I have an older home and would like to hang some crown molding in two rooms. The interior walls are lathe and plaster. The exterior walls are 3 course brick, no wooden framing. I am thinking (keep in mind I am a DIY-er with decent but not pro skills) of putting up blocking to nail the crown to but I am not sure how to attachd the blocking to the walls, especially the exterior walls. I recall seeing some “quick grabbing” adhesive at Lowes and am wondering if this would be ok. Also, should I be using 18 ga nails to attach the crown to the blocking or something smaller? Thanks in advance for your advice.
Tom in St. Louis
Replies
Is your ceiling wood framing?
If so then fasten your blocking to the ceiling.
There was an article in FHB a couple of years ago and the guy did that exact thing. He cut a 2x4 at an angle leaving about 1/4" breathing room between the nailer and the crown for adjustment.
As far as adhering to the non-wood wall, I would try either adhesive or nailing into the ceiling. There has to be something holding the ceiling up.
Go with the angled nailer and put some adhesive on it. Just use some nails to hold it in place until the adhesive dries. If you make your nailers long enough, you've got to hit wood somewhere as well.“The richest genius, like the most fertile soil, when uncultivated, shoots up into the rankest weeds..” – Hume
rip at the angle that matches the crown and use PL premium to put it up and nail up into ceiling framing or use spring sticks to hold in place while glue kicks. Do that all the way around and now you have something to anil to.
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Sorry for the dumb question, but what is "PL premium". (I'm a DIY'er).
Mike D
I have used drywall mud, so long as the trim is not moisture sensitive.
a polyurethene construction adhesive in a caulking tube that will just about weld anything to anything, so don't get any in your hair
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Thanks! I've got some crown molding to put up in an old house as well and that tip will play well..
Well, someday. I've finished the bathrooms, the basement family room and the workshop, and still have the kitchen to remodel before I get to play with crown molding.
Mike D
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PL Premium is a construction adhesive. Really good stuff. If you glue a backer for the crown, something easier to work with like Power Grab made by Loctite will work well.
Johnson - Why not put up your back blocking with Tapcon screws driven right into the masonry as well as adhesive, say 24" on center? That way you'll have positive mechanical anchorage (a must for crown which can 'relax' and pull away from ceilings). Tapcons are sold at all the 'big box' stores - hardened blue screws - you drill a pilot hole and then just use a regular driver drill.
When attaching the crown, again it doesn't hurt to have a few trim screws (small head, square drive) into the back blocking to avoid pulling away.
Jeff
Edited 1/31/2007 8:59 am ET by Jeff_Clarke
I think you mean Tapcons
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Yup.
Jef