Foam Crown Molding - Instructions
ROOM EXAMPLEThis 15' x 12' requires:
1 Kit
Total.....................$99.99
NOTE: This price is for 4-1/2 inch molding. Shipping is included for all orders within the contiguous U.S.
NOTE: Price is for foam crown molding only.
1 Kit Includes:(5) Left In-Corners - 5 feet long
(5) Right In-Corners - 5 feet long
(1) Left Out-Corner - 2 feet, 6 inches long
(1) Right Out-Corner - 2 feet, 6 inches long
Before beginning any painting or gluing, ensure that you have enough foam molding to complete the area. Each kit comes with the sections listed above, totaling 55 feet. If more is needed, extra foam crown moldings may be ordered. To order more molding, see our Product Line page. Also, see our Product Line page for more details if your ceilings are not 90 degree angles and/or your walls are neither 90 nor 270 degree angles.
Next, ensure you have the proper materials to complete the project. Necessary supplies include:
- Hot glue gun or construction adhesive*
- Sharp carving knife
- Ruler
- If you are painting by brush you will need:
- Latex paint
- Thinned drywall joint compound**
- Primer
- Latex paint
- If you are spray painting, all you need is the paint.
**NOTE: Drywall joint compound can be thinned with water. Add water to the compound until the mixture has a consistency similar to pancake batter.
IMPORTANT:
The brush painting technique with the joint compound results in a smooth, wood-like appearance. The spray painting technique is used for an intentionally coarse and textured appearance. Keep this in mind when deciding which painting technique you will use.
A) Starting on the in-corner farthest away from the room entrance, select a 5-foot section of in-corner molding. Place the molding in its final installation location, making sure the notched side of the molding is facing the ceiling and the sides of the molding are flat against the wall. With a pencil, draw a light line about 1/4 of an inch inward from the edge of the molding (see: Figure 1). Make these marks about 1/2 of an inch long, every 12 to 15 inches. These marks will be used as guides to help you when mounting the molding.
B) About 1/2 of an inch from the molding's edge, apply the glue in a straight line across the upper back and lower back sections of the molding (see: Figure 2).
IMPORTANT: Some adhesives may not adhere as quickly as others. For adhesives that take longer to stick, you may either: 1.) Use large pins ( ≈ 3 inches long), inserting them every 12 to 15 inches through the molding into the wall, or 2.) Put small amounts of hot glue, about the size of a dime, on the top and bottom of the molding every 12 to 15 inches.
C) When you are done applying the glue, make sure the notch on the top of the molding is facing the ceiling and the slanted edge is facing the in-corner of the wall. Mount the molding so that its back and top are flush against the wall, covering the guides you previously marked. The edge of the slanted side of the molding should rest naturally against the adjacent wall (see: Figure 3). Once the molding is in position, press firmly along its length to bond the entire section to the wall and ceiling.
D) For the other side, repeat Step 2, A through C, with the end result looking like Figure 4. Continue this process for all in-corners where 5-foot sections will fit.
IMPORTANT: For situations where in-corners and out-corners do not overlap or meet evenly, try to leave open spans of no less than 6 inches. This is because trimming a foam piece smaller than this length to fit the span becomes difficult and may result in a less-than-ideal fit.
A) As done with the in-corners, hold the molding in its final installation location (Step 2, Part A). If the out-corner section fits within the area, mark guides on the wall and continue with this Step. If it does not fit, go to Step 4.
B) Glue the back of the molding, referring to Step 2, Part B for details if necessary.
C) When you are done applying the glue, make sure the notch on the top of the molding is facing the ceiling and the slanted edge is facing the out-corner of the wall. Mount the molding so that its back and top are flush against the wall, covering the guides you previously marked. The bottom edge of the slanted side of the molding should be even with the end of the wall with the top overhanging (see: Figure 5). As with in-corners, if your adhesive is taking a while to stick, you may either: 1.) Use large pins (≈ 3 inches long), inserting them every 12 to 15 inches through the molding into the wall, or 2.) Put small amounts of hot glue, about the size of a dime, on the top and bottom of the molding every 12 to 15 inches.
D) If the other 2-foot, 6-inch out-corner section fits the out-corner, leaving 6 inches or more remaining on the wall, proceed to make guides (see: Step 2, Part A for details). If the other molding does not fit, proceed to Step 4. Apply glue to the angled corner of the molding already mounted (see: Figure 6). Next, glue the back of the other out-corner (see: Step 2, Part B for details) and mount on the wall against the other mounted out-corner. If there is a gap or the molding is uneven, you can pinch, push and pull the foam to make the molding flush (see: Figure 7), but take care to not tear, deform or stretch the piece.
A) Starting with the in-corners, select an area where you haven't put an in-corner section and hold a section in its final location. The molding will do one of two things. It may overlap a previously mounted molding and in this case, go to Step 4, Part B. Or, it won't quite meet the corner of the wall. In this case, go to Step 4, Part D.
B) Measure the gap from the already-mounted molding to the adjacent wall (see: Figure 8).
C) Make a mark of the same distance, plus 1/8 of an inch, on the back of a section of molding you still need to mount, measuring from the slanted edge to the distance of the gap (see: Figure 9). The extra 1/8 of an inch is to ensure the molding does not fall short. If there is no slant on the molding, measure from the straight edge. Draw a line with a straight edge marking the length you want down the back of the molding (see: Figure 10), making sure the distance to the edge of the section is the same at the top and bottom of the molding. After you draw the line, use a sharp carving knife to cut straight down through the molding (see: Figure 11). Now you have a molding that will fit the gap perfectly. Continue by gluing the molding onto the wall (Step 2, Part C for details).
IMPORTANT: Be sure the already-mounted section is pinned firmly in location or that the adhesive has dried. This is to make sure the pressure of the inserted piece filling the span does not cause other sections to pucker away from the wall.
D) Measure the length of the wall from end to end and then subtract 6 inches from that distance. The 6-inch reduction will make room for the other end piece. Cut and mount the section, repeating Step 4, Part C.
The final step in mounting is creating the center sections to fill open spans. Measure the distance of the gap (see: Figure 12) and with theremaining pieces or extra 5-foot sections (sold separately), repeat Step 4, Part C to cut and mount the molding. In some situations, wall lengths may allow the corner pieces to meet evenly, eliminating the need to fillcenter gaps.
The brush painting technique with the joint compound results in a smooth, wood-like appearance. The spray painting technique is used for an intentionally coarse and textured appearance. Keep this in mind when deciding which painting technique you will use.
STEP 1 - Spray or Brush Painting
If you are brush painting, follow Steps 2 through 6. If you are spray painting, skip to Step 7.STEP 2 - Mounting Your Molding Into In-Corners
B) About 1/2 of an inch from the molding's edge, apply the glue in a straight line across the upper back and lower back sections of the molding (see: Figure 2).
IMPORTANT: Some adhesives may not adhere as quickly as others. For adhesives that take longer to stick, you may either: 1.) Use large pins ( ≈ 3 inches long), inserting them every 12 to 15 inches through the molding into the wall, or 2.) Put small amounts of hot glue, about the size of a dime, on the top and bottom of the molding every 12 to 15 inches.
C) When you are done applying the glue, make sure the notch on the top of the molding is facing the ceiling and the slanted edge is facing the in-corner of the wall. Mount the molding so that its back and top are flush against the wall, covering the guides you previously marked. The edge of the slanted side of the molding should rest naturally against the adjacent wall (see: Figure 3). Once the molding is in position, press firmly along its length to bond the entire section to the wall and ceiling.
D) For the other side, repeat Step 2, A through C, with the end result looking like Figure 4. Continue this process for all in-corners where 5-foot sections will fit.
IMPORTANT: For situations where in-corners and out-corners do not overlap or meet evenly, try to leave open spans of no less than 6 inches. This is because trimming a foam piece smaller than this length to fit the span becomes difficult and may result in a less-than-ideal fit.
STEP 3 - Mounting Your Molding Into Out-Corners
B) Glue the back of the molding, referring to Step 2, Part B for details if necessary.
C) When you are done applying the glue, make sure the notch on the top of the molding is facing the ceiling and the slanted edge is facing the out-corner of the wall. Mount the molding so that its back and top are flush against the wall, covering the guides you previously marked. The bottom edge of the slanted side of the molding should be even with the end of the wall with the top overhanging (see: Figure 5). As with in-corners, if your adhesive is taking a while to stick, you may either: 1.) Use large pins (≈ 3 inches long), inserting them every 12 to 15 inches through the molding into the wall, or 2.) Put small amounts of hot glue, about the size of a dime, on the top and bottom of the molding every 12 to 15 inches.
D) If the other 2-foot, 6-inch out-corner section fits the out-corner, leaving 6 inches or more remaining on the wall, proceed to make guides (see: Step 2, Part A for details). If the other molding does not fit, proceed to Step 4. Apply glue to the angled corner of the molding already mounted (see: Figure 6). Next, glue the back of the other out-corner (see: Step 2, Part B for details) and mount on the wall against the other mounted out-corner. If there is a gap or the molding is uneven, you can pinch, push and pull the foam to make the molding flush (see: Figure 7), but take care to not tear, deform or stretch the piece.
STEP 4 - Cutting Your Molding to Fit the Corners
B) Measure the gap from the already-mounted molding to the adjacent wall (see: Figure 8).
C) Make a mark of the same distance, plus 1/8 of an inch, on the back of a section of molding you still need to mount, measuring from the slanted edge to the distance of the gap (see: Figure 9). The extra 1/8 of an inch is to ensure the molding does not fall short. If there is no slant on the molding, measure from the straight edge. Draw a line with a straight edge marking the length you want down the back of the molding (see: Figure 10), making sure the distance to the edge of the section is the same at the top and bottom of the molding. After you draw the line, use a sharp carving knife to cut straight down through the molding (see: Figure 11). Now you have a molding that will fit the gap perfectly. Continue by gluing the molding onto the wall (Step 2, Part C for details).
IMPORTANT: Be sure the already-mounted section is pinned firmly in location or that the adhesive has dried. This is to make sure the pressure of the inserted piece filling the span does not cause other sections to pucker away from the wall.
D) Measure the length of the wall from end to end and then subtract 6 inches from that distance. The 6-inch reduction will make room for the other end piece. Cut and mount the section, repeating Step 4, Part C.
STEP 5 - Cutting Your Molding to Fit the Center
The final step in mounting is creating the center sections to fill open spans. Measure the distance of the gap (see: Figure 12) and with theremaining pieces or extra 5-foot sections (sold separately), repeat Step 4, Part C to cut and mount the molding. In some situations, wall lengths may allow the corner pieces to meet evenly, eliminating the need to fillcenter gaps.STEP 6 - Brush Painting Your Molding
B) When the molding has completely dried, evenly apply one coat of primer, allowing it to dry completely (see: Figure 14).
C) When molding has completely dried, finish by evenly brushing any color of latex paint, stain, wood finish, or sponge paint (see: Figure 15).
STEP 7 - Spray Painting Your Molding
Before mounting, spray paint all of your moldings with even coats, applying as many as necessary (see: Figure 16). Be careful not to oversaturate the molding - thinner coats are better! Once you are done spray painting your molding, wait until it has completely dried before mounting, following Steps 2 through 5.
