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Installing Moldings

You’re on a tight budget and changing your home decor is not a possibility right now. Did you think about molding? It’s cheap, easy to install and it can transform the entire appearance of a room. Here are a few tips.

  • There is a variety of decorative moldings out there, not to mention various types of wood. Take the time to research: ask vendors, search the Internet or look through books at your local library.
  • To install baseboard molding, take the time to find all the studs behind the wall and mark them as you please. That’s where you’ll nail the baseboard and the moldings will fit snugly together.
  • Do you have to remove old molding? With a flat tool, pry the molding away from the wall by sliding the tool between the stud and the molding.
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  • Identify the areas where the floor is uneven before you install the moldings to avoid unpleasant surprises along the way.

  • You can add trim molding over the baseboard to add some depth. It’ll look more stylish that way.
  • Does the ventilation grille bother you? Did you know that wood grilles are available on the market? They really mesh well with the baseboard.
  • Baseboard moldings are pretty common. Did you ever think about installing molding halfway up the wall (a.k.a. a chair rail), or at the intersection where the walls and the ceiling meet (as we call a crown molding)? The effect is stunning. You can also make your light switch more appealing by integrating it with the molding.
  • Installing molding halfway up the wall gives you the advantage of painting the wall in two separate colours. For example, blue on the upper part of the wall and white on the lower part. And why not combine wallpaper and wainscoting with a trim molding?
  • If you wish to paint the moldings, you can do it before or after the installation. It’s really up to you since there is no perfect solution. Both ways have their own pros and cons.

Reference
Gorton, Paul. Black & Decker The Complete Guide to Trim and Finish Carpentry: Installing Moldings, Wainscoting and Decorative Trim, Creative Publishing International, 2006.

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