Crown Moulding 101

One of the most popular home improvement projects is to add crown moulding. Working with crown moulding is not one of the easiest projects but a little knowledge of the task at hand will help. Hopefully, you’ll find some good stuff about crown moulding here that will help you better grasp some of the terms and how to work with crown moulding.

How is Crown Measured?

There are four measurements to be aware of when looking at a piece of crown. The width is the dimension at it’s widest point and the thickness is the thickest dimension when lying flat. The height is measured from the bottom of the crown where it meets the wall to the ceiling and the projection from where the face meets the ceiling back to the wall.

What is the Spring Angle on Crown Molding?
The angle of the gap between the backside of the crown molding and the wall is called the spring angle. It can be measured using a protractor designed. Crown molding angle is usually represented by two numbers. The most common types are 45/45 and 52/38.

What is the Bevel?
The bevel is the tilt of the blade being used to make the cut.

What is the Miter?
The miter is the angle on the saw?s table.

Which End of the Crown Molding is Up?
Most crown molding features two distinct sections – a common element (a flat or curved area) and a more decorative element. The common element is called the “ogee” or “Cyma Recta” and the decorative element is called the “dentil.” In most installations, the dentil is considered the bottom part of the molding.

What if my Wall is Longer than my Moulding?
A scarf joint is used when you need to make an in-line straight connection between two pieces of crown molding. When cut properly, one section of crown molding will fit seamlessly over the other, like an overlapping joint.

What Size Nails Should I Use to Install Crown Molding?
For most installations 2″ finishing nails work best because drywall is usually 1/2″ thick and common crown moldings are 3/4″ or less thick. 2″ nails will allow the nail to enter the stud securely but prevent accidentally hitting any electrical wires which by code are installed along the center of the stud.