The Difference Between Crown & Cove Moulding

If you are a homeowner, you may be wondering how to increase the value of your home or be concerned about keeping up with the latest trends. Crown and cove moulding are both common additions that can enhance the look of your home. At first, it can be difficult to know which to choose, but both will give your home a classic twist that it wouldn’t otherwise have.

There is only a small difference in the type of moulding you choose, but both can enhance your home. It is up to you to determine what style you want each room to have and whether you want each room to have the same trim. Both crown and cove moulding are decorative trim, but shaped differently for different appearances. Both connect the walls to the ceiling, with crown moulding projecting outward flatteringly, and cove moulding rounding inward towards the wall.

Both crown and cove moulding can make a room appear larger depending on the width and color of the chosen style. Adding certain types of trim can increase the value of your home and this can be crucial if you plan on selling your home soon. You may also want to hire a professional to do the trimming to make it look better, but you can do it yourself for little money. There are a few tricks you can try if you do it yourself.

The Difference Between Crown and Cove Moulding Shapes

Both crown and cove can help a room look put together and make the theme cohesive throughout the place. It helps to attach the walls and corners together. Trim has been used for thousands of years to signify wealth because it meant a family could afford to finish a room. It’s a decorative piece that shouldn’t go unnoticed. Both crown and cove moulding are a way to show that a room is finished.

The main difference is their shape and how they make a room look. Vaulted ceilings with crown moulding create beautiful visual illusions, allowing an architect to be creative. Crown moulding can properly create the illusion of a taller ceiling and a larger space. Both options can create open spaces, make walls more prominent, and give someone control over how well a room looks. Both are great for design purposes.

When Crown Moulding Should Be Used

Not all rooms work with the wide trim look, and sometimes it’s better to opt for a cove design. However, if you have high ceilings and plenty of space, trim can really take your home to the next level. It gives the ceiling a luxurious appearance and creates an appearance of wealth and luxury.

If the room is brightly decorated or has large objects, a crown moulding can enhance the appearance of the room. This is a way to give a room design and flair while also making it appear wider than it truly is.

When Cove Moulding Should Be Used

If you’re looking for a modern and sleek design, cove moulding is one of the best to choose. Instead of looking luxurious and rich, it feels modern and elegant. It won’t make your room look smaller, but it will make it appear larger. This can be bought for narrow widths. It can be used at top and bottom corners and not necessarily on ceilings. You can choose what looks best for the rooms and what design you’re going for. It can also be a fantastic way to upgrade your home.

Different Types of Moulding for Your Home

There are so many different types of moulding that can really add a layer of luxury to your home. Each design is a little different, and you can choose one that you like. Here are the best options to choose from.

Gypsum

This is one of the most luxurious; it can have the most intricate designs and make your walls look like they have lace design. The downside to this moulding is that it is very heavy and can easily fall off. You need to make sure that your walls can withstand the weight of this plaster.

Wood

Full wood moulding seems to go up and get flatter. It gives it a royal look that you might find in a cigar bar. It adds a nice flair to the room and gives it an elegant feel. It is a very classic style that gives a room a very cozy atmosphere. However, if you have extreme weather conditions in your city, this may not be a good option. Depending on the weather, the wood trim can shrink and swell.

Polyurethane

This is an amazing material and trim because it fits in almost any home and works well. It is a very soft material that is easy to work with and paints well. Due to the soft material, it dents very easily, so it should not be used for anything other than paint.

Flex

A great trim that can be added around the curved piece or rounded windows. It easily rounds and is one of the coolest pieces for your home. The difficulty with this material is that it needs to be specifically ordered and made for your room. It is a soft and rubbery material that is easy to work with.

Polystyrene

This is by far the easiest material to work with and one of the most budget-friendly. It can be cut easily with scissors or a knife and fits well on most walls. If you’re trying to go the DIY route, this may be the best option for you.

How to Find the Right Size Crown Moulding

There are mouldings available in different sizes, which may seem intimidating but shouldn’t be. Something simple and well-fitting will make the place appear much more luxurious than something oversized. Choosing the wrong size can result in a strange-looking room and decrease the value of your home.

8-foot Ceilings

For this size of wall, you can choose anything between 2 ½ inches high and 6 inches high, depending on what you find most appealing. Whatever you do, go for something simple that expands the room rather than making it appear smaller. At this length, you won’t be able to add many designs to the trim, so it’s best to go for the sleek and simple look.

9-foot Ceilings

Due to the larger size, this can hold a larger and wider crown than an 8-foot wall. You can choose anything between 3 inches and 7 ½ inches of trim. You can build them up and make them appear as intricate and layered as you want.

10-foot Ceilings

To achieve any sort of impact, you may see that you need a larger crown than any other. Anything like the living room, dining room, or sitting area, should be at least 9 inches tall to be able to create intricate designs and really make the space stand out. If it’s less formal and more like a bedroom, you can make something smaller that is less visually striking, like 4 inches.

There are so many different sizes of walls and ceilings; it really depends on you or the designer of the home. Trim is an exceptional thing because it can really pull a whole room together. Different widths and heights of trim allow an architect to play with the look of a room. You can paint different types of trim to make them blend in or stand out.

What Does Crown Moulding Cost?

So many things can affect the cost of adding crown moulding to your home. Certain materials will be more expensive than others, and on top of that, you have to figure out if you can do it yourself. If you pay a professional to come out and add it to your ceilings, it will cost much more than doing it yourself. However, if you do it yourself, it may not look good and decrease the value of your home.

Typically, adding crown moulding can cost between $200 and $600, depending on what you need to do. If you plan on doing the whole house with a very intricate trim, it could be much more than $600. If you plan on adding trim effortlessly to one room, it could be less than $200. It all depends on what you expect from a design, which affects the overall price.

Can You Add Crown Moulding Yourself?

You can do almost any DIY job without a professional, but that doesn’t mean they will turn out good. There is no easy way to do this type of home repair, and you will need to do a lot of research before you start, but it is possible. You need to get some ideas of what you like and compare them with the necessary skills and what you have. If you think you can’t do it or don’t have the right tools, it may be best to leave it to the professionals.

What You’ll Need

If you do decide to go the DIY route for crown moulding, make sure to have the right tools first. Or borrow them from someone before committing to do it yourself. Some of these tools have a hefty price. So if you’re doing the crown moulding yourself to save money, borrowing tools is also the best way to go.

Remember to have all the tools lined up and ready to go before you start working. There isn’t exactly a good stopping point to put the project on hold while you wait for a specific tool. Before you begin, make sure you have all these things ready to go:

• Durable Tape Measure
• Medium-sized Level
• Wood Rasp
• Precise Stud Finder (the old knock-on-the-wall trick doesn’t work here)
• Miter Saw
• Sandpaper (40 grit and 220 grit)
• Finish Nailer

Using Cove Moulding a.k.a. Trim

Trim and moulding are often used interchangeably, and they are just two words for the same thing. There is no difference. When we talk about crown and cove moulding, it refers to the type of trim used to add a design element to the room and the house. Many of the available types of trim can add value to your home and give it some pizzazz that wouldn’t normally be there.

Choosing Cove Moulding for Your Home Can Add Value

So many things you do with your home can affect its value. To make changes, you should make sure that you own the house or have the homeowner’s permission to renovate certain things. When things look great from the inside, they tend to sell much faster. The more elegant and new your appearance looks, the better a room will appear when it is empty. This can make it sell much faster than a house that doesn’t look put together.

It’s not necessary to have crown or cove moulding to sell a house, but it does help. If you choose to have trim, you should also choose a matching trim at the bottom of the wall. This will not only make a room appear larger and more spacious but will also give it dimension.

What Are the Best Colors for Cove Moulding for Your Home?

Most experts agree that white is the best color because it helps expand a room. If you have light-colored walls, white moulding will help accentuate and brighten the color. It makes the room appear larger against the light colors; it adds dimension to the room that wouldn’t otherwise be there.

It gives it a clean and elegant look. Wood trim with a brownish color can be a nice addition, but it won’t give you the same look as white. It may feel more cozy and less modern, but more family-oriented. You can also take a white trim and paint it a few shades darker than the wall. This adds a larger depth, especially around windows.

Tips for Cutting Crown Moulding Yourself

There are a few tricks you can apply before you start cutting trim yourself. These are all great tips if you plan on making crown or cove moulding yourself. However, if it seems too complicated to you, it’s always best to opt for a professional. These are some of the best tips to keep in mind when doing the crown cut yourself.

Research

You need to know what you want to do and how to do it, but you’ll want to look at your favorite designs. Some designs might work better on certain types of walls. There are also designs that specifically focus on doors or windows.

Budget

Depending on your budget for home renovations, you can determine how many rooms you can style and what materials you can use.

Materials

Before you start, make sure you have the desired material and all of it. You will want to measure the room, the design you’re going to make, and everything else. Certain materials may need to be specifically ordered.

Layout

Lay out all the materials room by room. This will help you check the amount of materials you have and show exactly what you need to do.

Cutting

Before you start attaching everything to the walls, measure the pieces and cut them all out, lay them out. This will help you keep the crown moulding organized.

Glue

There are many ways to attach the trim to a wall. Before you do it permanently, you should test how you’re going to attach the trim. If you’re using glue, make a test spot somewhere next to your wall, it should take about ten minutes to dry and adhere. However, if your trim is too heavy for the glue, it won’t work. This is a crucial tip to make sure it works the way you need it to.

There is no easy way to trim your home unless you turn to a professional, and then it costs a lot more money. If you have the time and the tools, adding trim to your home can be a fun project that helps your home feel complete.

Conclusion

Crown and cove moulding are both trim but two different styles. One is not better than the other, and both will help increase value and sell your home faster. Which one you choose will depend on your style and taste. There are many additional benefits to each trim, and certain styles work better depending on the décor of your home.

In doubt, you should know that crown moulding is one of the best ways, especially for cost-effective design options, to add a layer of luxury to your home.