Make Crown Molding on the Cheap

 Today I am going to show you how to make a 6" crown molding for about 1/5 the cost of production crown.  This is what is considered a "built-up crown", meaning that the crown is assembled from parts as opposed to being molded in a shaper as one piece.

 The room we did this to already had a 2" cove molding at the ceiling.  That will become the center of the crown.

 Next route each edge of the 1"x8".  This will make the back part of the molding.

Next rip the 1"x8" into two pieces.  One side should be 3/4" of an inch wider than the other.  This will make a 90deg. corner with equal side.

Paint all the pieces before you put them up.  It makes it much easier this way. 

This series of photo's show how the crown will be assembled on the wall.

Pic 1. These are the pieces used to make the molding. The screen molding, the 2" cove in the middle and the 1"x8" to the right.  The second photo shows how the back pieces fit together.

Pic 2. This show how the back pieces will be fit together.

Pic 3. The screen molding is attached to the back piece on the wall.

Pic 4. Put the cove molding against the screen molding and tack in the screen molding to the back piece on the ceiling to hold in the cove.

Pic 5. The profile of your new crown molding.

Next we will make the corner and center blocks.

 To make the corner blocks start by cutting a 2"x4" into blocks.  Spread glue evenly on two blocks.  Put the glued sides toward each and clamp.  Since only the inside of the blocks are glued, you can clamp all the blocks at once.

 Next trim the blocks square.  I used my miter saw for this but you could use a table saw as well.  Once the blocks are squared, and cut to size, route one edge of the block.  For an outside corner you may have to notch the back edge. 

Next comes the center blocks.

 To make the canter blocks I started by tracing the profile of the crown to a single block of 2"x4".  Then I traced a profile 1/4" wider than the profile.  Using the band saw I cut just to the line of the wider profile.  After all the blocks were cut they were all sanded.

Start putting up your crown by attaching the widest of the back pieces to the ceiling.  Notice that the corners of the board are mitered.  This is a simple 45 deg. miter.  Using the blocks saves from having to do any complicated compound miters normally associated with crown molding.  Next attach the narrow piece to the wall again using simple miters.  If your boards are not long enough for the room, miter the ends at 45 deg. to hide the seam.  Next attach your corner and center blocks to the back pieces.  Next attach the bottom piece of screen molding.  Keep this piece level.  If your walls are uneven the difference can be made up at the top.  An uneven line will be much less noticeable if it is on the ceiling and not the wall.  Once you have the bottom piece in you can stet your cove molding in place.  Once it is in position attach the second piece of screen molding to the top plate adjusting for any unevenness in the wall or ceiling.
Continue around the room until you get back to your starting point.
Congratulations!  You now have a beautiful 6" crown molding around your room. 

 We decided to do this because a similar crown would have cost us about $500 to put in.  We were able to do the whole room for $125 including paint..
We chose to paint ours in three colors but its your molding, finish it the way you like and have some fun!