Are your walls looking dull even with wall accents and a huge wall clock? Just painting them is not enough. With the perfect crown moulding, you can truly bring your walls to life and give a fabulous touch to the interiors of your house. While overhead moulding is a very old decorative technique, it has now become a timeless trend with so many interior designers recommending it. Also known as cornices, mouldings instantly make a difference and add a long-lasting ravishing touch to your walls. But before you finalize the design and get the material in, there is a lot that you should know about this highly recommended decorative technique. So, here’s all the information you need to get started:
What Is Crown Moulding?
In architecture and interior design of today, crown mouldings are associated with decorative horizontal trims that separate walls from the ceiling. They are also used to contour windows, doors and arches. The inspiration has come from ancient Greece where they were used to decorate palaces and courtrooms.
Being one of the most celebrated parts of Greek architecture, they later expanded across Europe finding dominance in Victorian ballroom decor. Even today, you can find moulding on walls and arches of federal buildings, museum buildings and recreational centers. Mouldings are also done on the floor and are usually done using baseboards or hardwood.
What Is the Benefit of Crown Moulding?
Using moulding on walls brings more than just beauty. It also brings a lot of benefits. Following are a few:
- Adding character and definition to your walls, mouldings highlight lightly coloured walls and add a hint of texture to them.
- If you have an old home, mouldings help cover cracks and crevices between your walls and ceilings and help camouflage the irregularities in texture.
- They also give your walls high-ceiling which makes the whole area look more spacious and neat, especially in rooms that are small or medium in size.
- Depending on the material, you can also expect the moulding to support the stature of your walls and keep them intact for longer.
What Is Crown Moulding Made Of?
Depending on your choice and budget, there is a variety of crown moulding materials that you can choose from:
- Wooden Crown Molding: It is the most popular variety and also comes with more options for you to choose from. You can go for paint-grade pine or hardwood material in ash, walnut or oakwood.
- Medium-Density Fiberboard (MDF) Molding: It is made of sawdust and resin and is perfect for painting over. It is lightweight and easier to install. However, because of its soft texture, it is also more prone to scratches and cracks.
- Polystyrene Molding: It is a good choice for home-makers looking for a budget-friendly renovation. Their cost-effectiveness makes them a preferred choice for rental rooms. Given their raw texture, they sometimes require more than two coats of paint for an even finish.
- PVC and Polyurethane Molding: These are good for high-humidity areas of your house like the bathroom, gym or steam room. Along with offering a long-lasting sheen, they are also lightweight and easy to install.
- Plaster Crown Molding: If what you are renovating is your forever home, you should consider going for the classic plaster crown moulding.
How Much Does Crown Moulding Cost?
Depending on the square feet and the material you choose, you can estimate the cost of your wall moulding. As a general rule, it is better to overestimate your material needs. The cutting and carving often lead to a lot of wasted material which should also be a part of your budget.
While PVC and Polystyrene moulding range between $1 to $7 per square foot, plaster and wood variety can range from $10 to $30 per square foot. The total moulding job also includes the cost of the adhesive and professional installation which is highly recommended.
Does Crown Moulding Add Value to Your Home?
Proper crown moulding helps give definition to your walls making the interiors more appealing. They also help keep the stature of the wall in place. This makes your house a good real estate investment and helps you get more returns. Even if you use affordable moulding material like PVC, it gives a refined finish to your walls making your house more valuable.
What Styles of Crown Moulding Are Available?
While choosing the crown moulding style, you should consider the aesthetics and the theme of your house and see if the style complements the decor. Here are some styles that you can choose from:
- Go for slim linear ceiling moulding if minimalism is the theme of your house.
- If rustic is more like your style, you can go for wooden moulding in the dark or tan wood shade.
- You can also go for simple crown moulding lengths and elaborate crown moulding corners if you are moulding the walls of your hall or living room.
- To add more definition to your house, you can also consider cutting crown mouldings to contour your windows, doors, bookshelves or other cabinets. This adds a very retro touch to the decor of your house.
Is Crown Moulding Outdated?
While crown moulding is an ancient technique, newer crown moulding ideas make the concept very appealing to homeowners who prefer sophisticated and appealing interior design. With a variety of textures and materials available in the market, you can go for either vintage mouldings that are made of plaster and are more elaborate or go for slim trims that are more modern and minimalistic.
Are You Supposed to Caulk Crown Moulding?
Caulking gives your moulding a neater and a finished look. It covers the gaps between the moulding and gives it a clean consistency. However, change in temperatures will lead to contraction and expansion of the caulk. This is why you need a good quality caulk and the right moulding along with proper temperature control. It is also important to caulk the crown moulding angles during the installation. This helps avoid discolouration and inconsistency between the caulk and the moulding.
Now that you have all the information you need, prepare to give your house a fabulous finishing touch!