3 easy-to-follow steps to install crown molding in your home

Installing crown molding in a room adds beauty and value to a house. Here are three easy-to-follow steps to installing it in your home when renovating.

Installing crown molding in a room adds beauty and value to a house. Best of all? It's easy to do. Here are three easy-to-follow steps to install crown moulding in your home when renovating.

Choosing the right colour, placement, and size when you add moldings is an important first step in the process. Many home renovation stores that sell moldings can provide small samples of their product, including paint, to help with the decision process.

Colour is an important factor. Use it to either create contrast or a blended look between the colour of the walls and ceiling.

• A common choice during this step is to simply match the ceiling colour to that of the moulding. This can create a contrast in the room if the walls are a different hue. It can also provide a subtle transition between the two if they're the same colour.
• Another option is to choose a colour that's neutral to create a gradual transition between the walls and ceiling.
• Before purchasing any material, ask yourself how the choice will pair with the baseboards in the space being renovated. Will it clash, or complement the overall look of the room?

Placement and size of the molding go hand-in-hand. Together they determine how much of your walls and ceiling are covered.

• Creative uses include extending the molding across the ceiling, or vertically down a wall, by using a deeper molding. This effect creates a larger transition, which when done well, gives a look of elegance and class to the room. This works well in larger spaces.
• Smaller rooms often visually benefit from a smaller molding around the perimeter.
• Use the molding to frame built-in room features such as fireplaces, entryways, recessed shelving units, or around kitchen cabinets.

Once the right molding and placement has been decided, preparing the moldings beforehand will save time and effort during and after installation.

• Prime and paint a first or second coat on the moldings, as needed, before installation. It makes touching up and repainting faster, easier and safer. It also means less time going up and down a ladder.
• Painting before will also give a better idea of how well the colour scheme ties the room together before all the work is done.

*Hint: Molding can also be used to correct incomplete or imperfect edging on tiles or inlaid wooden floors since it helps create straight and crisp lines throughout the room.

Save yourself time and money by properly planning your visual and material choices ahead of time. With some care, your efforts to install your own crown molding in just three easy-to-follow steps will ensure a crisp and clean look to your room—and add value to your home.