Crown Moulding Does Not Have to Be Expensive

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.”

If you think crown moulding is too expensive you may be surprised to learn that the less expensive materials can cost as little as sixty cents a foot while rare woods can run six dollars a foot or more.

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.

Millwork companies offer vastly more crown molding choices than retail stores and many installers. They can match existing moldings – even in historical buildings of any age.

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.

We prefer the beauty of wood mouldings and the wide selection of woods used include pine, poplar, oak, mahogany and cypress including sinker deadhead cypress. Crown moulding can also be made from polyvinyl chloride (recycled pvc), polyurethane (flexible plastic) and polystyrene (foam).

Unless you are a talented do-it-yourselfer or carpenter, installing crown molding is usually best left to an expert. Few buildings are totally square and one expert says “crown molding has to be cut upside down and backwards” to specific angles. Arches or complex corners can make the job even more complicated.

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 decide to install moulding trim yourself, we recommend buying specific mitre saws, True Angle measuring gauges, and compound mitre charts that make installing crown moulding far easier.

We also highly recommend Wayne Drake’s book Crown Molding and Trim; Install It Like a Pro. His book includes 350+ photos and hundreds of specific examples.

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.

Whether you add it to one room or an entire house, crown molding is one home improvement that enhances not only the value but the beauty of your home or office.

Frank Wright invites you to read more about Crown Molding. You can use the same free Architectural Moulding search tool Frank does. Architects can download free approved CAD drawings. You are welcome to reprint this article – but get your own unique content version here.