Moldings are decorative trim pieces around your windows, doors, and walls. They come in a variety of materials and profiles, and when used in just the right way, they can add a bespoke personal touch to your room’s entire style. Here, we will walk you through everything you need to know about choosing or updating your home’s moldings.
Types of Moldings and Their Functions
There are four principal types of moldings to decorate different parts of a room. Let’s learn a little more about each one.
Casing
Casing has both form and function. By surrounding doors and windows, it covers the narrow shim space between the wall framing and the do covering the gap between the wall framing and the jambs. Some casings feature a two-part design, with a backband wrapping the outer edge for added detail.
Baseboards
Baseboards cover the joint between walls and flooring and are particularly common in homes with hardwood or tile floors. They help protect the edges of the wall from damage and scuffs. Some baseboards come in two pieces, with a flat board topped by a decorative base cap.
Crown Molding
Crown molding covers the joint between your walls and ceiling. It’s commonly seen in older homes, as well as on fireplace mantels below the shelf. You can purchase it in a single piece or combine multiple pieces for a built-up crown.
Chair Rails and Wainscoting
Chair rail molding typically runs horizontally about 3 feet above the floor in formal dining rooms. It can be combined with other moldings to make a wainscot that covers the lower part of the room’s walls.
Materials Used in Molding Construction
You have a few different material choices for your molding project. Here are the three general categories you might find at your retailer:
- Wood molding: Wood has been used for molding in homes for centuries and it still stands the test of time. Pine is one of the most popular materials for molding since it’s easy to work with. You can also find poplar and alder molding that’s perfect for staining.
- Medium-density fiberboard (MDF): MDF has a smooth surface, free from natural defects, that’s easy to paint and less expensive than solid wood.
- Plaster: Intricate plaster molding was used generously in old, high-end homes. It’s still available today, but a bit less common to see.
Molding Installation Techniques and Tools
Once you’ve selected the right molding for your space, it’s time to install it. Use these tips to help you.
Cutting Molding
Using a miter saw is the best way to cut molding. Miters are cuts of equal angles that join trim in a corner, usually 45-degree cuts on the ends of two pieces. Miter saws can make square cuts, as well as cuts at angles between 45 and 90 degrees.
When it comes to molding, it’s best to measure twice and cut once. Accurate cuts minimize gaps and keep a seamless connection between segments.
Miters and Coping
Molding has both outside and inside corners. For outside corners, you’ll use a mitered joint, cutting the molding at complementary angles to form a neat corner.
For inside corners, a coped joint works better. To make one, cut a miter joint, then use the miter cut as a guide to cut out the profile of the molding your joining piece will butt against.
Nailing and Finishing
Most professionals install molding with a cordless or pneumatic brad nailer and 18-gauge nails. Then, they’ll fill the nail holes with spackle and paint or stain the molding to complete the look.
Restoring Old Molding
If you’re working on an old house, you may be able to order custom molding that matches the original pattern from a specialty millwork shop.
You may also be able to remove and reuse the original molding to save some time and effort. Protect your walls from damage by inserting a shim or metal putty knife behind your pry bar. If the molding has minor damage, you could repair it with wood filler or epoxy. For more extensive damage, you may need to replace the affected section completely.
If your home was built before 1978, you should assume that the original molding installers used lead paint. When you remove the molding, follow lead-safe practices to prevent the spread of harmful dust. If you’re unsure or uncomfortable doing the job yourself, consider hiring an EPA-certified contractor to test the area and safely encapsulate the lead with new paint.
