Crown Caulking

Not Sure · 08-18-2006, 08:55 AM

I have an older home out in (what use to be) the country. It was first registered for property tax in 1930. It could be older. When I got it, it was an abandoned farm workers' shack. About 10 years ago, I decided to put crown molding up in a lot of the rooms. In the living room, I (meaning the guy I hired to work for me) put up a 2 by 4 around the wall, in a flat position, a couple of inches from the ceiling. Then, I put a 2 by 4 around the ceiling, in a flat position, a couple of inces from the wall. Between these 2 by 4's, I had the crown attached. That way, I could buy a regular sized crown, but get a big crown look. It turned out very nice.

MY PROBLEM:
In the winter, when "things" contract, I've got this ugly crack between the boards and the crown. When things warm up in the spring and through the summer, the crown looks great! I'm dreading winter because I know those cracks are coming back.

Any suggestions? Is there a miracle caulking out there I am unaware of?

P. S. The crown is painted white.

Big Dave · 08-18-2006, 04:27 PM

Being an older home I would guess that you have wood heat. If so the wood is drying everything out to the extreme. A humidifier would help all of the wood in your house and your own skin my putting moisture back into the air.

The other option is to use a good quality glue and glue and renail the loose spots and then caulk and repaint. The best caulk that I know of is called vulcum. I'm not sure though if it can be painted.

Dave.

**AtlanticWBConst.** · 08-18-2006, 09:09 PM

We have done alot of work at a condo development that had this same exact problem.
The question is: What exactly is expanding and contracting. In the condos, it was the roof trusses. The walls stayed in the same place. So we would attach the crown moldings to the walls and NOT nail into the ceilings. That way the the ceiling floated during the seasons. There was not much else that could be done. Never had problem with the installation done in this way.

I do not know what your situation is, but maybe this concept could help you develop some type of solution???

?

Not Sure · 08-18-2006, 10:40 PM

Like I said, my house was an old farm shack. I had an electrical problem a few years back. When an electician got into the attic area (from an outside vent) I found out that there are no trusses. Or, at least not like the trusses I see around today. The attic is hollow in the original pitched roof area. It's like a big triangle up there. (Yes, I have some sagging ceiling problems. I'll deal with those another day.)

The heat... I have a forced air furnace. I had a new one put in about three years ago. The air is very, very dry in the winter down where I live. The furnace is not helping out, I'm sure.

I'll get a humidifier and try that! Good cheap solution, I hope. I will also try to glue and renail up ugly areas as they start to appear. I'll check on the brand of chaulk suggested and see if it can be painted.

Worse case scenario, I'll get a carpenter to come in and check for what is expanding and contracting and see what he can do about it.

Thanks for the tips!!! I appreciate your responses.