I have a house that was built in 1873 and all the walls are plastered over brick with no lathe. We have recently put new drywall on all the walls and painted. Now, we have decided to hang crown molding along the ceiling but we have nothing to nail it to.
If you could help me find a way to hang the crown molding, please reply.
And by the way, the crown molding is 3 1/2 inch wide. Any ideas would be appreciated.
Thank you,
Becky
Replies
I'll go on the assumption that the drywall is "glued" in some fashion to the original plaster (??). If this is the case, then one solution that comes to mind is glue fillet pieces (i.e. angle-cut, they will fill the void behind the crown) to the wall/ceiling first; perhap use a couple of Tapcons to ensure they'll stay there; then brad/glue the crown to the fillet.
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
Let's assume you have wood ceiling joists. You can rip 2x4 trianglular blocking to a slightly smaller dimension than the recess behind the crown and screw/nail to the joists. Find the dimension for the blocking by holding the crown molding up to a framing square as if the square legs were the walls and ceiling, and subtract 1/4" to 3/8". Now you will have a place to fasten your crown to.
Jon Blakemore
Becky
I too have a house that was built in the 1870's with plaster over the brick.
What Phill G. said will work fine. Combined with the next post after his. I did something like both of them suggested, I used construction adhesive and used pin nails to pin the bottom edge to the sheet rock, just angle them, they will act as a clamp until the con. adhesive sets. Then I put some screws up into the ceiling to help hold it, the screws were a hit and miss thing though so I think it was a combination of doing both.
Doug
Here's a pic of what they're talking about. Works well if you have something to nail the blocks to, but pins and glue will work.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
I have done this technique with blocks but found it even easier to just rip long pieces of 2x4 at the correct angle and glue and pin the whole piece, it's that much stronger and you know you're not going to miss when you shoot the crown in place. I recess the backer piece by maybe 1/8" so there is play.