How to install crown molding

Q: Looking for somebody to install crown molding on my first floor before I get the painters in.

A: Wouldn’t it be easier to:
1) Paint the walls w/o molding
2) Paint/Spray the crown molding outside
3) Install crown molding already painted
4) Touch up nail holes
Advantage – Don’t have to worry about getting paint from the walls on the new crown molding

A: I disagree, but not because I’m trying to be difficult. It definitely would be easier, but I don’t think it would look as good.

• Truly skilled professional painters should be able to manage not getting paint on anything they don’t intend to paint, such as crown molding.
• Unless you have non-textured walls that are truly completely flat and straight, there will likely be some amount of putty involved to hide gaps between the molding and the wall. Skilled painters will be able to paint in a way that allows for the any putty to blend properly and not pull on the eye.
• A skilled painter also will wait a few days before coming to paint as putty needs some time to set.

Note my liberal use of the word “skilled”. I did this all myself, and while the effect is “good enough” to people who visit, I know exactly where my mistakes are and I grind my teeth daily, wanting to fix it. I can’t imaging paying someone and getting something as good (as bad) as I can do!

A: I have used both approaches numerous times (“install and then paint” versus “paint and then install”).
Nowadays, I always go with “install and paint” because pain touch ups when filling nail holes always show up and it is actually better looking to paint everything after install.
You will get paint in within the small gaps in the joints which will give things a tighter look.

I have also had great results with a mix of both approaches: prime / paint one coat before installing and then put the last coat after installation.

A: A trip that our crown installer taught me was to paint the very bottom edge of the crown the color of the walls. It really helps hide where the wall may not be completely even and there are areas of heavy caulking, plus it easily creates a nice straight line on the crown without the use of tape.

A: +1 on the prime/paint one coat and then install. This is how I always do it, then I caulk the molding, paint the final coat and touch-up the wall anywhere needed due to the caulking (I am too lazy to tape before caulking.)