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When installing crown molding in a small box with four inside corners (like a coffered ceiling), do you guys:
A) Cope one side of the crown and straight cut the other on all four pieces
or
B) First piece installed will have straight cuts on both sides. Final piece installed will be coped on both sides ?
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Typically A.
It's one thing to cut the cope the first time. It's another to keep recutting it because it's too long.
I've only done crown in rooms where you needed two pieces along one side anyway. In a coffered ceiling, I could see that you could make the entire side with one piece. I'd still jam one end in the corner and cope the other. If I had to cheat, I'd do a lap joint on the side of the coffer that you enter the room from.
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I think that is an easy answer in a room with one entrance...
The pie s opposite the wall of the door (most visible from the door) is a straight run corner to corner. The 2 pieces that run into it are coped at that end then run straight to the "door" wall. The piece on the door wall is coped on both ends. Just how I've done it...
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Joseph, how would you go about a coffered ceiling?
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First....I claim no expertise!
Are you putting crown in each grid? My gut says to do the same thing...
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Yes, 10 coffers. Each approximately 40" square. I'm thinking option A.
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BTDT. I straight cut one side and coped the other on all four pieces. You are fitting to a box that is likely not consistent, and some fitting will be required, I cut mine a tad longer as coping could affect length just a little bit and also so I can trim the straight side if necessary to allow for the box's variations. Also, and you may be doing this already, measure length with a stick, actually two sticks held together with a large office supply binder clip (which is what I used, or a clamp) and transfer that measurement - rather than introduce error with a tape measure. I did 6 of them, patience is your friend.
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I cope the left end and only nail the butt right end and middle. The coped end is sprung out temporarily with a 1x.
Then cope left end and proceed to nail remaining three sides. Last piece needs a cope on the left, the butt end is slipped behind the sprung out first piece. Remove the 1x and nail the first piece of crown .
This saves a double cope which is a bit tougher to do. If your coffered pieces are short then only nail the first piece at one end and about 1/4 distance from the butt end. You might pop the nails in the middle if the crown won't bend enough for the 1x.
mike
