installing crown molding .
I already know the walls are alittle wavy and ceiling slightly out.
I held the crown in a square and it looks like the projection is 3 1/8 however at the ceiling wall it looks like 3 1/2
when i put up first piece with two butt joints , then coped the intersecting piece I had to minupulate the pieces so they wood fit .
Question is what projection do I use and should I not deviate from that project
The cope seamed to be open
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Question is what projection do I use and should I not deviate from that project
Depends on how long the runs are.
You're talking about a 3/8" differential. On long runs, you won't notice minor adjustments.
I usually tack the center and then work my corners for a nice tight fit, and then gradually adjust in between.
If your cope isn't tight, it needs some fine tuning.
1.20.13
I take a short piece of the crown, hold the flat part of the back on the wall and slide it up until it hits the ceiling, mark the bottom. Do this several places along the wall. As you install the molding use these marks as a guide.
Because so much of the wood is removed from the front of the crown, it can warp. Some pieces can be different than others in the batch. You have to keep your eyes open when you buy it.
A scarf joint is a good choice when you have to use more than one piece. It doesn't have to be a 45 angle, less works just as well and is easier to cut. A butt joint may open up and show a gap between the two pieces. If you leave the end of the first piece un-nailed, you can move it a little so the scarf lines up, then nail.
I typically add a sacrificial fence and table to my saw. The mark you make on the wall is the same amount you measure up from the table to put a mark on the fence. It's very easy to move the crown accidentally out of it's position, which makes for cuts that don't fit. If you hold the crown on the mark, you get more consistent results. The kerf in the sacrificial fence tells you exactly where the blade is cutting.
Some use a crown stop on the table, a few saws come with a crown stop. For some reason, I get more consistent cuts with a mark on the fence, rather than a crown stop on the table. Theoretically, you could do the same process but mark the ceiling instead of the wall when using a crown stop.
Here's a pic of sacrificial fence and table with a crown stop. I also have a mark for the bottom edge of the crown on the fence, if they don't both line up, I use the mark on the fence.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
Thank you Hammer 1 to the point When I place the crown in a framing square i get the projection at
3 3/8 . Should that be the same as the height of the crown as you mention while it lies flat against the wall and touches the
ceiling.
Also cutting coped joints- i cut on a 45 , exposed the profile and used a pencil to mark the profile , I used a jig to take out the bulk of the back and finished with the coping saw and file.
i thought once this was done i could fine tune the thin profile with sand paper or a file to fit perfectly. its not happening , there are still gaps. HELP