Nailing crown molding typically involves using a finishing gun with 2" finishing nails for the main sections and a brad nailer with 1" brad nails and glue for outside corners.
Essential Tools and Supplies
Successfully nailing crown molding requires the right equipment to ensure a secure and professional finish.
- Compressor: Powers the nail guns.
- Finishing Gun: Used for driving larger finishing nails into the wall framing.
- Brad Nailer: Used for smaller brad nails, particularly useful for delicate work like securing corners.
- Finishing Nails: Typically 2 inches long for securing molding to studs.
- Brad Nails: Typically 1 inch long, used in conjunction with glue for outside corners.
- Wood Glue: Essential for reinforcing mitered corner joints.
Choosing the Right Nails
Selecting the correct type and size of nail is crucial for properly securing crown molding.
For Straight Runs
- 2" Finishing Nails: These are primarily used to fasten the bulk of the crown molding into the wall studs and ceiling joists.
- Why 2 inches? As per standard construction, studs are typically 3-1/2" deep, drywall is about ½” thick, and the crown molding itself is a minimum of ½” thick. A 2" finishing nail is necessary to penetrate through the molding and drywall and into the solid wood framing behind.
For Outside Corners
- 1" Brad Nails: These are often used specifically for securing the mitered ends of molding pieces together at outside corners.
- Brad nails are smaller in diameter and less likely to split the delicate points of a miter joint.
- Important: Outside corners are usually reinforced with wood glue in addition to the 1” brad nails to create a strong, seamless joint.
Nailing Techniques Explained
Understanding where and how to drive the nails is key to a stable installation.
Securing Straight Sections
- Position the crown molding correctly on the wall.
- Using the finishing gun with 2” nails, drive nails through the molding and drywall into the wall studs. Aim for the center of the stud where possible.
- Depending on the profile and installation method, you may also drive nails upwards into the ceiling joists where they intersect the molding.
Handling Outside Corners
- Apply wood glue to the mitered ends of the two pieces forming the outside corner before bringing them together.
- Fit the corner pieces tightly.
- Use the brad nailer with 1” brad nails to secure the joint by nailing horizontally through one piece and into the end grain of the adjacent piece. This helps hold the joint together while the glue dries.
- Avoid excessive nailing that could split the wood.
Understanding Nail Depth
The length of the finishing nail is vital for a secure hold. As the reference notes, accounting for the thickness of the crown molding (minimum ½”), the drywall (½”), and aiming for penetration into the stud (3-1/2”) explains why a 2” nail is the standard for anchoring the molding to the wall framing.
Following these techniques, utilizing the specified nail types and sizes, and incorporating glue at corners will result in securely fastened crown molding.
