Crown Molding on a slanted ceiling??

[John]

Have a friend who just had crown molding installed in his home, in the living room the ceiling is rectangular, but the height at the rear wall of the house is 8ft, the height on the opposite end is like

15-16ft.

The "expert" installing the molding told him it was IMPOSSIBLE to cope/miter the corners and he instead installed decorative blocks at each corner

Bottom line, was the installer incompotent and this was doable, and if so, how is it done. If it is NOT possible to miter/cope those joints, is the decorative blocks the ONLY solution or are there other options.

Frankly, I think the decorative blocks look like shit

John

[Tyke]

I think the decorative blocks were the appropriate solution.

With the one side having a slant, I expect that even with coping the joints, the profile of the crown molding would not have matched due to the length of the cut line on the ends would have been unequal, and so there would have been visible joints. Perhaps this could have been masked with filler.

Dave Paine.

[Robert Bonomi]

The installer *IS* _competent_.

The _only_ way to get a 'clean' join, where the join line is _not_ perpendicular to _both_ pieces, is to use different sizes of stock on the two sides.

This requires "full custom" molding -- in *non-standard* dimensions -- which probably means a "custom" molding cutter-head as well as the custom run.

The price for such 'stuff'?

"If you have to ask, you can't afford it" applies.

That they may, but things would look *much* worse without them.

[PDQ]

Here, among other goodies, is a chart for cutting Crown Molding compound = miters:

Angle calculation: Angle calculation: you want to see all that is to be had: surfing.

--=20

PDQ

-- =20 "John" wrote in message = news: [e-mail]... | Have a friend who just had crown molding installed in his home, in the | living room the ceiling is rectangular, but the height at the rear | wall of the house is 8ft, the height on the opposite end is like | 15-16ft. =20 |=20 | The "expert" installing the molding told him it was IMPOSSIBLE to | cope/miter the corners and he instead installed decorative blocks at | each corner |=20 | Bottom line, was the installer incompotent and this was doable, and if | so, how is it done. If it is NOT possible to miter/cope those joints, | is the decorative blocks the ONLY solution or are there other options. |=20 | Frankly, I think the decorative blocks look like shit |=20 | John |

[Casey]

Hi, This is absolutely correct; the moulding that rakes will not be the same profile as the molding that runs parallel to the floor. There is a quick way to do it without blocks or custom runs: Turn the wall corner 90 (the first turn) with one miter, and spring the rake angle from it (the second turn). The complex angle is thereby divided between two cuts. The "transition" piece will have 0 length on its top and a minimal length on the bottom -- a wedge. I avoid corner blocks at all costs. Casey

[Greg O]

Depending on the situation, it can be done. You mount the molding in relation to the ceiling, not the wall. The crown where the sloped ceiling meets the wall at more than, or less than, a 90 degree angle will be kicked out of plumb slightly to match the angle of the ceiling. Some planing will be required on the back side of the crown where it meets the wall. Confused yet? I think I am! Greg

[Greg Kimnach]

he's correct. the "projection" (relative height) of the inclined piece increases. someone asked me aout this a few of years ago....never had time to work it out in detail:

[Dave Jackson]

DON"T listen to the "expert". This is very possible, even easy, to do. The "trick" is to use three pieces of crown to make up the corner. If you start with a piece along the 8" wall, cut another piece as you normally would, only smaller (like 1 foot or so) Then, cut the angle you need to work the corresponding angle up the wall on the other side of the short piece. Make sure the piece is as small as you can possibly make it and still have the required angles needed to join each side. What you'll ultimately end up with is a small piece with the angle cut to fit the horizonal crown, (around the 31.9 deg. 31.6 deg.mark) on one side and whatever angle is necessary to connect the crown running up the slope of the ceiling. Once again, think two long pieces of crown connected with a small transition piece in between them. It's NOT impossible, HOWEVER it can look funny on larger mouldings, as the small transition piece will come into the adjoining wall for a short distance before sloping up. Try it out. The asthetics are what's important here, but it CAN be done by any competent installer. If my instructions are not clear enough, please send a request for more info, I'll do what i can to clarify things. --dave

[Dave Jackson]

[Mike]

I'll agree with you that it's possible. I'll disagree that it's easy. It's not a job I would recommend to someone for their first piece of crown molding.

Mike O.

[Mike Marlow]

Actually Mike, it really is fairly easy. Even on the first piece of crown molding. All that's really being done with this technique is to add one more cut/cope to what you'd already have to do in that corner. From that perspective, since the work involved is the same, it doesn't really add difficulty, just another step.

[Mike]

I'm pretty familiar with running crown as I've had the pleasure to run some in over 20 houses a year for the last 20 years or so. I've run crown into, over, across and around just about everything. It's been my experience that I can run crown on a flat ceiling about twice as fast as I can run it on a cathedral ceiling. Some of this time has to do with figuring, cutting and or coping uncommon angles and some has to do with hauling my butt up a taller ladder. In my mind it is not as easy and I would never have an inexperienced carpenter do that job. Your mileage may vary but my price per foot goes up nearly as fast as the pitch of the ceiling.

Mike O.

[Mike Marlow]

Well then, I 'm certainly not going to tell you your business. I've put it up but not to the extent you have.

As it should - it's added work. My comment was only to say that while it does add more work in having to cut the additional piece and that all by itself is added diddling and climbing about, it's not a more complicated cut than the rest of the cuts you're doing. Indeed, every new and additional cut is more precision work and more opportunity for error, but I tend to look at things like this in terms of the type of work it requires of me. If I can see it as simply more of what I can already do, then I can embrace the job with less trepidation. It's all a matter of how much I want to convince myself that I can't do it even before I begin or how much I want to convince myself that I really can.

[Dave Jackson]

I'll stick with my comment. Sure, It'd be difficult for a beginners first cut, but if someone has learned to create a good cope on a regular flat wall/ceiling this is just taking things to the next step, and should not prove to be much more difficult. Heck, it's just a small piece, make a test cut or two and run with it! --dave

[Mike]

I normally have a builder or homeowner asking (insert telling) me to do it so there's not much choice about can or can't.

I do however get to decide what it's worth.

Mike O.

[Mike Marlow]

As you should.

[jyaceczko]

replying to Mike Marlow, jyaceczko wrote: I just want to hire this guy. But I can't afford to. But I'd totally hire you. Since I can't afford it, can I use a mitre box for this?