Upcoming Project: Kitchen Cabinet Crown Molding

[Matt Meiser]

Our bathroom is nearing completion. In fact, there is absolutely nothing more I can be doing right now until the painter is done, so I've started thinking about my next project.

Our kitchen has pretty standard oak cabinets with no soffits. They looked pretty plain, so my wife put up some fake vines which looked OK, but the look is getting old. I'd like to put up crown molding. I've been thinking about doing that by making up frames that fit on top of the cabinets. Then I'd attach the moldings to the frames and finally mount the frames to the tops of the cabinets. My thinking is that this would let me do 99% of the work out of the house and avoid any issues with fitting the crown directly to the cabinets. The fronts of the frames would be oak, so if any of them happened to show, they would blend right in. Does that make sense?

Also, I was thinking of getting the trim somewhere other than one of the big boxes. My only big-box crown molding experience has been that it isn't very consistently sized. Did I just get some bad stuff, or is this the norm?

[frank shic]

matt, check out gary katz's dvd on crown molding. he's got some PRICELESS advice on cutting and installing it. however, if you don't want to spend the extra money, the best advice that i got out of watching the dvd was to cut a piece of 3/4" plywood to approximate wall cabinet depth and cumulative width, tack the crown molding on to it and then screw the entire thing through the top of the cabinet or above the cabinet if you have enough clearance. if you go with mdf crown, you shouldn't have a problem with home depot or lowe's. i bought my maple crown from a custom moulding company that happened to be right across from costco.

[Jim Becker]

Do check out your local millwork shops for much better selection and quality.

I agree that building the boxes is the way to go, but you may need to do your final assembly/build up in situ unless your ceiling is unusually perpendicular to the wall and parallel to the floor... That's where building the faces of the boxes out of oak will come in handy. You may have some "reveal" as you fit things to the exact angles of your room.

[Craig Thompson]

Matt, Check out Bolyard Lumber. Up in Rochester, MI. It will be an hr drive for you but their prices are better then bigbox, nicer trimwork, and they stock there oak products. If you have a fax machine, I could fax you their stock profiles, for that matter... I can scan it and forward it to you via this thread if you wish.

[Matt Meiser]

Craig, thanks for the offer. I know of two places in Toledo that I want to check out since they are a LOT closer. If I don't find anything I'll check Bolyard out.

[Jason Tuinstra]

Matt, have you ever looked at Elenbaas Hardwood in Jenison? They churn out a ton of quality moldings and it's a lot closer than Ohio. I used to get some good looking cherry from them when I used to call Jenison home. If you've never been there before, try and check them out. Google their name and you can check out their website. Hope this helps.

[Matt Meiser]

Not to me! I'm only 8 miles north of the state line. Jenison is way up there. :D

Edit: did you read my location as Ada? I've had people get that confused before. Like the company that installed our satellite internet that scheduled the installer for back to back installs in Ada and Ida.

[Jason Tuinstra]

Not to me! I'm only 8 miles north of the state line. Jenison is way up there. :D

Edit: did you read my location as Ada? I've had people get that confused before. Like the company that installed our satellite internet that scheduled the installer for back to back installs in Ada and Ida.

Ahhh.... Yep, I for some reason have always read it as "Ada." Wow, better check those eyes! Sorry. As you were. :p ;)