molding. The
pieces coming from each direction will hang just past the start of the
bull nose radius (almost 1/8") and the pie will fit between.
Mike O.
On 7 Feb 2007 14:04:54 -0800 "Rocky" <[email protected]> wrote :
>On Feb 7, 2:02 pm, Ike <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Q1: The foam crown molding we purchased has a very decorative pattern.
>> The pattern is very similar to the third molding shown on this site:
>>
>> http://www.invitinghome.com/Crown_Molding/Molding_List.htm
>>
>> While it is possible to match the pattern when making a scarf or butt
>> joint, it is not possible in the corners as far as I can tell. To
>> further complicate matters, several of the corners are something other
>> than 90 degrees (20, 35, 45, etc.). What is the best way to handle the
>> inside and outside corners? Just make the cut and match the best you
>> can? Use some caulk to feather in the mismatched contours? Show guests
>> your new crown molding with the lights dimmed?
>>
>> Q2: We have bull-nosed outside corners. This means there will be a
>> small gap at the bottom where the molding meets in these corners.
>> Would it be best to cut small quarter round plugs out of 1" thick wood
>> that would slip up into these gaps? Or, does it work just as well to
>> fill the gap with a little caulk, smooth it out, and let it go at
>> that?
>
>Caulking is usually necessary along the ceiling and the wall to
>compensate for waviness and can make up for some minor mismatches at
>the corners. However, you should get the best joints you can no
>matter what the corner angles are. To do this you must measure the
>corner angles with a tool like the angle gauge from Starret or similar
>and then make the cut using a compound miter saw according to the
>proper settings for that angle. These settings can be found in charts
>available from a guy named Drake at www.compoundmiter.com. He also
>sells some angle gauges of his own and has a complete guide book. If
>you want this job to turn out nice, you need to cut precise angles
>because even a degree or 2 off can leave a large gap.
>
>Rocky
I think you missed my point. I am making dead accurate cuts with my
miter saw and the angle calculator at:
http://www.altereagle.com/5_How_to_insta.html
I am seeking advise about what to do about the mismatched patterns on
the molding in the corners and what to do about the gap on the bull
nosed corners.
On Wed, 07 Feb 2007 20:05:38 -0600, Mike O. <[email protected]> wrote:
>On Wed, 07 Feb 2007 11:02:42 -0800, Ike <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>
>>While it is possible to match the pattern when making a scarf or butt
>>joint, it is not possible in the corners as far as I can tell. To
>>further complicate matters, several of the corners are something other
>>than 90 degrees (20, 35, 45, etc.). What is the best way to handle the
>>inside and outside corners? Just make the cut and match the best you
>>can? Use some caulk to feather in the mismatched contours? Show guests
>>your new crown molding with the lights dimmed?
>
>With molding like you have pictured you probably need to cut inside
>angles and forget about trying to cope the detail of the molding. That
>being said, with inside or outside miters you should be able to match
>the pattern at all the corners. The exception will be on your last
>joint. To accomplish this you need to start in the least obvious
>corner and work your way around the room in one direction ending at
>the same place you started. Once you cut your angle on the first
>piece, look for the matching are on the next piece and make your cut
>there. You will probably need to waste the length of one pattern (if
>that makes sense) to get to the same point to make the next cut.
>
>>Q2: We have bull-nosed outside corners. This means there will be a
>>small gap at the bottom where the molding meets in these corners.
>>Would it be best to cut small quarter round plugs out of 1" thick wood
>>that would slip up into these gaps? Or, does it work just as well to
>>fill the gap with a little caulk, smooth it out, and let it go at
>>that?
>
>When we go around bull nose corners instead of making two 45 degree
>cuts to make a 90 degree corner, we will stop short of the corner and
>cut a 22 1/2 degree cut then cut a small pie shaped piece with a 22
>1/2 degree cut on each side to make the turn then a 22 1/2 degree cut
>on the next piece to continue down the wall. This takes a little
>experimentation but makes a nice corner and shares the gap with two
>small gaps instead of one large one.
>Going around a 1" radius bull nose, the pie shaped piece will be about
>9/16 " across the back side of the bottom of the crown molding. The
>pieces coming from each direction will hang just past the start of the
>bull nose radius (almost 1/8") and the pie will fit between.
>
>Mike O.
>
I put up all of my crown molding over the past couple of weekends and
I have to say thanks to all of you for your suggestions. Your tips
helped me considerably. Of particular help was the tip that I should
make a mirror image of the pattern in the corners. All my corners
turned out pretty good. Friends and family who have seen my job have
been very complimentary. They say it pulls the whole bedroom together.
I truly underestimated how long it would take me. I had about 150 feet
of molding and about 20 corners. I spent a tremendous amount of time
trimming the pattern to get a mirror image and trial fitting the
pieces until I would get the length right. I did discover that the
molding's repeating pattern is not a perfect mirror image of itself
and when making the cuts, I had to go for best over all fit.
I got pretty good measuring an outside 90 degree corner and getting
the length correct in 1-2 cuts. The inside 90 degree corners always
took me about 4-5 cuts. The biggest problems were the non-90 degree
obtuse corners. I had several of these, 145 degrees, etc. To make
things even more difficult, these corners are bull nosed so it made it
very difficult to know exactly where the apex of the angle was
located, which is where the molding pieces would meet. Those corners
slowed me down considerably.
I discovered I have a couple of very curved walls and one very curved
ceiling in my house. With the ceiling I had to compromise between a
3/4" gap at the top of the molding, or following the curve of the
ceiling resulting in a very visible downward curve in the molding. The
molding is painted a dark brown so the curve is especially noticeable.
I settled on leaving the gap as the shadow blends into the molding and
is not as noticeable.
Is there a tip any of you have to figure out how to reliably measure a
cut in an obtuse, bull nosed corner, other than repeatedly trial
fitting the molding? There has got to be a better way than trial and
error, e.g. shave 1/16" off, see how it fits, repeat as necessary.