Crown molding

Comment

Comment by KregRep on October 20, 2014 at 8:48am

You did a great job making, painting, and installing the molding, Dennis. I'm sure your daughter is very happy, and you should be very proud of your efforts. As you said, there's a lot of labor in this project, but great savings AND the ability to create a custom profile that is unique and attractive. Thanks for sharing your efforts, and for all of the great photos of the process.

KregRep

Comment by Dennis Ihle on October 17, 2014 at 7:02pm

Ordered a couple of 4X8 sheets of 5/8" MDF from my local store and then ripped it in strips about 3" wide on my table saw after ripping it to about 12" with the Kreg Rip-Cut to make it easier to handle. I performed these cuts, as well as the routing, outside while wearing dust mask. MDF makes some extremely fine dust, and lots of it, so protect yourself. I then set up my Kreg router table with a Freud 99-015 face molding bit and used a feather board to ensure even routing. I then used a round over bit on the opposite side of the molding. I decided to make my bevels at 45 degrees. You then have to seal the MDF with a sealer. I elected to use Zinsser B-I-N Primer sealer. Then I sanded that with 320 grit to get a smooth surface. I used a brush and a can of Rustoleum black satin enamel to put on the first coat and then used spay cans of Rustoleum black satin primer and paint to finish it off. I ended up using approx. 1 1/2 sheets and got 160 linear feet of molding for approx. $90.00 worth of materials. The router bit will run you about $55, but I figure that I will be using on a number of projects anyway. I will say that there is substantial amount of labor (didn't keep track of it because it was for daughter). She and her family are VERY HAPPY with the results.