When we last left off I had just finished wallpapering and painting the trim in the foyer. Now it was time to create some crown molding, faux crown molding that is. I love crown molding, but I loathe cutting it. It’s literally the WORST! Although, if you are looking for a great tutorial for cutting crown molding, I swear by this one.
So knowing myself and knowing that I wasn’t up for fighting with crown molding this time around, I decided on a simple ceiling trim which I’ve done in the past on some kitchen cabinets, which helps you get the look of crown molding without the hassle of it.
How to create Faux Crown Molding
Prep the Boards:
So my faux crown molding consists of a 1×4, a 1×2, and some cove molding in between. Wood boards are rarely smooth, so I filled the knicks and knots with wood filler and sanded them out smoothly to ensure a smooth paint job.
Cut
Next, I cut my boards to size, using just straight cuts for easy installation.
Paint
Next, I wiped them down to remove the dust and began painting the fronts and 1 of the edges so it would be less work once they were up on the wall/ceiling (However, they will still need to be touched up once up there). I gave them 2 coats of paint using my Wooster Shortcut Paintbrush.
Installing the boards:
Starting with the 1x4s. I attached them to the walls with ends butted up against each other. I used my brad nailer and 2″ brad nails.
Next, I cut the 1x2s to size and made the mistake of cutting them at 45 degrees. I say it’s a mistake because the house is not square, so they could have been put together end to end. Our walls and ceilings are cement, so I had a field day trying to sink a good majority of the nails (as you can see above).
Next, it was time to add the cove molding. The slight curve of the cove molding gives the appearance of crown molding in my opinion, but not nearly as difficult to cut. I cut the cove molding at 45 degrees to install in between the two boards.
For the stairway opening, I cut a return for the cove molding to create a little detail, which looks a lot better than if I just cut a butt-end.
How to cut an outside 90-degree Return:
I cut them the same way I cut an outside 45-degree miter corner on the right end of the main piece.
For the return piece, I cut a 45-degree angle on the left side.
Then, laying it flat, I cut it straight at the point where the mitered corner was made. These two pieces fit together perfectly.
Caulk, Fill, Sand, Paint
I used white paintable caulk in the seams, and filled the nail holes with wood filler, and gave it one more coat of paint after sanding, and it’s as simple as that:
faux crown molding-that helps you get the look without the fuss!
I am just loving how this foyer is coming along!
Still to Do:
- Swap out light fixture
- Bring in some décor
- Carry the paint color up the stairs
- Work on organizing the “coat” closet, which we use as a broom closet
But before I go, let’s take a peek at where we started:
Oh and Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope you all feel especially loved today!
