Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Corner From ezcrown.com

Beginners Guide to Installing Crown Molding

Steve Maxwell — Sun, 19 Sep 2021 10:00:00 EST

Canada's handyman, Steve Maxwell, discusses EZCrown... Of all the ways trim can make the inside of your home look better, crown molding delivers the most bang for the buck. It had fallen out of favour for decades, but the 1980s saw the beginning of a resurgence in crown molding popularity. These days crown is at least as popular as it ever was, and not just because it looks great. Crown is also easier than ever to install if you prepare yourself with the right tools and know-how. Follow these real-world tips and you’ll enjoy excellent results even if you’ve never installed crown molding before. Crown Molding Tip #1: Get a good chopsaw Also called miter saws, chop-saws make it fast and easy to complete the kind of smooth, precise, angled cuts every good crown installation requires. Once adjusted correctly, a chopsaw allows anyone to make cuts as quickly and as well as any professional carpenter. The best chop-saws for crown installation have two features. First, they spin a 10-inch or 12-inch diameter blade on rails that slide back and forth for wide cuts. A big blade with sliding action means crosscutting capabilities up to 12” wide and beyond. And second, the best crown molding chop-saws tilt both left and right from vertical. This is called “dual bevel” capability and it really helps with crown installation. Taken together, saws that can do both sliding and bevelling are called “dual bevel sliding compound chop-saws” and there’s a reason almost no one installs crown moulding without one of these tools on their side. Nothing else works as well, especially for beginners. Crown Molding Tip #2: Use an anchoring system Apart from using a chop-saw, this is the most important advantage you can give yourself when it comes to installing crown well. If you’ve never installed crown molding before you’ll probably be surprised to discover what the most challenging part of the job is. Finding and making use of a solid support surface underneath the drywall to hold nails is essential to anchor crown molding properly, but it’s trickier than it looks without some kind of help. The reason is because house walls are almost never framed with crown molding installation in mind. In fact, some kinds of houses don’t have anything at all below the wall surface that will hold nails, and that’s where you need a solution. The best system I’ve seen so far for making it fast and easy to anchor crown molding is called EZCrown. Invented by Florida dentist Athas Kometas, this economical system uses a sheet metal base with angled wooden nailing blocks mounted to it. Fasten the sheet metal to the wall and ceiling, then nail the crown molding to the wooden blocks that are part of the EZCrown system. It’s simple but highly effective. So how does a mounting strip make things easier? One advantage comes from the fact that you can mount anchoring strips anywhere along its length, or using drywall anchors if there’s nothing solid at all under the wall surface. The crown molding itself is mounted with precisely located and oriented nails driven into the mounting blocks, but it’s easy to drive them properly when using a mounting strip. Crown Molding Tip #3: Choose a paint-grade installation If you’re new to crown molding, you’ll want to make installation choices that are as easy as possible. And in the world of trim, there are two approaches for any situation: stain grade (the more difficult) or paint grade (the more forgiving). Stain grade installations use high-quality solid wood finished with a transparent or translucent finish, allowing wood grain to show through. This creates a beautiful look, but it also means that filler cannot be used to cover up loose joints. The filler would look terrible because it won’t be hidden by stain so you only get one shot at cut accuracy. You need to get the cuts perfect for stain-grade trim installations to succeed, and this is why the paint-grade option makes more sense for beginners. Paint-grade crown molding, by contrast, is more forgiving than stain-grade because you can fill less-than-tight joints with latex caulking. Paint over this filler after it has dried and the results look great. Crown Molding Tip #4: Sand crown molding before installation No matter how smooth a piece of wood seems when it’s bare, it can always benefit from sanding before finishing. When it comes to crown, mill marks are the main reason why. All trim is made by machines that have rotating planer blades and invariably tiny repeated marks are left behind on the surface of the wood by these blades. These might not be noticeable at first, but finishing brings out these imperfections unless you get rid of them first. Sanding crown molding my hand using 120-grit sandpaper is one option, but something called a sanding mop is better. It’s a rotating abrasive disk for a drill or drill press, made with narrow fingers of abrasive material. These fingers smoothen the trim but without rounding over the all-important crisp corners and edges. You wouldn’t think something like this would work, but it really does. Crown Molding Tip #5: Consider corner blocks When Athas Kometas invented the EZCrown mounting strip system he did something else to make crown installation easier. The optional corner blocks that are part of the system eliminate the need to complete any kind of angled corner cuts. The butt joint on the end of the crown simply butts up against the pre-installed corner block. You get an elegant result that’s simpler to succeed with than anything else because no angle cuts are required. One of the nicest things about doing your own home improvements is the ongoing satisfaction it delivers. As nice as it is to increase the value and saleability of your home, you can’t beat the sense of satisfaction you’ll get every time you glance up and see some excellent crown moulding well installed by your own hands. Steve Maxwell is co-author of The Complete Root Cellar Book. Get how-to and self-reliance answers directly from Steve at www.SteveMaxwellHowTo.com.

CROWN MOLDING MADE EASY... Confessions of a DIY Weekend Warrior by Dr. Athas N. Kometas

drkometas@gmail.com (Athas Kometas) — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 14:05:00 EST

Crown Molding Made Easy Confessions of A DIY Weekend Warrior by Dr. Athas N. Kometas As a dedicated DIY weekend warrior, the details of construction have always fascinated me. Understanding ‘the why’ and ‘the how’ things are done consumes my mind. I’ve done pretty much every kind of home improvement project from bathroom to kitchen remodels, to reinventing a room, so I decided to challenge myself with crowning my ceilings. I had heard installing crown molding was a difficult undertaking. And I wasn’t disappointed. I quickly found out there were no real systems on the market that helped you, just books and YouTube videos to make sure you didn’t make the ‘huge mistake’. I remembered a chapter that I had read in Jay Silber’s book Decorating with Architectural Trimwork. Silber’s technique involved cutting individual wood triangular blocks with the correct spring angle and attaching those blocks to the ceiling/wall interface every 16”. The blocks would then be nailed to the double top plate with two long finishing nails. It made sense, but having an older block house in Florida, I knew that the external walls would have minimal wood backing. And I was right in that I found a 1” X 2” horizontal furring strip close to the ceiling and a vertical 1” X 2” every 16” that didn’t even come close to the horizontal one. The interior walls mostly had a single top plate. Attaching these blocks would be difficult as I quickly realized that the wall framing rarely lined up with the ceiling framing. In my house, the ceiling trusses are at 24” intervals and the walls were at 16” intervals. Where the walls were parallel with the trusses, there was no wood ceiling backing at all. I remember thinking ‘It’s no wonder why the drywall tape was starting to separate!’. I soon realized that installing crown molding would simply hide a poor drywall job. I began by attaching the triangular blocks to the vertical 1” X 2” furring strip at 16” intervals. Then I discovered that the vertical 1” X 2” was often missing towards the ceiling. I started to wonder about my sanity in undertaking this project. Then, after a great deal of frustration, I started attaching the blocks to the ceiling joists and the horizontal wall furring strip. That worked until I hit the first overhead dormer. Nothing was easy because the ceiling of the room had 3 dormers above it and there were missing ceiling framing in three 8’ sections. What became extremely apparent was that my house had minimal consistent wood backing to attach anything to whatsoever. I knew I had a choice to make. Either nail the block to the wall framing (on the interior walls) with nothing to nail to the ceiling; or nail to the ceiling joists if present and not to the wall framing. I own this home…so I wanted these blocks to be securely fastened. Relying on one flimsy nail did not make sense since I was putting up some pretty heavy crown molding. I realized that the blocks had to be secured to the walls and ceiling and decided to pre-drill all the blocks in a perpendicular manner. I decided that where I had marked the vertical wall or ceiling framing, I would confirm the wood backing by drilling through the predrilled block into the framing and, without moving the block, drill through the other pre-drilled hole into the drywall. In this drywall hole I placed my drywall anchor. With a #6 2-¼” furniture screw slightly protruding from the back of the block, the drywall anchor was easily centered. The other hole in the block received the #6 screw into the framing. Generally, where the trusses were parallel with the wall, there was no ceiling backing, so I used drywall anchors. The evolution continues. The upstairs of my home is built as part of the truss on 24” centers. This was too far apart for the molding I was using. Using my pre-drilled blocks, I just decided to place the blocks where I needed them and then use two drywall anchors and forget about the framing. In some areas, I went 12” on center with some of the blocks attached to the truss system, and with the remainder I used only drywall anchors. By the time I got to the last room in my house, I realized that I should not be cutting triangular blocks at all, as the wall/ceiling corner of the block often pushed the block one way or another due to poor drywall finishing. I should have used a truncated block that has no corner at the wall/ceiling juncture. Since I had finished my house, it wasn’t until a year later that I was able to refine my truncated block technique. I have a large 4-bedroom home with 6 dormers which adds significantly to the irregular framing issue. It also has extensive outside corners and plenty of coped inside corners. I know that some carpenter’s place the crown quickly without wood blocks and shoot finishing nails at angles, sporadically hitting backing. I didn’t want to ‘pray’ that the ‘adhesive’ caulk would take care of everything. Moreover, as a homeowner, I did not want to have to re-caulk and paint every few years because the adhesive caulk was asked to act both as a nail and a filler. Since I am not a classically trained finish carpenter, I knew that there had to be a better way. What if the truncated blocks were already attached to a truncated frame? The entire frame could easily be placed into the ceiling wall interface and fastened using drywall anchors. I wouldn’t even have to worry about finding any studs at all. The only consistent thing in most homes is a single top plate, so I decided to attach to it. Then I would simply attach the crown molding. So that’s what I did. The following describes the first ever ‘crown framing assembly made easy’ technique. And the beginning of the EZCrown Molding Installation System™. Truncated Frame and Block with Ceiling Member Pre-Drilled for Lead Drywall Anchor The frame is truncated, eliminating the problems with the ceiling/wall juncture irregularities. The frame has holes in the ceiling and wall segments so that it is easily secured by drywall anchors without even having to search for wall studs or wood backing in the ceiling. The frame can also be secured to the top plate which is almost always present. 4 Foot EZCrown Framing Sections The frame block assembly comes in 4-foot sections and is extremely lightweight. Using the EZCrown system, one person can now install crown molding. An additional bonus is this frame is ideal for placing crown in all masonry condominium construction. All you need is a few tap cons! The frame is easily cut with tin snips. I made the frame 4’ (actually 46-⅞”) and because each covers 5-1/2 linear feet, eight are what is required for a 10’x10’ room. 5-¼ Inch Crown 6-¼ Inch Crown The EZCrown Molding Installation System™ accommodates crown molding from 5-¼ " up to 7-¼”. The spring angle must be 45°/45°. The wood blocks are every 14” on the frame. As the system uses anchors to secure the frame, there is no need to find any studs or wood backing in the ceiling. Just fasten the frame to the top plate! All the necessary fasteners are included.

INSTALLING TRIM Five Tips for Great Results

jeff@jeffreyptaylor.com (Jeff Taylor) — Sat, 29 Oct 2022 14:55:34 EST

Installing your own trim, moulding and baseboard is one of the most useful do-it-yourself home improvement ventures you can take on. It’s also a bedrock skill for woodworking in general. Whatever your motivation, here are five trim installation tricks that make all the difference, both for furniture projects and houses. Be sure to watch the two videos at the end, too. I think you’ll find them useful. GREAT videos are included.

SANDING BETWEEN COATS The 1 Most Important Wood Finishing Step

drkometas@gmail.com (Athas Kometas) — Sat, 07 May 2022 11:55:00 EST

If you are staining your crown, this is a great tutorial...

Tips and Techniques for Finishing Trim

jeff@jeffreyptaylor.com (Jeff Taylor) — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 07:11:53 EST

Achieving a flawless finish is all about proper prep, taking the correct steps, and applying the right product with quality tools.

What To Know About Miter Saw Blades

jeff@jeffreyptaylor.com (Jeff Taylor) — Fri, 15 Apr 2022 12:18:49 EST

Miter saws are popular tools among professionals and DIYers for good reason. They let you precisely cut a variety of materials, helping complete work quickly and safely. Using one makes installing EZCrown even easier!

How to Use a Coping Saw to Cut and Cope Molding Video

drkometas@gmail.com (Athas Kometas) — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 10:35:00 EST

This is the easy way to get tight-fitting joints on inside corners. Discover how to create perfect, tight-fitting inside joints on chair rail molding. The same techniques work for crown and base molding. Learn how to use a coping saw and you can make difficult-looking trim joints with ease. Tackle any trim project with the skills you’ll learn in this video.

Mill Your Own Wide Crown Moulding Free Plans Download

drkometas@gmail.com (Athas Kometas) — Sat, 02 Oct 2021 08:30:00 EST

The process Steve Maxwell explains is fast and the profiles you get are crisper and more intricate than what comes off a lumber rack. You can also make use of wood species beyond all that ordinary pine and oak stuff. And if you ever choose to sell your house, explain to prospective buyers the benefits of your particular shop-milled crown molding, and the mystique may even let you talk up the price a bit, too.

14 Pro-Approved Tips for Achieving Tight Miters Every Time

jeff@jeffreyptaylor.com (Jeff Taylor) — Sun, 21 Jun 2020 16:10:00 EST

This article contains some useful tips on mitering corners.

Expert Guide for Choosing the Right Caulk for Any Job

jeff@jeffreyptaylor.com (Jeff Taylor) — Sun, 07 Jun 2020 12:35:00 EST

Even with the EZCrown system, you may have some minor caulking needs. Especially with very old homes. This article contains great information on what you should look for.

Drywall Anchors Do They Work

jeff@jeffreyptaylor.com (Jeff Taylor) — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 19:00:00 EST

When you need to hang something in a spot without a stud, drywall anchors are the way to go. But can they be trusted to bear the rated weight? This article from Family Handyman says 'YES'! EZCrown frames have pre-drilled holes created exclusively for drywall anchors and there are options with anchors where they are included in the purchase.

How to Build a Portable Miter Saw Stand

jeff@jeffreyptaylor.com (Jeff Taylor) — Sun, 17 May 2020 12:40:00 EST

Bernard Williams , Cranberry, PA came up with an idea that allowed him to recycle something old to solve a problem that he had with something new. As shown in the drawing, he modified an old folding ironing board into a portable stand for my miter saw and affixed a 3/4-in. plywood top to the stand, bolted the saw to it, and added a couple of 2x blocks on each side to act as outfeed supports. A plywood panel screwed to the legs works to steady the stand. When he doesn't need the saw, the rig folds up, and I can lean it against the shop wall.

36 Miter Saw Tips and Tool Reviews

drkometas@gmail.com (Athas Kometas) — Sun, 03 May 2020 06:55:00 EST

We haven't used all of the tool brands mentioned, but there is some good information contained in this article.

Slotting Baseboards

drkometas@gmail.com (Athas Kometas) — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 16:20:00 EST

A great tip about Slotting Baseboards from Fine Home Building...

Duct Tape Keeps Miters Together

drkometas@gmail.com (Athas Kometas) — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 13:35:00 EST

Here is a tip we came across from Fine Homebuilding. It is a great and easy way to keep miters together if your corners don't align.

How to Use a Miter Saw

drkometas@gmail.com (Athas Kometas) — Fri, 27 Mar 2020 11:20:00 EST

Miter saws are designed to make angled cuts for molding, trim work, rafters, and other general carpentry applications. The saws also make straight crosscuts and, when equipped with the right blade, the versatility of a miter saw is an important part of a tool arsenal for professional carpenters as well as DIYers.

How to Cut Extreme Angles on Your Miter Saw

drkometas@gmail.com (Athas Kometas) — Fri, 20 Mar 2020 12:45:00 EST

The process becomes fairly simple if you make a simple jig from scrap wood to make safe easy cuts at angles greater than 45 degrees with your compound miter saw or chop saw. In fact, that is part of the manufacturing process for the construction of an EZCrown metal frame.

Build A Beautiful Three-Piece Crown Molding

jeff@jeffreyptaylor.com (Jeff Taylor) — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 06:20:00 EST

Richard McMurray knows a thing or two about crown molding. Watch the video and learn the entire process that goes into a three-piece crown molding build-up

Tips For Caulking

jeff@jeffreyptaylor.com (Jeff Taylor) — Thu, 05 Mar 2020 05:40:00 EST

Even with EZCrown, you may need to do some initial caulking after you hang your crown molding. Learn the best tips for applying caulk for a smooth, mess-free seal. With these tips, you’ll get perfect results every time!

Tips and Techniques for Finishing Trim and Crown Molding

drkometas@gmail.com (Athas Kometas) — Fri, 28 Feb 2020 07:20:00 EST

Once you have installed your EZCrown frames, your next step is to add the crown molding. Achieving a flawless finish is all about proper prep, taking the correct steps, and applying the right product with quality tools.

Save Your Next Shoe Box and Save Your Eyes Too

drkometas@gmail.com (Athas Kometas) — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 06:45:00 EST

I read this a few months ago and saved it but don't recall where I found this useful tip. Even though most of our customers simply attach our EZCrown frames to the top plate, in some cases they do need to drill their ceiling. Getting dust in your eyes is potentially dangerous and just all-around not very much fun. And when you are drilling in the ceiling, sometimes even the best eye protection does not quite seem to be able to catch all of the little particles that flutter down from above, intent on finding and lodging themselves in your pupils. Not to mention how upset your spouse will be if you make a mess of your home. Thankfully, there’s an easy fix. The next time you have to drill a bunch of holes into a ceiling, grab a left over shoebox and poke your drill bit through it so that the box’s opening faces the same way as the point of the bit. Then, attach the drill bit to your drill and get to work. The box will catch a majority of the dust that falls from your newly-created hole, saving both your eyes and time on clean up.

14 Pro-Approved Tips for Tight Miters

drkometas@gmail.com (Athas Kometas) — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 05:50:00 EST

Here are some pro tricks for air-tight joints...some we found very useful.

24 Acronyms and Abbreviations DIYers Need to Know

jeff@jeffreyptaylor.com (Jeff Taylor) — Sun, 26 Jan 2020 08:30:00 EST

Do you know what these common acronyms and abbreviations mean? If not, study up before your next home improvement project!

A Guide To Drywall Sizes

jeff@jeffreyptaylor.com (Jeff Taylor) — Sun, 19 Jan 2020 07:20:00 EST

Drywall comes in many different sizes. This article guides you on how to choose the right drywall size and drywall thickness for your next project. Don't forget to install crown molding with EZCrown!

The Drilling Tip Every DIYer Needs to Know

jeff@jeffreyptaylor.com (Jeff Taylor) — Wed, 15 Jan 2020 06:45:00 EST

Save those wide rubber bands that are wrapped around broccoli and other veggies and stretch them over your electric or cordless drill. Use them for onboard storage of smaller drill and driver bits and screws. We snapped up this tip from Family Handyman reader Tom Halfmann. Pretty good idea!