One of the most popular upgrades for homes and office buildings is crown moulding. New buildings often lack mouldings or skimp on them, causing rooms to be plain and ugly. Door, crown, and window architectural mouldings can be installed to add warmth and beauty to any room.
Installing crown moulding is frequently recommended by experts as a way to increase property values. It can greatly shorten the time it takes to close a sale when selling real estate in a down market. Adding mouldings to an entryway or living room can transform a plain house into one that exudes warmth and elegance. Decorative mouldings are one investment that costs less than the increased value of your home or office.
\”When you\’re comparing two houses, the one with the crown molding is going to show better.\” according to Steve Berges, author of 101 Cost Effective Ways to Increase the Value of Your Home.
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.\”
If you think crown moulding is too expensive you may be surprised to learn that the less expensive materials can cost as little as sixty cents a foot while rare woods can run six dollars a foot or more.
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.
Retailers and some installers only stock a very limited selection compared to all the widths, thicknesses and shapes a moulding manufacturer offers. Millwork companies can match existing trim mouldings regardless of when the original was created.
Manufacturers of mouldings and millwork trim can source almost 200 different wood species. Best of all it costs less to order crown mouldings directly from the manufacturer than to buy them from retail stores or moulding installers.
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.
We prefer the beauty of wood mouldings and the wide selection of woods used include pine, poplar, oak, mahogany and cypress including sinker deadhead cypress. Crown moulding can also be made from polyvinyl chloride (recycled pvc), polyurethane (flexible plastic) and polystyrene (foam).
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.
If you decide to install moulding trim yourself, we recommend buying specific mitre saws, True Angle measuring gauges, and compound mitre charts that make installing crown moulding far easier.
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.
The difference moldings make in the appearance of any room is spectacular. Visit or look at photographs of any favorite historical building and you will immediately see the impressive moldings around doors and windows and how the crown moldings set off the ceiling from the walls.
Whether you add it to one room or an entire house, crown molding is one home improvement that enhances not only the value but the beauty of your home or office.
Frank Wright recommends reading more about Crown Molding. You can use the same free Architectural Moulding search tool Frank does. Architects can download free approved CAD drawings.
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