Installation Guide

4. Cutting the proper miter will reveal the profile of the molding. Cut away the excess wood
along the backside of the molding following that profile line with a coping saw. Err on the
side of removing too much rather than too little; only the outermost edge of the coped
molding will be seen.
5. Use a utility knife to remove any excess material you missed with the coping saw. Be
careful that you do not cut into the exposed face of the molding. Hold the piece in place
to test the fit. Take it down and do more carving if necessary. This will sometimes take
several fittings and trimmings to get the cleanest-fitting joint.
6. Planning out the job will help save work and material. Work out a pattern in which one
end of each piece of crown molding will always be cut straight and one end will be
mitered and or coped. Use scarf joints for long runs (where the pieces meet, cut the
ends at 45 degrees so they will overlap). Layout the work so joins are on top of studs.
Save the most visible parts of the job for last, when you've honed your coping skills.
3. Attach and Finish
1. Determine the location of the joists. Drill pilot holes to keep the molding from splitting.
2. Attach the molding with only a few nails. (Use 6d or 8d finish nails for this, depending on
the thickness of the molding). Take a good look at the positioning before completing the
nailing.
3. Provide a solid nailing area where the joists run parallel to the crown molding by using a
2 x 2 cut on a 45-degree bevel. Cut the 2-by-2 to length then screw it to the wall so that
it's in the corner where the ceiling and wall meet. The 2-by-2 provides a solid surface
sitting at an angle, to which you can nail the molding.
4. Countersink all nails using a nail set.
5. Use wood putty to fill all visible nail holes help cover any small gaps at the joints to give
things a more seamless appearance. Wait for the putty to dry and sand it smooth with
fine sand paper.
6. Finish the nail holes and small fill-ins to match the rest of the molding, and enjoy your
new look.