Yes, you can absolutely add crown molding to kitchen cabinets yourself! This guide will show you step-by-step how to achieve a professional look when attaching crown molding to upper cabinets. Adding crown molding instantly upgrades your kitchen. It bridges the gap between your cabinets and the ceiling. This makes the cabinets look taller and more custom. This kitchen cabinet molding tutorial will make the job easy.
Preparation: Getting Ready for Crown Molding Installation
Good planning stops big mistakes. Before you cut anything, you need the right things and a clear workspace. Proper preparation is key for crown molding installation kitchen cabinets.
Tools Needed for Cabinet Crown Molding
Having the correct equipment makes the whole process smooth. Here is a list of essential items for your project. These are the tools needed for cabinet crown molding:
- Miter Saw: This is crucial for making clean, angled cuts. A power miter saw is best for speed and accuracy.
- Coping Saw or Jigsaw: Needed for inside corners if you choose to cope instead of mitering.
- Tape Measure: Must be accurate for measuring cuts.
- Pencil: For marking your cuts and placement.
- Level: To ensure your molding is straight.
- Pin Nailer (or Hammer and Small Finishing Nails): A pneumatic nailer speeds up securing crown molding to cabinet tops. If using hand nails, use 1.5-inch brads.
- Stud Finder: To locate solid wood framing above the cabinets.
- Construction Adhesive: To help hold the molding steady before nailing. This is part of choosing the best adhesive for crown molding on cabinets.
- Clamps or Blocks: Useful for holding pieces tight while gluing or nailing.
- Safety Gear: Eye protection and hearing protection are a must.
Measuring and Cutting Crown Molding for Cabinets
Accurate cuts are the secret to a great finish. Poor cuts lead to gaps. You must master the measuring and cutting crown molding for cabinets phase.
Crown molding sits at an angle. It rests on the cabinet and meets the ceiling. This angle changes how you set your saw. Most molding has a specific “spring angle.” This is the angle between the back of the molding and the flat surface that sits against the cabinet or ceiling. Standard kitchen cabinets often use a 38-degree or 45-degree spring angle.
If you place the molding flat on the saw base, your angles will be wrong. You must set the molding so its back edges touch the fence and the base, just like it sits in place. This is called “miter saw set up for molding.”
Cutting Outside Corners
Outside corners are where two cabinet runs meet and stick out into the room.
- Set the Angle: For a 90-degree outside corner, you need two 45-degree cuts.
- Direction Matters: The long point of the cut must face the outside edge of the cabinet run. If you cut the first piece, the next piece needs the opposite cut to meet it perfectly.
- Test Fit: Always dry-fit the pieces together before moving to the wall.
Cutting Inside Corners
Inside corners are where two runs meet and go into the wall. These are often harder to master. You have two main choices: Miter or Cope.
Miter Cut (Easier for Beginners):
- Cut both pieces at 45 degrees, just like the outside corner.
- For the inside corner, the long point of the cut must face the inside corner of the wall.
Coping Cut (For a Seamless Look):
Coping gives a better result for seamless crown molding kitchen cabinets, especially if walls are slightly uneven.
- Cut the first piece square (90 degrees) to fit flat against one wall.
- Cut the second piece using a 45-degree miter cut, aiming it toward the corner.
- Use a coping saw to carefully cut away the waste material along the line of the 45-degree angle. This creates a profile shape that fits exactly onto the mitered edge of the first piece.
Dealing with Ceiling Gaps
Kitchen ceilings are rarely perfectly flat or square to the walls. When you attach molding, a gap might appear between the top edge of the molding and the ceiling.
- Measure the Gap: Measure this gap in several spots along the run.
- Shimming or Beveling: If the gap is small (under 1/8 inch), you can fill it later with caulk. If it’s larger, you might need to adjust the angle on your saw slightly (called “Dormering” or compound miter) or use a thin wood shim cut to match the gap.
Step-by-Step Installation Process
This section covers the actual work of diy crown molding kitchen cabinets. We focus on a standard upper cabinet run.
Step 1: Locate Mounting Surfaces
You must secure the molding firmly. The molding needs to attach to the cabinet frame and the wall above it.
- Find Cabinet Top Edge: Locate the very top edge of your cabinet boxes. Ensure this line is level using your long level. Adjust cabinet shims underneath if needed.
- Locate Wall Studs (If Applicable): If your molding runs high enough to hit the wall studs above the cabinet, mark these locations. Nailing into studs provides the strongest hold. If the molding only sits against drywall, rely heavily on adhesive and short finish nails.
Step 2: Prepare the First Piece
Start in an inside corner if possible. This corner piece will set the standard for the rest of the run.
- Measure Wall to Corner: Measure the exact distance from the starting point (e.g., the side of the cabinet box) to the inside corner of the wall.
- Cut the Miter/Cope: Make the appropriate inside corner cut on your first piece. Remember that the molding will sit proud of the cabinet edge slightly. Account for the thickness of the adjoining molding piece.
- Apply Adhesive: Apply a thin, wavy line of best adhesive for crown molding on cabinets (like PL Premium or specialized trim adhesive) to the back surfaces that will touch the cabinet and the wall.
Step 3: Attaching Crown Molding to Upper Cabinets
This is where the molding meets the cabinet structure.
- Positioning: Hold the piece in place. Use your level against the bottom edge of the molding to ensure it is straight horizontally.
- Temporary Securing: Use clamps or have an assistant hold the piece firmly.
- Nailing: Drive finish nails or pin nails through the molding.
- Nail into the cabinet top frame if possible. Angle the nails slightly downward into the cabinet frame for strength.
- If you hit a wall stud, drive nails straight into the stud.
- If only hitting drywall, use adhesive heavily and use more nails, placed closer together.
Step 4: Connecting Subsequent Pieces
When adding the next section, you are creating the joint.
- Measure for the Second Cut: Measure the distance from the finished end of the first piece to where the next cut needs to happen (the next corner or end point).
- Cut the Joint: Cut the appropriate miter or cope for the second piece. Ensure this cut meets the first piece tightly when dry-fitted.
- Apply Adhesive: Put adhesive on all surfaces that will touch the first piece and the cabinet/wall.
- Join and Secure: Push the new piece firmly against the previous one. The goal is a tight seam. Nail this piece into place, driving nails through the molding into the cabinet or wall structure.
Tip for Tightening Seams: If a seam is slightly open after nailing, use a small block of wood against the seam and gently tap it with a hammer. This can often close tiny gaps without damaging the wood.
Step 5: Handling Outside Corners Between Cabinets
If you have an “L” shaped kitchen, you will create an outside corner where two runs of cabinets meet.
- Cut the piece leading up to the corner with its end profile facing outward (usually a 45-degree cut).
- Cut the second piece so its end profile meets the first piece perfectly (also usually a 45-degree cut, but the direction of the long point is opposite).
- Apply adhesive to both mating faces and the back surfaces.
- Press the pieces together, ensuring a tight, clean miter. Pin nail both pieces securely into the cabinet structure nearby.
Achieving Seamless Crown Molding Kitchen Cabinets
The goal of any good installation is to hide the joints. A professional job looks like one long piece of wood.
The Role of Coping vs. Miter Cuts in Corners
As mentioned, coping inside corners is superior for achieving seamless crown molding kitchen cabinets. Miters rely on two pieces of wood meeting perfectly. Walls are rarely perfectly 90 degrees. Coping allows the profile of the molding to follow the contour of the wall, hiding minor imperfections better than a flat miter joint.
Finishing Crown Molding on Kitchen Cabinets
Once everything is nailed securely, the final step is making the seams invisible. This is the finishing crown molding on kitchen cabinets process.
Filling Gaps
- Small Gaps (under 1/16 inch): Use high-quality paintable caulk. Run a thin bead along any crack—where the molding meets the ceiling, where it meets the wall, and along any miter joints that didn’t close perfectly. Wipe away the excess immediately with a damp finger or cloth.
- Large Gaps (over 1/16 inch): Caulk will sag or crack in large gaps. You must use wood filler or a flexible wood putty first. Press the filler firmly into the gap, let it dry completely, sand it smooth, and then caulk over the top for the smoothest finish.
Painting and Sealing
- Sanding: Lightly sand any rough spots or dried adhesive/filler blobs with fine-grit sandpaper (220 grit). Wipe off all dust.
- Prime (If Necessary): If you used a lot of wood filler or are painting raw wood, apply a coat of primer to the filler areas first. This prevents “flashing,” where the paint looks dull over the filler.
- Paint: Apply two coats of your chosen trim paint. Use the same paint you used on your cabinet baseboards or existing trim for the best match.
Dealing with Obstacles and Uneven Surfaces
Kitchens are full of surprises, like vents, soffits, or crooked walls.
Working Around Soffits and Bulkheads
If you have a soffit (a dropped area of ceiling or bulkhead) above your cabinets, the molding may need to transition from the cabinet top to this lower ceiling plane.
- Change of Plane: You might need to use a small, straight piece of wood (a “scribe piece”) to bridge the gap between the molding and the soffit if the heights don’t match.
- Compound Miter: For complex transitions where the molding runs horizontally and then vertically, you may need to use compound miter settings on your saw. This involves setting both the miter angle and the bevel angle simultaneously. Always practice these complex cuts on scrap wood first.
Scribing for Out-of-Plumb Walls
If a wall is not perfectly straight (out of plumb), your molding piece will want to lean away from it, creating a gap.
- Scribe Piece: If the wall is bowed inward, you need to trim the part of the molding that touches the wall so it sits flush. You do this by cutting a small, precise bevel along the entire back edge of the molding piece that faces the wall. This technique is advanced, but essential for perfect securing crown molding to cabinet tops against imperfect walls.
Final Review: Ensuring Success
After the paint dries, take a step back. Look at the work from different angles.
- Are all nails covered or sunk below the surface?
- Are the seams smooth and mostly invisible?
- Does the line look straight across the entire run?
This kitchen cabinet molding tutorial provides the blueprint. Success comes from patience during the measuring and cutting crown molding for cabinets phase and diligent caulking during the finishing stage. You will be proud of your custom-looking kitchen!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is the standard size for crown molding on kitchen cabinets?
A: Standard molding sizes range from 3 inches up to 5.5 inches tall, depending on the ceiling height and the cabinet height. Taller ceilings often look better with taller molding (4 to 5 inches). Always consider the scale of your kitchen.
Q: Can I use wood glue instead of construction adhesive for attaching crown molding to upper cabinets?
A: While wood glue works, construction adhesive is generally better for attaching crown molding to upper cabinets. Adhesive stays flexible as the house settles and wood expands or contracts. Wood glue can become brittle and fail over time, especially near heat sources like ovens.
Q: How do I handle crown molding that goes up against a textured ceiling?
A: Textured ceilings (like popcorn) are hard to seal against. Use a heavy bead of flexible caulk. Press the caulk firmly into the texture where the molding meets it. Use a caulk finishing tool or a wet finger to smooth the transition without spreading the texture too far down the face of the molding.
Q: Do I need to nail crown molding into the cabinet face frame or just the top surface?
A: For stability, aim to nail into the cabinet box structure. If the molding sits directly atop a thick cabinet face frame (often 1.5 inches wide), you can drive nails down through the molding and into the frame. If the molding is very tall and reaches the ceiling, you must also secure it to the wall above the cabinet.
Q: What is the best way to paint crown molding after installation?
A: Use a high-quality interior acrylic or latex paint formulated for trim. Apply thin coats rather than thick ones. Use an angled sash brush for the best control along the tight angles where the molding meets the wall and ceiling.