Several Crown Molding/Nailer Questions?
Question:I am a complete DIY novice, however I am looking at installing crown molding in my house. I have a couple questions regarding how to best nail the molding into place. Do you have to use a finish nailer? Are there any cheaper alternatives? It seems like nailers run about $120-170, plus the air compressor. Can you rent a compressor and nailer? How much should that cost? Also, what size/length of nails do you use? I would appreciate any advice you could give me. My most important issue is keeping the costs to a minimum. Thank you.
Answers:
You could use an electric nailer and skip the air compresser.
if you've never done it before, plan on making several trips back to the supply store with lots of money for more moulding. cove/crown moulding is very tricky because you have to cut it bottom-side up with the correct angle(s) for inside or outside corners. best advice is to cut the longest pieces first, and "measure twice-cut once". i hope you have plenty of patience and can laugh at yourself for making the same wrong cut repeatedly...oh.. and deep pockets. nailers and compressors can be rented at big box stores
You could try a method which was used before the invention of the pneumatic nailer. It is called a hammer and a nail.
Crown molding is the toughest peice of trim to install because of the miters and bevels you have to cut at the same time. and if you cut the stuff in the wrong direction you just wasted the whole piece. Lowe's has a bostich compressor and 3 trim guns for about 200 dollars. (great deal one trim gun will cost you that).
The best advice is buy one extra peice of crown cut 2 small peices with a good miter saw ( Don't try to cut this stuff with anything else you will never get your corners to match up) and just start playing with the angles untill you get the right combination and lock the saw the rest is a walk in the park.
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