Crown Moulding
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Crown moulding is a form of
cornice In architecture, a cornice (from the Italian ''cornice'' meaning "ledge") is generally any horizontal decorative moulding that crowns a building or furniture element—for example, the cornice over a door or window, around the top edge of a ...
created out of
decorative moulding Moulding (spelled molding in the United States), or coving (in United Kingdom, Australia), is a strip of material with various profiles used to cover transitions between surfaces or for decoration. It is traditionally made from solid milled woo ...
installed atop an interior wall. It is also used atop doors, windows,
pilaster In classical architecture Classical architecture usually denotes architecture which is more or less consciously derived from the principles of Greek and Roman architecture of classical antiquity, or sometimes even more specifically, from the ...
s and
cabinets A cabinet is a body of high-ranking state officials, typically consisting of the executive branch's top leaders. Members of a cabinet are usually called cabinet ministers or secretaries. The function of a cabinet varies: in some countrie ...
. Historically made of
plaster Plaster is a building material used for the protective or decorative coating of walls and ceilings and for Molding (decorative), moulding and casting decorative elements. In English, "plaster" usually means a material used for the interiors of ...
or wood, modern crown moulding installation may be of a single element, or a build-up of multiple components into a more elaborate whole.


Application

Crown moulding is typically installed at the intersection of walls and ceiling, but may also be used above doors, windows, or cabinets. Crown treatments made out of wood may be a single piece of trim, or a build-up of multiple components to create a more elaborate look. The main element, or the only in a plain installation, is a piece of trim that is sculpted on one side and flat on the other, with standard angles forming 90-degrees milled on both its top and bottom edges. When placed against a wall and ceiling a triangular void is created behind it. Cutting inside and outside corners requires complex cuts at standard angles, typically done with powered compound
miter saw A miter saw or mitre saw is a saw used to make accurate crosscuts and miters in a workpiece by positioning a mounted blade onto a board. A miter saw in its earliest form was composed of a back saw in a miter box, but in modern implementation c ...
s that feature
detent A detent is a mechanical or magnetic means to resist or arrest the movement of a mechanical device. Such a device can be anything ranging from a simple metal pin to a machine. The term is also used for the method involved. Magnetic detents are ...
s at these angles to aid the user. An alternative method,
coping Coping refers to conscious strategies used to reduce unpleasant emotions. Coping strategies can be cognitions or behaviours and can be individual or social. Theories of coping Hundreds of coping strategies have been proposed in an attempt to ...
, is a two step process that begins with cutting a simple miter on both mating trim ends, then uses a
coping saw A coping saw is a type of bow saw used to cut intricate external shapes and interior cut-outs in woodworking or carpentry. It is widely used to cut moldings to create coped rather than mitre joints. It is occasionally used to create fretwork ...
to backcut least one of the miters along its profiled edge to provide relief during installation. Simplified crown installation is possible when using manufactured corner blocks, requiring only simple butt cuts on each end of lengths of trim. Plastic and foam versions of crown are now available, typically with corner blocks, for easy installation by
DIY "Do it yourself" ("DIY") is the method of building, modifying, or repairing things by oneself without the direct aid of professionals or certified experts. Academic research has described DIY as behaviors where "individuals use raw and sem ...
home improvement The concept of home improvement, home renovation, or remodeling is the process of renovating or making additions to one's home. Home improvement can consist of projects that upgrade an existing home interior (such as electrical and plumbing), ...
enthusiasts.


Angle calculations

Fitting crown moulding requires a cut at the correct combination of miter angle and bevel angle. The calculation of these angles is affected by two variables: (1) the spring angle (or crown angle, typically sold in 45° and 38° formats), and (2) the wall angle. Pre-calculated crown moulding tables or software can be used to facilitate the determination of the correct angles. Given the spring angle and the wall angle, the formulas used to calculate the miter angle and the bevel angle are: * Miter angle = \arctan\left(\frac\right) *
Bevel A bevelled edge (UK) or beveled edge (US) is an edge of a structure that is not perpendicular to the faces of the piece. The words bevel and chamfer overlap in usage; in general usage they are often interchanged, while in technical usage they ...
angle = \arcsin\left(\cos \times \cos\right)


See also

* Baseboard *
Dado rail A dado rail, also known as a chair rail or surbase, is a type of moulding fixed horizontally to the wall around the perimeter of a room. The dado rail is traditionally part of the dado or wainscot and, although the purpose of the dado is main ...
*
Panelling Panelling (or paneling in the U.S.) is a millwork wall covering constructed from rigid or semi-rigid components. These are traditionally interlocking wood, but could be plastic or other materials. Panelling was developed in antiquity to make roo ...


External links


Online Angle Generator and Crown Molding Installation Tutorials
{{Woodworking Floors Walls Woodworking Architectural elements