Hard:

Mitering Crown Molding

Easy:

Miterless Crown Molding with Pre-Cut Angles

Why Hard?

Making mitered cuts is the classic way of cutting crown molding.  But mitering is also a painstaking procedure, fraught with disaster.

Why Easy?

Crown molding pre-cut angles have been around for a long time in wood version, but the plastic stuff is newer and in some ways better.  So, the point isn’t so much the material, as it is the pre-cut angles.  For the sake of brevity, we’ll call this miterless crown molding.

Method:

Cutting mitered angles.

Method:

Using pre-cut angle pieces.

Material:

Wood

Material:

Polymer or styrofoam

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Cheaper.
• The “joy” of doing your own woodworking.

Cons:

• Wood can split or splinter.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Avoid frustration of weird angle cuts on miter saw.
• Less wasted materials.
• No wood shrinkage.
• If you like white, then it doesn’t need to be painted because it’s already white.

Cons:

• Polymer-based (plastic) crown molding can be very expensive.
• Some homeowners complain about the smell of “faux” crown molding.

Where to Find It

Just about any home improvement store–Lowe’s, The Home Depot, etc.  Wood crown molding is easily found.

Where to Find It

Why support the big dogs?  Buy polymer miterless crown molding from a Pomona, CA-based company called Lynea Moldings.  It’s a nice little site with a page of installation videos.

And yes–you can also find polymer/styrofoam crown molding at home improvement stores.