Because it increases property values, crown moldings are one of the most popular upgrades made to any home or building. Rooms in new buildings are often painfully plain because moldings are frequently skimped on to cut construction costs. You can greatly enhance the beauty and warmth of any room by installing window, door, crown and other architectural moldings.
Realtors and home selling experts recommend installing crown molding in an entryway or major room as an inexpensive way to increase buyer interest and get homes sold faster – especially in a slow economy. Crown molding is widely mentioned as one improvement that costs less than the resulting increase in property value.
According to the author of 101 Cost Effective Ways to Increase the Value of Your Home, Steve Berges, \”When you\’re comparing two houses, the one with the crown moulding is going to show better.\”
Holly Slaughter, RealEstate.com\’s consumer expert says \”Trim work can really add interest, depth, and sophistication to your house, and put money back in your pocket at resale.\”
Crown molding is not nearly as expensive as you might imagine. Six inch crown molding in the least expensive woods costs around sixty cents a foot. The most expensive wood moldings can run six dollars a foot or higher.
Lower cost crown mouldings can be added to an average sized room for a total cost of only $300 to $500 including painting or staining, materials and installation. Total installed prices can range from $8 to $12 per running foot and up.
Millwork companies offer vastly more crown molding choices than retail stores and many installers. They can match existing moldings – even in historical buildings of any age.
Manufacturers also stock far more wood types, sourcing 100-200 different wood species – and because they are the manufacturer it actually costs less – not more – to buy direct.
Ranging in width from two to twelve inches, you can select from hundreds of individual crown moulding profiles that vary by shape, thickness and height. Wide, thick mouldings are usually more expensive – and far more distinctive; however, you could use a less expensive wood and go bigger or a more expensive wood in a narrower or thinner style.
While some now use polystyrene (a fancy word for foam), cured polyurethane (aka flexible plastic) and polyvinyl chloride (recycled cellular pvc), the most beautiful moldings are still milled from wood. The most popular wood species are pine, poplar, oak, mahogany, and cypress including the rare sinker deadhead cypress.
Installing crown molding is generally best left to an expert unless you are a talented diy-er or carpenter. Cutting crown molding requires understanding angles and cutting them accurately. Complex corners and arches add even more complexity and few rooms are square which can make for some real challenges.
If you want your moldings to really last, be sure to have them sealed, stained or painted on all sides prior to installation. Though few installers actually do this and many will insist it is not necessary, this step is critical to protect the wood from moisture that can cause warping or deterioration.
There are specialized tools that make installing crown molding easier for talented carpenters and do it yourselfers including compound mitre charts, True Angle measuring gauges, and specific mitre saws.
Wayne Drake\’s book Crown Molding and Trim, Install It LIke A Pro shows you better ways to cut angles and install crown molding through the use of hundreds of examples and 350+ photos.
Do you know why historical buildings and old houses look so distinctive compared to new buildings and homes? If you really look you\’ll notice the wider or more elaborate moulding trim around the doors, windows and ceilings that are missing in most rooms today. Adding mouldings – and especially crown mouldings – adds warmth and character to any space.
Crown moulding is one of the most widely recommended ways to increase the value and beauty of your home or office. Whether you install it yourself or hire a crown moulding installation expert, consider adding crown moulding to at least one room. When you see the difference it makes you may decide to continue adding interesting architectural mouldings in other rooms.
Frank Wright invites you to read more about Crown Moldings. You can use the same free Architectural Molding search tool Frank does. Architects can download free approved CAD drawings.
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