Inexpensive Crown Molding

No matter how big or small a room, if you want to install crown molding, you know it's going to be expensive. Here are some relatively inexpensive crown molding options.

About Crown Molding

From the simple to the intricate, crown molding adds an elegant architectural detail to any room. Typically, crown molding is constructed out of pine, oak or maple and is very expensive. Not only is the cost a huge consideration, but the installation is as well.

Installing crown molding on existing walls is difficult at best and it involves miter cutting joints that have to be as close to perfect as possible. Once a mistake is made, you have to start over with a new piece, making even the smallest mistakes very expensive.

Where to Buy Inexpensive Crown Molding

Yes, it may seem as though if you aren't installing wood crown molding it defeats the whole purpose. Nobody wants to go through the work of putting the molding up only for the finished look to seem, well, cheap looking.

Fortunately, there are many non-wood crown molding products that are durable and look just like their wood counterparts when primed and painted. If you can't tell the difference when all is said and done, why not save a few bucks?

• I Wish I had That: Once you take a look at this store's hundreds of crown molding options, you'll definitely be saying "I wish I had that!" Typical prices for these moldings are around $15 for one-and-a-half- to three-inch deep molding. The best part is the pieces are 95 inches long. These moldings are constructed out of durable polyurethane and come pre-primed.
• Foam Crown Molding: Made from heavy duty Styrofoam, these moldings don't even require any special tools to install. They come in six-and-a-half-foot lengths and cost about $1.50 per linear foot.
• Lynea Moldings: This company offers lightweight polyurethane moldings that come in either four-, six- or eight-inch depths and in eight-foot-long pieces for around $25 per piece. Lynea Moldings also offers special corner pieces cut specifically to fit their crown molding products so there is no need to miter cut any of the corners. These moldings are pre-primed and, if you'd like, they will paint them for you. All you need to do is buy the paint.
• Decorative Ceiling Tiles: This store offers durable Styrofoam crown moldings priced at around $1 per linear foot.

Crown Molding Installation Tips

Here are a few tips when installing your inexpensive crown molding:

• Measure and cut first. Before you begin gluing and nailing the molding into the ceiling and wall, measure and cut it to the proper lengths. Then, dry fit it to make sure your measurements are correct. After you're sure it fits, paint it. It's so much easier to paint when the molding is laying down in front of you then when it's up on the ceiling.
• Mark your studs. Foam molding is lightweight, but it is possible for gravity to bring it down over time. Mark you studs with a pencil on the wall and the ceiling before installing the molding.
• Use the proper adhesive. Regular construction adhesives may "eat through" or damage the foam or not adhere well to the polyurethane, so be sure to use the manufacturer's suggested adhesive.

If you've ever attempted crown molding, you know how frustrating the installation process can be. You also know how gorgeous the end result is, so all the frustration of the cutting and installation process ends up being well worth it.

If you've never attempted crown molding, get a feel for it by using a few scrap pieces to practice dry fitting the molding to the wall and ceiling, especially in the corners, which are usually the most troublesome. Since molding installation involves making cuts at various degrees, a miter saw is an absolute must to ensure that your crown molding looks great once it's installed.

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