Crown molding is one of the most popular upgrades made to any home or building because it increases their value. Contractors frequently eliminate moldings when building to save money, resulting in plain rooms that lack character. Adding crown, door or window architectural moldings can greatly enhance the warmth and beauty of any room.

Experts in real estate often recommend installing crown moldings as a way of increasing visual appeal especially in an entryway or at least one major room. When sales are slow, homes and buildings with enhanced moldings sell faster than plain ones. While some home improvements cost more than they add to a property’s value, crown molding is frequently mentioned as one upgrade that increases value beyond the cost of installation.

“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.

RealEstate.com’s consumer expert Holly Slaughter says, “Trim work can really add interest, depth, and sophistication to your house, and put money back in your pocket at resale.”

Did you know that crown molding doesn’t have to be expensive? While six inch crown molding in rare woods can run six dollars a foot or higher, prices for the least expensive woods start as low as only sixty cents a foot.

Adding crown molding to one average sized room can cost as little as $300 to $500 including installation, materials, staining or painting. Installed prices can be as little as $8-$12 per running foot.

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.

Some molding manufacturers stock hundreds of different wood species. Did you know that it actually costs less to custom order from the manufacturer?

There are hundreds of Crown Molding profiles specifying style, shape, width, thickness and height. Available in widths from two to twelve inches, the wider and thicker the more impressive and generally the more costly.

The most popular wood moldings are made from pine, poplar, oak, mahogany and cypress including rare sinker deadhead cypress. While we prefer the warmth and distinction of wood moldings, they are also available in cured polyurethane (flexible plastic), polyvinyl chloride (recycled cellular pvc) and polystyrene (foam).

Crown moulding installation is a job for an expert or a talented do it yourselfer. Most rooms do not have true corners and even a simple room requires the installer to be able to cut accurate angles. One popular installer says moulding is cut “upside down and backwards”.

Be sure to have your new moldings stained, sealed or painted on all surfaces before they’re installed. Don’t let anyone talk you out of doing this because any unsealed surface can deteriorate or warp from moisture. Greatly prolong the life of your moldings by insisting all sides be sealed, stained or painted.

If you are talented and want to do your own crown molding installation, there are specialized tools including True Angle measuring gauges, compound mitre charts, and specific mitre saws that make installing crown molding 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.

You can surround yourself with that same beauty by adding crown molding to any favorite room. Whether you install it yourself or hire an expert, few home improvements can enhance the look and feel of a room as much.

Frank Wright recommends reading more about buying Crown Mouldings. Use the same free Architectural Mouldings search tool Frank does. Architects can download free approved CAD drawings. Visit the Uber Article Directory to get a totally unique version of this article for reprint.

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