# A dumb question about crown molding....



## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

Jeez, I hate to admit it…but I just finished my basement office, and the more I look at my 3 1/2" crown molding, the more I think I may have put it all in upside-down! Looking at the unused material, the profile is three 'steps', then a cove, then a convex radius, then a few more 'steps'... It's typical SPF from Home Depot.

Well.. it does look visually appealing, the joints are tight, and I just went right to work carefully coping it in, but I just can't help wondering if I put it up right. The nailing edge which contacts the wall, is slightly beefier than the similar edge which contacts the ceiling…

My possible mistake aside, what is the hard-and-fast rule for orienting the molding to the ceiling the right way?


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## FlWoodRat (Sep 12, 2007)

From my experience, the thinner or beaded edge goes to the wall.


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## mrtrim (Oct 11, 2007)

generally speaking mouldings off the floor are heavy side up , baseboard is heavyside down . if you really want to know if its upside down draw a profile of it and post it . i can probably help you . however i see crown moulding upside down in peoples houses all the time . they seem happy so i dont ruin thier day ! lol heres some examples


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## Phishead (Jan 9, 2008)

The rule for crown molding is this: The side with the most detail goes at the bottom.

MrTrim: 
I see crown upside down all the time and it drives me nuts. I was watching one of those BS home shows on HGTV the other day where one of the idiot hosts was showing a homeowner how to install crown and he put it up upside down.


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## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

Here's the profile:

http://s280.photobucket.com/albums/kk161/poopiekat/?action=view&current=crownmolding.jpg

I did get the thinner edge against the wall!! I've only done 2 1/4" plain cove molding in the past, and this molding perhaps is a bit out of scale to the small room (45 sf) that I put it in.
Thanks everyone for your helpful replies!


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## mrtrim (Oct 11, 2007)

near as i can tell from the pic it looks like the right side as you look at it would go to the ceiling

tony z ive never heard that rule before however i cant think of any crown that it dosent coinside with the rule i have heard . i have a subdivision that i work in and every house has the crown upside down ! yes it bugs me some also but even more when i have to do some that way so it matches . lol


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## North40 (Oct 17, 2007)

I think most (if not all) crown is cut at different angles top and bottom. I believe standard is 38/52 degrees. The crown should be oriented so that it covers more wall than ceiling.


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## oldworld124 (Mar 2, 2008)

mrtrim is correct in that the right side would go to the ceiling. I have installed miles of molding in the past.


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## mrtrim (Oct 11, 2007)

peter , i believe theres two different types , most crown sits on the 38 you mention but some bed on 45 . i think most mitre saws now have markings for both mine (hitachi comp slide ) , the 38 is indicated with a triangle the 45 is indicated with a round dot .


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## North40 (Oct 17, 2007)

I'll go along with that, mrtrim - I'm pretty sure you've installed more trim than I ever will! I've used 45 degree molding, but I've never used any 45 degree crown. With 45 degree crown, I would have to agree with your earlier post that the heavy side would go up.


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## mrtrim (Oct 11, 2007)

peter , im not sure if in hindsight we were on the same page . im refering to the angle the crown beds on in reference to the wall . most of the 45 deg . crown ive run across is dentil and some of the custom cut variety . you may be refering to the actual angle on the back . ive not checked that in many years but if im not mistaken some years back most of the manf. changed the angle at the top slighty so the front edge at the top met the ceiling with a backcut . lol im not sure even i can make sense out of what i just said ! good luck . sorry about getting all up in your thread poopie , i think crown moulding gives more guys fits than about any other except maybe bar rail


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## North40 (Oct 17, 2007)

mrtrim - no, I think we're talking about the same thing, we're just saying it differently - it's just really hard to describe in words!


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## dennis (Aug 3, 2006)

...of course in Australia it would be just the opposite. I had an engineer specify I put the crown in upside down. It just looked different…. it's decorative not structural.


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## mrtrim (Oct 11, 2007)

poopie cat , in reference to your other concern the scale of your mld. to your room . i usually recomend the size of crown in reference to the hieght of the ceiling as opposed to the size of the room . ex. a room with 8 ft. ceilings i rec, 4 1/4 or 4 1/2 , 10 ft ceilings 5 1/4 - 51/2 and so on


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## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

Thanks, mrtrim, and all the rest for your helpful replies!
Looks like I opened a hornet's nest here, but I'm glad to see that there is a need for greater awareness on the subject, and that I was at least right in questioning the work I did. 
I do lots more casework, and rarely get involved with crown molding…I'll be more aware of whether my work is right-side up on my next project! Thanks again, all!


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## mrtrim (Oct 11, 2007)

your most welcome poopiecat , and i dont see a hornets nest here , i thought it a great disscusion on the topic . i learned a new rule id never heard , i think you learned more about crown and im sure some others probably benifited from it as well . thats what it all about . great post thank you


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## Dadoo (Jun 23, 2007)

*POOPIECAT?*


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## Tangle (Jul 21, 2007)

Thanks guys, I learned something that I never thought about. I just looked and I did it right. Whew!!!


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## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

Yes, Dadoo?


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## blackcherry (Dec 7, 2007)

On the other side of the big pond crown molding is hung with trim side on the ceiling line…. 38, 45, 52 degree refers to the spring angle off the wall…the higher the ceiling line the large angle should be used for visual effect along with increasing the actual size of the molding…Blkcherry


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## mrtrim (Oct 11, 2007)

i find that quite interesting blkcherry . got any pics ? maybe ill start a new trend over here ! lol do you guys have different profiles than us or are you saying you do it opposite with the same basic profiles we have ? im always interested in something different


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## blackcherry (Dec 7, 2007)

What I'm saying is its not uncommon for people to hang crown unside down it depends on were your from….and I always hang it with as you say heavy side UP…Blkcherry


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## aluminumman (Jul 26, 2014)

Ok new here, and a novice. Redid the flooring and the baseboards of my home. Lil woman loves it! Now she wants crown. Ive never done this before and it seems complicated. Yes im cheap, I dont want to pay to have it Installed.
So you really cant cut at a 45? Ive flat cut the first piece.on the longest wall. I am going to cope per what a dude said at work. Deadhead the longest walls, then cut and cope the shortest? also ive got a ceiling that has been stomped. Textured I guess. Can someone help me? She wants the crown. If momma aint happy aint nobody happy. Guess 
What Im asking, theres no way I can cut this stuff on a 45 angle? If so why not? Ive checked the inside and outside angles, and the angles between wall and ceiling. Ceiling is 45, walls are 46 degrees. Some one please help


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## aluminumman (Jul 26, 2014)

> What I m saying is its not uncommon for people to hang crown unside down it depends on were your from….and I always hang it with as you say heavy side UP…Blkcherry
> 
> - blackcherry


Ill hang it how she likes it. I need some help. I should be fishing instead of this.


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## aluminumman (Jul 26, 2014)

This is the hallway


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## aluminumman (Jul 26, 2014)

Kitchen


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## aluminumman (Jul 26, 2014)

L









Living room


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## aluminumman (Jul 26, 2014)

I just dont understand the angles, why wont a 45 work?


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## DaleM (Feb 18, 2009)

A 45 degree angle will work. Just flip the molding upside down on a miter saw and place the flat side that will go against the ceiling against the horizontal "table" surface of the saw, with the flat surface that will go against the wall against the vertical "fence" surface of the saw and make your cut at a 45 degree angle and it should work just fine.


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