Using Molding To Give Your Room A Facelift
Molding is a simple and inexpensive update you can add to any room. When done correctly you can quickly change the feel of the room to whatever you wish. However, you need to be careful, as everyone has seen "that" room where the molding looks ridiculous or sloppy. Read on to learn how to use this tool properly.
Decide where you are going to add you molding. Boring doors, the top of walls, and chair rails in the kitchen or dining room are all options. Make sure your choice won't overpower a room. No matter how nice it looks in the store, molding that is too large or too detailed will look silly once it is installed. If all else fails, go a little simpler than you think you need. Understated will always turn out better than overworked.
Follow some simple rules when choosing your molding. Keep molding in shorter rooms right next to the ceiling. Rooms always look better if they seems taller, so breaking up a short wall partway with molding is a poor decision. If the room is small, keep your molding on the thinner side. This will keep it from unbalancing the room. You also need to avoid elaborate molding in casual spaces. This would look comical and inappropriate.
One of the most difficult tasks when installing molding is matching up the corners. You can use a hand saw, but many recommend more elaborate tools like mitering saws. This is an expensive piece of equipment, so you will probably want to look into renting rather than purchasing. You can also purchase products that are pre-mitered or choose a style with corner blocks that hide the corners.
If you want some practice before a large project, you may want to go with a simpler project. You can practice corners on molding that uses corner blocks. Any mistakes you make will be hidden by the blocks. You can then focus your efforts on making sure the molding is level all the way around the room. While there are ways to cheat on corners, there is no way to even out molding that is not hung properly. Adding decorative accents to a door is another small and simple project you can do to get some additional practice.
Chair rails are a simple addition that can really dress up your dining room when you install them correctly. Keep in mind that you can't measure enough times. It is imperative that they end up even. You want them to be at about one-third the height of the wall. Regardless, you need to make sure they match the height of your chairs. That is what the molding is there for after all.
Molding can be a fun and simple way to dress up any room. Use what you have learned in this article to make the right desicions about the choice and installation of your new molding. Once the work is done don't forget to sit back and enjoy your handiwork.
