Back To The Family Handyman
From 
Del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
TwitThis
About This Project
Crown molding can be intimidating, because walls often aren’t flat and nailing is difficult. Don’t worry. This three-piece system solves those problems. In this article, we’ll show you how to install trim on the walls and ceiling first, then add the crown. The three combined look elegant and go up more easily than a single large piece. We’ll also walk you through the tricky cuts at corners.
The built-up crown designs shown here take a bit longer to put up than single-piece crown, but the results will be better, especially if you have little trim experience. With any crown, corners are the most time consuming. If you have a simple four-corner room, you and a helper can probably install all the moldings in a day. A room with six or eight corners might take a full weekend. Painting or finishing will also add a day or two.
Our three-part pine crown cost about $3.50 per linear ft., or about $200 for a 12 x 15-ft. room. That’s slightly less than the cost of single-piece crown molding of about the same size. Hardwood molding like oak or maple will cost 30 to 100 percent more, depending on where you live. If you don’t have a vehicle that can haul long moldings home, ask about delivery charges when you compare prices.
Advertisement 
