Crown Molding 101

Crown molding is one of those beautiful architectural elements that everyone seems to desire in their own home. Did you realize how easy it is to install yourself? After all, if your home doesn't have any character, fake it to make it!

According to Wikipedia, crown molding is applied along the seams where the ceiling meets the upper wall. Instead of placing the crown molding flush against the wall or ceiling, it forms a triangle when viewed from the molding's end. This dimension makes the installation process more difficult, mainly because of the need for complex cuts to form corners where the ceiling and walls meet. But it's by no means impossible.

In fact, there are two common ways to create crown molding by hand. One is to use a compound miter saw to cut the ends of the corner pieces along two axes simultaneously. The other, called coping, is a two-step process: first to cut a simple miter, and then to use a coping saw to undercut the miters.

Sound too confusing for an afternoon DIY? There are many pre-made crown molding options you can purchase, a few of which are right here. Why not pick out your favorite color and get to work? Your architectural ceilings await...