If you’re looking for ways to add character and style to your home’s interior, consider adding crown moldings. They will enhance any room with beautiful architectural details that give your home a rich look with unique design appeal.

Types of Moldings

Crown moldings are available in a variety of materials such as wood, plaster, fiberboard, and polyurethane. Each material offers advantages and disadvantages based on strength, shape, style and finishing techniques. When choosing crown moldings, it’s important to consider the durability, shape of your room, and the preferred finish.

Wood

Most wood moldings are made from oak or pine. Although pine is the least expensive, oak is preferred because it accepts stain better. The grain in pine is not as uniform, so stains often look uneven and splotchy. Pine looks best when painted or stained with a translucent stain finish. Wood moldings are subject to dents, scratches, and warping and shrinking with temperature changes.

Plaster

Plaster crown molding is the ultimate in elegance, but it’s expensive because it’s typically available only as a custom-made item per a customer’s requirements. As a custom-made product, it can be fabricated with intricate patterns and details that provide a rich, custom look. Due to its rigid consistency, plaster is more difficult to install and can crack easily, but it doesn’t shrink, expand or warp regardless of room temperature and humidity.

Fiberboard

Fiberboard, also called MDF (medium-density fiberboard), is made from a combination of resins and sawdust. It can be stained or painted, but it looks better if painted unless it has a stock wood veneer finish. MDF moldings are less expensive than wood or plaster moldings, and they’re available in a wide variety of sizes and styles. They are easy to cut and install and will not crack, warp or shrink.

Polyurethane

Polyurethane crown moldings are made with a polymer base that provides a durable, strong product. They are inexpensive and easier to install than wood crown moldings. Polyurethane moldings come in a wide variety of stock sizes and styles. They won’t crack, split or chip, but they can easily dent. On the downside, they are best used only for painted applications.

If you’re interested in installing crown moldings in your home, click today to talk to a professional contractor in your area who can help you choose the best material that fits your needs and budget.