Crown molding and Wainscoting Projects

[cpaccione]

We are considering tackling these two projects. Crown molding in our living/kitchen area and wainscoting in our bedroom. I'm worried that I'm a little too brave but can't see paying someone to do it when we could do it ourselves if we only had the knowledge.

Anyway, anyone do either of these? How did it turn out? Do you wish you had hired someone to do it after all? Any tips or advice. I would really appreciate it.

Thanks!

[southerner]

We've put crown moulding in our house. For the first room you do it in, expect it to take longer than you think it will. Do y'all have a compound miter saw? A coping saw? If you don't have these tools, then you might want to hire someone then. To make the cuts, you need one and a good book to explain it to you since you've never done it before. We have a thick (encyclopeida sized) book that went into great detail.

Also, I would suggest you buy a little extra and make some practice cuts. Have some wood putty too for when the corners don't match up perfectly.

Once we got a hang of putting the mouldings in, it was a pretty easy and affordable project that brought a lot to the rooms!!

[cpaccione]

Thanks Southerner! We don't have any saws yet but are willing to buy them. I've tried to do a lot of research on the internet about installing crown molding but it is so confusing to me. I was thinking of taking a class at Home Depot, that might be a possibility.

[Sazoo]

OH, I love crown molding & wainscotting! I'd love to add them to some rooms in our condo, but I don't feel brave enough to figure out how to do it myself & make it look good...& I'm not willing to pay someone else to do it right now. Maybe in our next house we'll do it though. ;)

Good luck, cpaccione!

[southerner]

would y'all be buying a miter saw for this project alone or do you have other things you might want to do? I don't know if I'd recommend buying these tools for one project (not unless its a BIG project). The miter saw can be somewhat pricey

[greenbunny]

We are planning to do both crown moulding and wainscotting. You don't need a fancy miter saw, a small one will do. DH just bought a used one in the local paper for $30. So it doesn't have to be pricey. I recommend looking in the paper or on craigslist for used tools.

[nuhmah]

DH gets some really cool tools from Craig's list - he recently got some brand new Dewalt's for $100 below selling price in the store.

He also has rented tools from both the Home Depot and Lowe's in the past. You can also rent their truck to haul them home (if you don't have a vehicle). If you are not looking to keep your tools, renting might be the way to go.

[seattleguamgirl]

We installed a chair rail in DS's nursery and it took forevah to get it right. :) We were able to use a cheapie miter saw. The problem was getting the rail around our bull-nosed rounded corners (it's a 22 degree cut).

We are moving and are reluctant to do it ourselves again. Especially now that we have a kid in tow!

If you decide to do it yourselves, I suggest getting a good miter saw and a lot of paintable caulking (we used a TON).

[lml41981]

We're going to do wainscot in our nursery. Lowe's has an instructional guide on their website on how to do it...DH won't do the interlocking pieces, like I want, so he's going to do panels instead. It should be easy...Replace the baseboards, snap a chalk line, make sure it lines up and is straight and then put the chair rail on. I hope I'm not thinking it is more simple than it is!

[kam]

While you don't need an expensive miter saw, I'd think that getting a quality one would make life easier. Renting might be the way to go.

We're lucky that my FIL offered his services for both crown moulding and chair rails. He isn't a professional (he's an accountant, of all things) but he's done his entire house and now is an expert at it. I think doing it ourselves might push us over the edge ;)

[cpaccione]

I never thought about renting the equipment...that might be the way to go. I was reading on the internet and I think we can handle the wainscoting OK but I'm scared of the crown molding. I'm afraid that I've been thinking it's easier than it really is and we'll get in over our heads. Don't know what to do...

Thanks for all the replies BTW!

[Noniitis]

I was going to suggust renting I happen to have my local reddy rents price guide in front of me and it is only $20 a day to rent a meter saw. My rule is if you need to rent or borrow a tool twice you should really buy one.

[Oakley]

Has anyone hired someone to do it? If so, how much did it cost? I'm really looking to do this in a few rooms because it adds SO much.

[LynzeyAHL]

I sell compound miter saws everyday at work so of course I'm going to tell you that buying one is a better investment than renting one. You can get a decent saw for around 150 you don't really need the sliding feature and a 10 inch vs a 12 inch is fine and that will get you through your Crown Molding, the Chair rail at the top of your wainscoting, 1/4 bead at the floor including the mitered corners, and if you decide to add molding to windows or doorways later or a deck you've already got what you need. A 10" saw will cut a 4x4 post.

I could write a book here but if you want more info PM me or hit me up on IM (in my profile)

[LynzeyAHL]

Also wanted to add that Senco and Bostitch both make really affordable brad nailer/air compressor kits to put up all this wood. You could do it with a hammer and nail but work smarter not harder. Then you'll have a air compressor for filling tires, running your paint sprayer, and more pressure than a can of air for cleaning.

[LILRTL]

*bumping this up* Can anyone tell me an approximate cost for the crown moulding itself? I'm sure this can vary GREATLY, but we're looking for just a basic trim-type. No fancy anything. Suggestions?

[Kimberland30]

It could range from $1.50 to over $8 per foot, depending on the length you buy, the style and the type of wood. Having a basic in-stock pattern in a pre-primed-ready-to-paint wood is going to be your cheapest option...or at least that's what I found when shopping it.

[LILRTL]

We definitely don't want anything special. This isn't our forever house by any means, so we just want to spruce it up a little before we sell next year. :)

[MeTheGirlie]

LIRTL - you can also buy in HD/Lowes the crown molding with the pre-metered cuts - makes life easier but is a bit more expensive - a quick fix. Doing the coping via coping saw is probably the most difficult to understand (cutting the profile) but once you get the knack of it, it's easy. You can also buy those pieces of wood that go into the corners (not pre-metered, but block like) so you don't have to do the corners, that makes life easier as well.

Around here (east coast) we always expect to pay sometimes up to 11.00 per linear foot for really interesting crown.

My biggest suggestion is to make sure you CALK the gaps, once installed. Many people put up crown/wainscotting and don't CALK the gaps, this, to me, looks messy and unfinished. Calking really is important.

DH is in the process of installing custom wainscotting in our dining room put together by many pieces, I believe I have some pics somewhere in my journal but it's nowhere near finished.

[LILRTL]

Oh - we won't be doing the installation. My stepFIL does it for a living in new construction. ;) I was just curious on what to expect actually buying the stuff! :)

[designer]

Does anyone have pics of the wainscoting they've done - or is there another thread that has pics?

TIA!

[Kimberland30]

Here's One (http://www.constantchatter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2825&highlight=molding)

You'll have to click on the X for the old pictures, click properties, and cut and paste it to your browser so you can see the pictures, but some are beautiful!

[designer]

Thanks Kimberland30

[southerner]

Does anyone have pics of the wainscoting they've done - or is there another thread that has pics?
There are a few in this thread (http://www.constantchatter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=29438) too.

[Bloomwood]

any crown molding project photos? I'm collecting idea for our MBR. Thanks.