Crown Molding Can Add Elegance to New Kitchen Cabinets
By Jim MalleryRefacingCabinet.com Columnist
Once you have finished installing your gorgeous kitchen cabinets, they still might seem to lack that certain something. Crown molding can give them that final, elegant touch you want. Here are eight tips to install crown molding on your cabinets.
- Plan ahead. Make sure you have enough space between your cabinet doors and ceiling to add the crown molding.
- Match up. If you truly planned ahead, you have ordered the molding with your cabinets, getting matching wood.
- Saw. You need a power miter saw (chop saw), with a sharp finish blade. You can use a radial-arm saw or table saw in a pinch; but it's much harder to get the cuts precise.
- Shoot. A pneumatic finish-nail gun and brad (or pin) nailer are hands down the best. Buy or rent if you don't have them. Either 16- or 18-gauge nails will do. If you are shooting into the cabinet wood, 1" nails are fine. Use the pin nailer on the corners (1" brads). If you are shooting into ceiling joists or wall studs, go with 2" nails. If you are hand nailing, use 6- or 8-penny finish nails. For corners, 4-penny finish nails will do. And if you are nailing, drill small pilot holes to avoid splitting.
- Make the cut. Cutting mitered corners is really simple. Place the molding upside down on the chop saw, so that the face that goes along the ceiling is on the top of the saw, and the face that nails to the cabinet is against the fence. (If your fence is not high enough, screw a 1"x5" to the fence to give the molding something to rest against.) Cut your 45-degree miter with the molding in this position. If you have a long run of molding that requires two pieces, make 45-degree cuts for the butt joint. Caution: Think through your cuts before cutting and make some practice cuts. It is really easy to cut the opposite of what you mean to. And remember, this is finish work and precision is key!
- Outside corner. To install an outside corner, first, rough fit it to make sure all is correct. Cabinets should all have nice, clean 90-degree corners, unlike walls, which helps immensely. Then, install the long side, nailing every couple of feet. Then put a dab of glue on the corner end of the installed piece, position the second piece, and nail to the cabinet. Then use the pin-nailer and pop a couple of pins into the butting corners of the molding to hold the joint tightly in place. If the molding touches the ceiling (depending on your layout, there may be an airspace above the cabinets), nail the molding to the ceiling joists with 2" nails.
- Inside corner. You can make two 45-degree cuts, the opposite of cuts for the outside corner. Or you can use a "coping" joint, which when properly done gives you a little firmer joint.
- Caulk? If your molding is flush to a ceiling that is not absolutely flat (flat would be a rarity), and you are painting the molding, you can use a bead of paintable caulk along the ceiling.
That's it! Depending on your material, you are left to fill the nail holes and paint, if necessary, for the final, elegant touch to your new kitchen cabinets.
About The Author
Jim Mallery, a semi-retired journalist and onetime registered contractor, has extensive experience remodeling, repairing and rebuilding homes.
