Installation Process Of Crown Molding On Kitchen Cabinets
Crown molding is one of the best options for your cabinets when it comes to an extra air of charm as well as sophistication. There are numerous varieties of sizes as well as patterns to select from, and you can even mix multiple moldings for a thick appearance. You can easily install crown molding on kitchen cabinets if you have the right tools & follow the right technique. To install the crown molding on kitchen cabinets, gather the required tools & materials before going through the step by step installation process:
Tools & Materials
- Crown Molding
- Backing Wood Strips(2×2 or 3/4-Inch x 1-1/2-Inch)
- Wood Glue
- Hammer And Nails
- Miter Saw
- 18-Gauge Nail Gun And Air Compressor
- Drywall Hole Patch
Steps For Installation Process
- Make The Base: First of all, trim off the pieces of filler wood and produce a base that will help fasten the crown molding later on. The wood strips will be placed at the top of the cabinets and will be taken care of later. Calculate the lengths of wood that will follow the entire top edge. In order to have an exceptional base under the molding corners, then join the pieces at 45-degree angles at the corners. Fasten the pieces to the top of your cabinets with the help of wood glue. The filler wood is needed due to the reason that there is not too much space above the cabinet door to fix the molding. However, if in case your cabinets increase a few inches above the tops of the doors, then you can fasten the crown molding instantly to the cabinets.
- Start On The Side: Start the process with one side of your cabinet. Calculate and trim a length of crown molding that is nearly a few inches longer as compared to the side of the cabinet. After that, take hold of the piece to the side of the cabinet, drive it against the wall, and mark where you will make a 45-degree trim for the corner. Make your miter saw adjustable at 45 degrees. This will become an outward angle, therefore, the top edge of the molding will be longer as compared to the bottom edge. Make sure to place the molding strip in a way so that the flat vertical as well as horizontal faces are smoothened against the table and saw fence. Trim the strip precisely where you made the spot at 45 degrees. Now, arrange the base edge of the molding with the top edge of the cabinet and then fasten it to the backing wood. If you are fastening it straight into your cabinet, make sure to keep a 1/8-inch space above your doors to allow them open freely.
- Repeat On The Front: Now, trim a molding strip nearly 8 inches longer compared to the length of the front of your cabinet. Miter the edge that connects the first strip of crown molding and then take hold of the ends together. Make a partner spot off where the other 45-degree trim should be at the other corner. Miter that end of this strip and then fasten it to the backing wood with the help of a nail gun. Where molding pieces connect, fasten through both pieces in order to make the connection tight.
- Finish The Last Edge: After having the straight edge on the piece, trim a 45-degree angle in order to fix with the front molding. Start by trimming the piece about a quarter-inch too long. Trim off small amounts with your miter saw and then continue checking until the piece fits easily.
- Touch Up & Paint: Now, your crown molding pieces are fastened into the backing wood and everything combined. However, you can still find small gaps where the corners connect, and you will also find nail holes. With the help of some drywall hole patch, fill in the gaps and smooth out the surface. Finally, use two paint coats in order to make the molding match your cabinet finish. If in case your cabinets are using a wood stain, things can get a little complex. In order to use a stain on your crown molding, you should take advice from an expert about which stain to use on molding strips.
- Other Considerations: Different kitchens usually differ in their configurations. If in case you have a kitchen with several cabinets on one wall, then you might need to graft together portions of molding to wrap the front side. Use wood glue as well as the nails to take hold of the grafted pieces together where they connect. Your kitchen can also have a corner cabinet, which is usually present in L-shaped kitchens. The cabinets on either side will connect with the corner cabinet at 135-degree angles. However, this time, the angle is toward the kitchen instead of the wall. So you will miter these edges at 67.5-degree angles but moving towards the opposite direction.