the painted surface
How To Paint Crown Moulding
This article will be limited to specific tips about painting crown moulding. It is a companion article to “How To Paint Woodwork” which covers the general tips and techniques for painting all woodwork and should definitely be read along with this one.
The wider the crown moulding the more prone it seems to be to pull away from the ceiling or wall. This is due to two things. If the moulding is solid wood, over time it will shrink slightly as it dries out. Or during installation the nails may not have been driven into studs or joists and they have become loose. In either case the cracks and spaces left are very unsightly and noticeable. These cracks should be filled with a paintable acrylic caulk. If the old caulk has pulled from the moulding or wall surface forming sort of a lip, it should be cut away. A sharp utility knife works very well but be careful not to slice into the moulding, only try to remove the excess caulk. If the surface left is porous it is best to prime the area with a sealing primer. The new caulk will adhere much better to a sealed surface. Recaulk the cracks and allow to dry. Wide cracks may need to be caulked twice because all caulk shrinks as it dries. Extremely wide cracks (those wider than 3/8 of an inch) can be filled with a setting type drywall mud, allowed to dry and sanded flat. This should be primed before applying the finish coat of paint.
If there is the opportunity during remodeling, new construction or the installation of new crown moulding, prime and paint it before it is installed. This is much easier. The filling of nail holes, caulking and the finish coat can be applied when installation is complete. Buy pre-primed crown moulding if available.
Use a good angle sash brush. The angle sash paints to a sharp edge making it easier to paint next to the walls and ceilings.
Painting crown moulding is a task done overhead and the paint will want to run down the paintbrush, over the ferrule and onto the handle. Frequently rake the brush across the rim of the work pot to lessen this problem.
It is usually easier to paint the ceilings first, all of the woodwork second and the walls last. However in tray ceilings where there are multiple runs of moulding this order may be adjusted. Paint from the top down for access reasons and to prevent dripping paint on already painted surfaces. Each situation will dictate what order is most reasonable.
Vacuum the moulding before painting. Often the wood floors were sanded after the moulding was painted and the dust landed on the moulding, more of a problem on multipiece mouldings which have intricate profiles.
If two mouldings are spaced on the wall to create the illusion of a wider one piece moulding, make sure the wall surface and the moulding is primed and sealed. A sealing primer will insure the finish paint (usually one with some level of gloss) will have the same even appearance on both the wall space and the moulding.
These steps should make painting crown moulding a simpler task. More details about specific painting subjects are covered in the additional articles. In those will be found details, tips and techniques gathered from over 20 years of painting experience. Here is a list of links to the articles:
How To Paint a Room ◊ How To Paint a Stairway ◊ How To Paint a Two-Story Room ◊ How To Choose Colors ◊ Six Step Color Choice ◊ Popular Color Ideas ◊ How To Choose Paint ◊ Tools ◊ How To Caulk ◊ How To Patch a Hole ◊ How To Patch a Crack ◊ How To Cut In a Wall or Ceiling ◊ How To Roll a Wall or Ceiling ◊ How To Paint Woodwork ◊ How To Paint a Window ◊ How To Paint Baseboard ◊ How To Paint a Door ◊ How To Paint Crown Moulding ◊ How To Choose a Premium Paintbrush ◊ How To Paint a MDF Bookcase ◊ How To Paint Aluminum or Vinyl Siding ◊ How To Paint Over Faux Finishes ◊ How To Use Magnetic Paint ◊ How To Use FrogTape ◊ How To Paint Repair Water Damaged Drywall ◊ Hiring a Contractor
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