My first crown molding project. Use 45 degrees even or another split, like 38 and 52

[Larry Rasmussen]

I have added bamboo flooring and some paneling in the dining room and am going to use a 3" wide crown moulding in white oak to trim the wall/ceiling intersection. I'll be making the molding and have worked out a decent design, put up a little sample.

It seems kind of steep to me using a 45 degree angle. I was cruising around over at Peachtree Woodworking supplies. They have a picture up of a Freud router bit that splits the angle to 38 and 52 degrees and call using those angles for the crown more authentic or something to that effect.

How many of you guys use 45/45 vs another not even split for crown ceiling moulding? They want quiet a lot for this bit, $69 if I remember correctly. I'm thinking I could use the Wixley angle gauge on the table saw blade to get those measurements.

Any comments or info? Thanks!

Larry Rasmussen
Seattle

[bill mullin]

Not sure what you mean by the 45 degree is too steep. It projects the same amount from the wall out, as from the ceiling down.
The more traditional, or at least more common, 38/52 crown is actually installed at a steeper angle. That is, it projects more from the ceiling down, than from the wall out.

[Joe Scharle]

They both encompass the 45 deg angle, but 38/52 gives a better visual effect. The crown appears 'taller' and more refined. Just MHO.

Sorry Bill, didn't know you were typing but that's what I was trying to say as well!

[Don Morris]

I thought the reason they made crown at three different angles was because you chose depending on the height of the ceiling. The steeper the angle was chosen for the higher the ceiling. 45 degree was the most common because that looks normal for "most" traditional height ceilings. But some of that was what appeared to please the eye of the buyer.

[Don Morris]

Also, I think they call the 3 angles the "spring" angle, but I haven't done crown in a long time and I may have that wrong.

[Bob Wingard]

If I remember correctly, there are 3 different styles available.

38/52 for ceilings up to approx. 8' .. .. 45/45 for 8' - 10' .. .. and 52/38 for anything much above that.

It's all a matter of personal taste, but the logic is that on a lower ceiling, you want more height than depth, and on a tall ceiling, you want to see more of the moulding, so you need more depth than height.

<<<__ Bøb __>>>

[Peter Quinn]

If I remember correctly, there are 3 different styles available.

38/52 for ceilings up to approx. 8' .. .. 45/45 for 8' - 10' .. .. and 52/38 for anything much above that.

It's all a matter of personal taste, but the logic is that on a lower ceiling, you want more height than depth, and on a tall ceiling, you want to see more of the moulding, so you need more depth than height.

<<<__ Bøb __>>>

I'm with Bob on this one. I work for a millwork firm that makes both 45/45 and 38/82 crown, the latter is probably more popular presently but if you look at the old catalogues from the last century, neither is more 'traditional'. 45/45 is a bit much for a house with an 8' ceiling, you need more head room to really pull that off. I have some for my house, but the ceilings are 10' and it looks fine. Most of the 45/45 crown we sell IIR goes as one element in at least a three part molding installment. Usually there is some form of frieze below the crown to which it is nailed, and trim on the ceiling that projects out from the walls several inches past the crown. Looks great in a big house with tall ceilings and grand rooms; looks pretentious and daunting just about any where else to my eye. If you think 45/45 looks wrong for your house I'd guess you should stay away from that.

PS: You can make those cuts, either cuts, on a table saw. No need for special router bits. We run small runs of custom crown on a shaper or a W&H from time to time and make the angled cuts on the TS. Make sure the two angles add up to 90 degrees and run everything at once for each cut, no problem. Pick any angle you like that looks good to you, no need to get Mr. Wixley involved!

[Larry Rasmussen]

As one could probably predict from the answers I have a low ceiling, the usual hair under 8' in a tract home. I think I will use the table saw to make the angle a little less steep or more straight up and down. At 3" wide it doesn't look huge, that is a little less wide than the 3 1/4" width I saw in a table for width vs ceiling height. I've already had some thoughts about a too ostentacious presentation. But the floor looks great and the trim will match some paneling and a custom spice rack in the pass through to the adjacent kitchen so I think it will look like it belongs.

The posts were all very useful and much appreciated.

Larry R,
Seattle