Choosing Moldings

Traditionally, moldings have been composed of plaster and milled wood.  One of the greatest advantages of doing home improvements today is that the choices range wider and wider.  Materials with which a molding can be made of include:

• Hardwood- adds that exquisite touch of unsurpassed luxury and beauty with some of the most common hardwoods including oak, cherry, hickory, maple, mahogany, alder and ash.
• Softwood- though less expensive, this material will require more care and time to install and finish.
• MDF- is a composite material made of synthetic resin and wood fibers.  It is cheaper than other molding alternatives but can be hard to install.
• Polyurethanes are popular alternatives to other common home improvement materials such as wood, metal, plastic and rubber for a good reason.  Style-wise, polyurethane molding offers more choices with the very wide range of products it comes in.

Flexible molding is one type of polyurethane that has been engineered to bend without breaking.  This serves ideal to use when installing around curves and other uniquely shaped corners and edges.

Moldings come in a variety of types, each holding its own ideal use and set of advantages over others.  Here are some of the most common types that you can use to spruce up any room in your home:

1. Crown moldings are made distinct by their elaborate nature and provide a stylish transition from the walls to the ceiling.  These can also be used as a finishing touch to fireplaces, cabinets and built-ins.  With crown moldings, it is important to carefully choose the design and size.  Avoid overwhelming the overall design by installing something that’s too ornate for the room’s function or too big for its size.
2. Chair rail moldings originally lined the walls of yesteryears to simply provide protection from the impacts of chairs being moved.  Now, they solely serve as pretty additions to your interior.  They are installed partway up the wall in a horizontal manner, extending homeowners’ options when it comes to decorating.
3. Baseboards also known as skirting boards or base moldings are installed at an interior junction where the wall meets the floor.  When shopping for baseboards, make sure that what you buy harmoniously matches with the style of your door and window casings.
4. Casings are moldings that lie flat on the wall to conceal the visible gap between the doors and windows and the frames that hold them.  Other than boosting interior appeal, these moldings also help avoid wasting energy by maximizing insulation.  This makes it crucial that proper installation is ensured.

Craftsmen Network,
New York, NY

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 4th, 2009 at 10:27 pm and is filed under General Remodeling. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.