Don't cope pre-finished crown molding?
 

I'm having new new kitchen cabinets for the first time. Normally, I would
do this kind of work myself, but with my day job/travel, I don't want my
family to be without a kitchen for the several weeks it would take me to do
it myself. To save some badly-needed cash however, I plan on installing the
crown molding myself. I ordered pre-finished (matching) crown molding from
the cabinet manufacturer that will go above the cabinets and all the way
around the perimeter of the kitchen ceiling as well. I've done a reasonable
amount of crown molding installation myself over the years and am
comfortable doing it. I know the basic procedures of cutting the molding
upside down on the miter saw and coping the inside corners.

The guy installing my cabinets mentioned that because the molding is
pre-finished, I should *not* cope the inside corners, and should miter them
instead. He explained that since it's pre-finished, I won't be able to fill
the gaps with caulk, paint, etc., which of course is true. But this advice
is opposite to everything I've ever heard, read, or done regarding crown
molding. I thought a coped inside corner should better hide the gaps that
come from non-orthogonal walls and ceilings, and from expansion /
contraction that can occur with time, temperature, humidity variation, etc.
We certainly have a large humidity range here in Detroit throughout the
season.

My cabinet installer is a nice guy, and has a lot more experience than I do.
But he's not exactly motivated to explain it further to me, since he would
prefer I hire him for the job. That's just not in my budget though ...

Can anyone shed some light on why a mitered inside corner would be better
than a coped one for *pre-finished* crown molding?

Mo

Don't cope pre-finished crown molding?
 

Mo wrote:
....
The guy installing my cabinets mentioned that because the molding is
pre-finished, I should *not* cope the inside corners, and should miter them
instead. He explained that since it's pre-finished, I won't be able to fill
the gaps with caulk, paint, etc., which of course is true. But this advice
is opposite to everything I've ever heard, read, or done regarding crown
molding. I thought a coped inside corner should better hide the gaps that
come from non-orthogonal walls and ceilings, and from expansion /
contraction that can occur with time, temperature, humidity variation, etc.
We certainly have a large humidity range here in Detroit throughout the
season.
....
Can anyone shed some light on why a mitered inside corner would be better
than a coped one for *pre-finished* crown molding?


What specifically, is this pre-finished moulding? Simply the same
finish as the cabinets on solid wood, formed plastic, ... ???

If the former, no reason at all. If the latter, still doable either way
but can be harder to cut cleanly and can tend to chip when doing the
cope and is more difficult to touchup cleanly than is wood. Not that it
can't be done, just isn't as simple to put a finish on the manufactured
products as is wood.

--

Don't cope pre-finished crown molding?
 

I haven't opened all the boxes with the molding yet, but as far as I know,
it's solid wood with the same painted/glazed finish as the cabinets.

I understand what you mean about the chipping. I guess I could apply
painter's tape to the surface before I cut it, or is there a better way to
avoid chipping?

Mo

"dpb" wrote in message ...
Mo wrote:
...
The guy installing my cabinets mentioned that because the molding is
pre-finished, I should *not* cope the inside corners, and should miter
them instead. He explained that since it's pre-finished, I won't be able
to fill the gaps with caulk, paint, etc., which of course is true. But
this advice is opposite to everything I've ever heard, read, or done
regarding crown molding. I thought a coped inside corner should better
hide the gaps that come from non-orthogonal walls and ceilings, and from
expansion / contraction that can occur with time, temperature, humidity
variation, etc. We certainly have a large humidity range here in Detroit
throughout the season.
...
Can anyone shed some light on why a mitered inside corner would be better
than a coped one for *pre-finished* crown molding?


What specifically, is this pre-finished moulding? Simply the same finish
as the cabinets on solid wood, formed plastic, ... ???

If the former, no reason at all. If the latter, still doable either way
but can be harder to cut cleanly and can tend to chip when doing the cope
and is more difficult to touchup cleanly than is wood. Not that it can't
be done, just isn't as simple to put a finish on the manufactured products
as is wood.

--

Don't cope pre-finished crown molding?
 

Mo wrote:
I haven't opened all the boxes with the molding yet, but as far as I know,
it's solid wood with the same painted/glazed finish as the cabinets.
....

Then I'd cope.

--

Don't cope pre-finished crown molding?
 

"Mo" wrote in message
...

The guy installing my cabinets mentioned that because the molding is
pre-finished, I should *not* cope the inside corners, and should miter
them instead. He explained that since it's pre-finished, I won't be able
to fill the gaps with caulk, paint, etc., which of course is true.

I'm not sure I would want the guy installing my cabinets. Fill gaps with
caulk, paint?

That's a hack way of fitting anything!

Don't cope pre-finished crown molding?
 

On Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:02:36 -0400, "Mo"
wrote:


My cabinet installer is a nice guy, and has a lot more experience than I do.
But he's not exactly motivated to explain it further to me, since he would
prefer I hire him for the job. That's just not in my budget though ...

Can anyone shed some light on why a mitered inside corner would be better
than a coped one for *pre-finished* crown molding?

Mo

I would tell him that I'd love to hire him but I just can't afford it
now, and I'll hire you for things in the future, but not this, and
please explain to me whateever you want explained.

Don't cope pre-finished crown molding?
 

On Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:02:36 -0400, "Mo"
wrote:

snip

Can anyone shed some light on why a mitered inside corner would be better
than a coped one for *pre-finished* crown molding?

Mo


A mitered inside corner saves time and money for the installer. It
will look good immediately after the install, but some corners may
eventually open up and look like crap for everybody to see. Do it
right and cope.

Don't cope pre-finished crown molding?
 

On Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:02:36 -0400, "Mo"
wrote:

wITH simple quarterround molding, rather than miter, one can use a
hole saw or something to just drill perpendicular to the molding and
cut out a quarter-round hole. Then it goes right over the other
piece.

I think this works with other molding profiles as well.

Don't cope pre-finished crown molding?
 

mm wrote:
On Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:02:36 -0400, "Mo"
wrote:

wITH simple quarterround molding, rather than miter, one can use a
hole saw or something to just drill perpendicular to the molding and
cut out a quarter-round hole. Then it goes right over the other
piece.

I think this works with other molding profiles as well.

No, it doesn't because the profiles aren't (necessarily) round circles
but ellipses (and, actually, even base shoe isn't and some quarter-round
may not be quite altho unless it is very large diameter the difference
may not be obvious).

--

Don't cope pre-finished crown molding?
 

On Jul 29, 8:02*pm, "Mo" wrote:
I'm having new new kitchen cabinets for the first time. *Normally, I would
do this kind of work myself, but with my day job/travel, I don't want my
family to be without a kitchen for the several weeks it would take me to do
it myself. *To save some badly-needed cash however, I plan on installing the
crown molding myself. *I ordered pre-finished (matching) crown molding from
the cabinet manufacturer that will go above the cabinets and all the way
around the perimeter of the kitchen ceiling as well. *I've done a reasonable
amount of crown molding installation myself over the years and am
comfortable doing it. *I know the basic procedures of cutting the molding
upside down on the miter saw and coping the inside corners.

The guy installing my cabinets mentioned that because the molding is
pre-finished, I should *not* cope the inside corners, and should miter them
instead. *He explained that since it's pre-finished, I won't be able to fill
the gaps with caulk, paint, etc., which of course is true. But this advice
is opposite to everything I've ever heard, read, or done regarding crown
molding. * I thought a coped inside corner should better hide the gaps that
come from non-orthogonal walls and ceilings, and from expansion /
contraction that can occur with time, temperature, humidity variation, etc.
We certainly have a large humidity range here in Detroit throughout the
season.

My cabinet installer is a nice guy, and has a lot more experience than I do.
But he's not exactly motivated to explain it further to me, since he would
prefer I hire him for the job. *That's just not in my budget though ...

Can anyone shed some light on why a mitered inside corner would be better
than a coped one for *pre-finished* crown molding?

Mo

In my experience either can work. To miter it right, takes a good
amount of skill and effort, and a lot of very accurate measurements.
Coping also takes skill and some careful measuring, but allows for
some variations. I would suggest the best might be what you are most
skilled at.

Good Luck