Coping a crown molding with a dentil profile

[Perry Templeton]

I want to install a crown molding that has a dentil detail. I'm comfortable with coping the typical crown molding that has the popular ogee type profile. To cope this molding with the square detail of the dentil detail, do I follow the cut edge with my coping saw just as I would for the rounded common molding. I'd rather not capitulate and install the corner blocks unless I have to. I'd like to install the crown with the dentil and cope it and make it look nice and solid and professional. Any tips will be appreciated... Thanks. Perry

[flb51notthis]

comfortable

rounded

You would cut it the same as the standard crown. The learning curve is figuring out where to put the whole tooth or no tooth. Sometimes you will find it necessary to remove a tooth (fudging it) to make both ends work out. This will become clear to you when you start.

-Lee

[nailshooter41]

Go ahead and cope it like usual. Depending on where you land on either piece/side of the dentil though, you may have voids if you don't match carefully. The space between the dentils themselves can be a real pain. When I have to install this type of molding, I have always found it prone to tearout and breakage on the smaller, finer profiles. Cut your joints as closely as possible without tearout, then wrap a square stick of wood (3/8" or so) very tightly with 120 - 150 grit sandpaper. Final fit by carefully by using this stick to sand off excess amounts of wood. With the stick (and a tight wrap) you will be surprised how much material you can take off quickly, and how straight you can sand those joints.

Robert

[Mike O.]

Having installed crown for many years, I must admit I've never come across this particular situation. With all of the crown I have installed, that had the dentil detail, the dentil mold was an added piece installed after the crown was up. I suppose it could be coped but you'll have to be careful about where the dentil lay-out falls. If you have a cut to waste, cut it at a 45 as if you were going to cope and have a look at the cut line. The bottom edge of the dentil detail will be the problem. You may have to remove that edge (or cut that part square) as long as the dentil detail on the previous piece will run behind your cut. I'm old school and prefer to cope crown but this could be a situation where 45's on the inside corners might be an alternative.

Mike O.

[Joe Bemier]

The guys gave some good advice above. I would add- Be careful to not *work into* the corners but to *work out* of them. But if the molding is continuous you will have at least one cut where you will have to work in. If you've worked with Crown before you should be OK.

[Tom Watson]

What I usually do is rip the dentil off of the crown and then cope the crown normally.

The dentil is then added back and mitered.

Regards,

Tom Watson

tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (real email)

[Phisherman]

When I installed my crown I installed it in layers so the dentils were done separately. When you get to a corner try to space the dentils evenly. I did not measure it, just did it by eye and it turned out professional looking.

[Perry Templeton]

Well. Today I installed the crown with the dentil detail. I want to thank each and all that posted. With such a profound amount of rock solid advice, I finished up the day perfectly satisfied with my work. It was not a job for my own house, but rather for a good friend. She was pleased.

Thanks again. Coping rules...mitering would have been the weasly way.

Perry

[nailshooter41]

Good form.... thanks for the update on behalf of all that replied. Glad your job turned out well.

Mitering only works on walls with square inside corners - never seen one yet. To me, coping has been the only way for years.

Robert