Crown moulding: Flat ceiling to angled wall question

RP31 · 04-26-2009, 11:36 PM

I'm almost ready to tackle putting up crown moulding on the first floor of my house. My only "problem area" is this section of wall/ceiling where the wall is at an angle because the stairs are above it. How do I transition the crown from the wall in the foreground of the first picture, to the wall in the background of the first picture?

What's the typical procedure for installing crown in spots like this? Skip it and just end the crown on the foreground wall at the same angle as the stairs wall? Install the crown flat up against the angled wall and fill in the resulting gaps on the bottom and/or top? Or something else? I'm thinking the first option will be a lot easier, but the second option might look a lot better.

jomama45 · 04-26-2009, 11:45 PM

Skip both 3-4 foot sections on the staiwell. Doing this is acceptable & quite common, as it looks like the crown is running behind it, so it makes sense to do.

Also, rounded corners in drywall dont really lend well to crown. They are normally treated the same as the bottom (square) at the baseboard when originally built. I'm not sure how you can retro-fit crown to round corners?

RP31 · 04-27-2009, 12:13 AM

Hmmm... That could look good. Thanks for the idea. As for the rounded corners... I didn't have any problem going around the corners with the baseboards, but I suppose crown would be more difficult to go around the corners because crown is angled? I'll have to play with some scrap pieces and see if I can get it right. The baseboards were easy - 22.5 degree cuts and it went around the corner quite nicely. I wouldn't be opposed to squaring off the crown at the rounded corners if I can't get it around the curve properly.

jomama45 · 04-27-2009, 10:03 AM

I cant say I've ever seen base go directly around a rounded corner. Normal construction of rounded corners involves a square, plastic piece added over the rounded corner for the first 6" or so off of the floor. The same piece gets added to the ceiling if crown is going to get used. Thus the rounded corner never goes to the floor, at least what I have seen. Maybe someone else can allaborate a little better.

RP31 · 04-27-2009, 10:06 AM

I will need to take a picture of my handiwork then!

RP31 · 04-27-2009, 10:12 AM

Here it is!

jomama45 · 04-27-2009, 10:34 AM

Wow, that actually looks better than I was expecting! Good job & perserverence! That does seem like a lot of extra work though compared to the right piece of drywall corner bead in place. I'm not so sure the crown will be nearly as simple to install in this manner. If you dealing with MDF, you may be able to profile a filler between the crown & corner though.

RP31 · 04-27-2009, 10:37 AM

Yes, I was very meticulous

A benefit of doing the job myself with a lot of free time, no deadline, and a wife that can tolerate having jobs half done for long periods of time

Luckily there are only two curved edges that I have to deal with in the whole house. The rest are normal angles.

Willie T · 04-27-2009, 04:11 PM

Basswood on our sister forum, Contractor Talk, says you certainly CAN do rounded crown corners.

KOHNSTRUCTION · 04-29-2009, 10:01 PM

i have run into this crown problem numerous times.
some times it looks better ending into the angled area other times it really looks like it's missing and it should be there
one solution that i have used is to build down that angled area the height of the crown with some poplar or finished plywood to build almost like a step angled back to the stringer.
Then run the crows as if it was a flat wall going around the angled area.
it all depends on what you are doing, and what you are tring to do
good luck!

RP31 · 04-30-2009, 05:13 AM

Thanks, I like that idea!

SNC · 05-01-2009, 08:33 PM

I have seen them do round crown by cutting many many small pieces and glueing them togeather.
by the way nice base board work.

RP31 · 05-02-2009, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNC

I have seen them do round crown by cutting many many small pieces and glueing them togeather.
by the way nice base board work.

Thanks. I'm hoping the crown can go pretty much the same way the baseboards did, with just one small piece. Sure it doesn't follow the exact curve of the wall, but I (and apparently many others

) think it looks good.

Hopefully I can start this project soon. I'll be sure to post pictures of the final results!

II Weeks · 05-03-2009, 04:00 PM

Willie T, I saw what Basswood did there and thats some of the most impressive finish work Ive ever seen.

that guy does some great work

Willie T · 05-03-2009, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by II Weeks

Willie T, I saw what Basswood did there and thats some of the most impressive finish work Ive ever seen.

that guy does some great work

Some of Basswood's work... and his inventiveness... is close to unbelievable. I think the guy's one of the best I've ever seen.

04-26-2009, 11:36 PM	#1
RP31 Newbie Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hanover Park, IL Posts: 9	Crown moulding: Flat ceiling to angled wall question I'm almost ready to tackle putting up crown moulding on the first floor of my house. My only "problem area" is this section of wall/ceiling where the wall is at an angle because the stairs are above it. How do I transition the crown from the wall in the foreground of the first picture, to the wall in the background of the first picture? What's the typical procedure for installing crown in spots like this? Skip it and just end the crown on the foreground wall at the same angle as the stairs wall? Install the crown flat up against the angled wall and fill in the resulting gaps on the bottom and/or top? Or something else? I'm thinking the first option will be a lot easier, but the second option might look a lot better.

04-26-2009, 11:45 PM	#2
jomama45 Concrete & Masonry Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,318	Crown moulding: Flat ceiling to angled wall question Skip both 3-4 foot sections on the staiwell. Doing this is acceptable & quite common, as it looks like the crown is running behind it, so it makes sense to do. Also, rounded corners in drywall dont really lend well to crown. They are normally treated the same as the bottom (square) at the baseboard when originally built. I'm not sure how you can retro-fit crown to round corners? Last edited by jomama45; 04-26-2009 at 11:48 PM.

04-27-2009, 12:13 AM	#3
RP31 Newbie Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hanover Park, IL Posts: 9	Crown moulding: Flat ceiling to angled wall question Hmmm... That could look good. Thanks for the idea. As for the rounded corners... I didn't have any problem going around the corners with the baseboards, but I suppose crown would be more difficult to go around the corners because crown is angled? I'll have to play with some scrap pieces and see if I can get it right. The baseboards were easy - 22.5 degree cuts and it went around the corner quite nicely. I wouldn't be opposed to squaring off the crown at the rounded corners if I can't get it around the curve properly.

04-27-2009, 10:03 AM	#4
jomama45 Concrete & Masonry Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,318	Crown moulding: Flat ceiling to angled wall question I cant say I've ever seen base go directly around a rounded corner. Normal construction of rounded corners involves a square, plastic piece added over the rounded corner for the first 6" or so off of the floor. The same piece gets added to the ceiling if crown is going to get used. Thus the rounded corner never goes to the floor, at least what I have seen. Maybe someone else can allaborate a little better.

04-27-2009, 10:06 AM	#5
RP31 Newbie Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hanover Park, IL Posts: 9	Crown moulding: Flat ceiling to angled wall question I will need to take a picture of my handiwork then!

Crown moulding: Flat ceiling to angled wall question