CROWN MOULDING

[yh266515]

I'm thinking to put crown moulding around my living room.

Is it easier to paint the moulding before put it up or paint it after.

Thanks. April

[Doug Kanter]

Prime first, install second, paint third. Be sure to have a drill ready, for making pilot holes for the finishing nails, and practice on a piece of scrap. Otherwise, have lots of Kleenex ready to dry your tears. Don't ask me how I know this. The right size nail set is mandatory, too. If you cut the pieces of moulding a bit tight, they may need to be tapped into place at the corners, so a soft mallet is nice to have, or a regular hammer and a piece of soft scrap wood or dowel to act as an intermediary. Sometimes you have to bend long lengths of moulding in the middle to get them to pop into place. That's interesting. :-)

[f/256]

I like to prime it, paint it, install it, caulk gaps and then retouch it with paint.

[PJx]

You are making way too much work out of this. Put it up and then patch the holes/joints and paint.