Painting Crown Molding

Easy step by step painting guide to getting fabulous results when painting crown molding!

Crown molding is a decorative feature that usually appears within traditional homes, it is becoming more frequent in modern homes. Crown molding can be made from a variety of materials from hard wood to a foam construction. It can be installed professionally or you can take on the project yourself.

Deciding on Color for Painting Crown Molding

Once your crown molding is in place you need to consider the color you will paint it and the walls. When painting crown molding; you need to decide if you want the walls to be a lighter or a darker color that the molding in the room. You must also take into consideration how open plan your home is. Painting crown molding in one color within an open plan home may cause it to be contrasting with other visible molding around the home. As with all painting, painting crown molding must be completed in stages to ensure that you are left with a professional finish.

Priming Crown Molding for Painting

Many crown moldings come pre-primed; however, there is a vast majority of original woods and faux woods that do not come with any form of coloring. For this reason, painting crown molding with a primer is essential. Priming your wood of faux wood will allow the true color to show in all its intensity. Painting crown molding with primer will also prevent any stains or damp from coming through giving longevity to your finished product.

Once primed a true professional will then lightly sand down the crown molding, this will create a smooth finish. You can then continue with painting the crown molding in the required color.

If you are painting crown molding that already exists and is painted, you must ensure that you sand down what is already in place if it is not of a good condition. If you paint over the existing paint when it requires some attention you could end up wasting time with the job. Having to re do the entire process at some point, the paint may start to peel or flake.

Once you have finished with painting your crown molding and created fluidity within your home design, you will have a wonderfully finished room from the base board to the crown molding. It will add a feel of class and style that previously was not there and give your room a finished look that you can be proud of.

So let's get down to it!

Step 1- Choose and Buy the Paint: If you are trying to match the existing paint, carefully remove a sample of baseboard from a coat closet and take it to the paint store. Buy enough paint (and primer if applicable) to cover all the molding with two coats and still leave plenty left over for touch up.

Step 2- Area Preparation: First, when painting crown molding, you will need to find an out of the way place for painting in. This place must fit the following criteria...

• have sufficient square footage to accommodate all of the crown molding laid out flat and allow room for you to safely reach every inch of every stick. (painting crown molding is difficult if you can't reach it)
• is totally dry. Do Not let your painted crown molding sit outside over night where it is vulnerable to dew or fog.
• is safe from air born dust, dirt, leaves etc.

Cover the entire floor space with painters plastic and lay out the crown molding in rows. For easy painting of your crown molding, it is best to group the rows in three to five sticks depending on your arm length. Also it is much easier to paint if they are raised up off the ground. I use buckets and 2x4s to do this.

Step 3- Primer: If you crown molding is white already then it is primered and you can skip that step. If not you will need to apply a coat of primer to seal the molding. No need to go very thick with it, one coat will do. Once dry, sand the primer coat lightly.

Painting Crown Molding

Step 4- First Coat of Paint: Using a good 3 inch or wider paintbrush, generously apply the paint to one stick at a time. It is important to work fast. Load up the brush and go down the entire length, just really slopping it on. Once you get to the other end, go back, carefully painting the entire length. You must work fast so the paint doesn't dry while you are brushing, or you will end up with unsightly brush strokes. If done correctly, the paint will smooth out on its own and the paint will appear to have been sprayed on! Repeat the process with each stick.

Step 5- Spackling joints: Once your crown molding is installed, you need to make all outside corners and splices look good if they need a little love. I used to use Bondo for this, because you can control hardening time and it dries very hard, but it really is toxic disgusting stuff. Sometimes it is the only way to save a really messed up outside corner (yeah, even a pro does it) so it is always in my crown moldiing bag of tricks, but if your joints are pretty good you can use spackle.

The absolute best stuff for spackling purposes is a product called Drydex. Before painting your crown molding, you want all joints to be perfectly blended and this stuff is a awesome for that. Unlike spackle, it is thick and gooey. It spreads on like room temperature Skippy peanut butter! The other great thing about it though is this: It goes on pink and dries white. Simply wait till it is white and it ready to sand and paint. Make sure you use a painters sanding block for the best results.

Step 6- Caulking: Try this: Get a roll of quality 1 inch masking tape. (3M is best) Take a 2 foot piece and apply it to the wall just below the bottom edge of the crown molding. Using a tube of bright white caulking, make a solid bead right over the tape at the juncture of the wall and the crown molding. Carefully wipe the bead with your finger. Now before the caulking is dry, peel off the tape. If done correctly, your crown molding painting job will have the appearance from the ground of being a perfectly cut in. Painting the edges in unnecessary. Repeat throughout the room.

Step 7- Second Coat of Paint: Your almost done! This is the last step to painting crown molding! Once you have caulked all areas and sanded any spackled joints your crown molding is ready for painting. The idea is the same as for the first coat. Apply as thick as you can without getting runs and work fast. No cutting in is needed as your new caulking technique took care of that!

That's It! In an hour or so the paint will be dry! See? Painting crown molding is easy!

Congratulations!

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