7/17/2019 Four Ways to Terminate a Crown Molding - The Joy of Moldings

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/four-ways-to-terminate-a-crown-molding-the-joy-of-moldings 1/16

  Navigation

The Joy of Moldings.comHow to decorate your home with moldings -- DIY or hire a pro.

Four Ways to Terminate a Crown Moldingby The Joy Of Moldings on April 25, 2012 in Crown Molding

 A four-pi ece dentil crown molding buildup returned to the wall before a bay window.

[This is part of my How to Install Crown Molding Series.]

There are four ways to terminate a crown molding in a room where you can’t simply finish

the crown at its starting point.

1. Hanging Return

2. Molding Dissolve3. Corbel Return

4. Finial Return

Here are examples of each.

7/17/2019 Four Ways to Terminate a Crown Molding - The Joy of Moldings

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/four-ways-to-terminate-a-crown-molding-the-joy-of-moldings 2/16

 

1. Hanging Return Examples

Terminating a crown in this manner is perfectly acceptable, and has 2,500 years of 

examples to support its use. But I prefer a corbel return over a hanging return.

7/17/2019 Four Ways to Terminate a Crown Molding - The Joy of Moldings

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/four-ways-to-terminate-a-crown-molding-the-joy-of-moldings 3/16

The transition from 8′ ceiling height to 10′ required a hanging return in this master bedroom.

Below  Half of this kitchen is an addition with a slightly different ceiling height. It would be

better not to have to start and stop the crown like this, but this was easier than any other 

option.

Elevation changes are good places for crown molding hanging returns.

Below  This is what I call a flying crown molding . They are used to divide a room with tall

ceilings or one with vaulted ceilings.

7/17/2019 Four Ways to Terminate a Crown Molding - The Joy of Moldings

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/four-ways-to-terminate-a-crown-molding-the-joy-of-moldings 4/16

This looks OK, but I’d rather use a corbel return to end a flying crown.

[Learn step by step How to Return a Crown Molding to the Wall here.]

Further Reading

Crown Molding Hanging Return in Historic Home

7/17/2019 Four Ways to Terminate a Crown Molding - The Joy of Moldings

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/four-ways-to-terminate-a-crown-molding-the-joy-of-moldings 5/16

2. Crown Molding Dissolve Examples

Below  Since architects don’t design homes with moldings in mind, you end up with oddball

intersections like the one below. Note how the tray ceiling (framed in the narrow molding)

comes right to the edge of the inside “box” that houses the HVAC ducts (or perhaps it’s a

second floor furnace?).

The point is, this intersection does not allow any crown molding to continue uninterrupted

around the room. The most elegant solution was to dissolve the crown on either side of the

box, as if it is passing straight through and meeting in the imagined corner.

Dissolves are a great way to start and stop a crown molding.

Below  I could have wrapped the crown molding around the brick fireplace, and that would

have looked nice. But the brick was done so well that I felt it deserved the senior status of 

the two decorating items, and so I dissolved the crown molding through it.

7/17/2019 Four Ways to Terminate a Crown Molding - The Joy of Moldings

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/four-ways-to-terminate-a-crown-molding-the-joy-of-moldings 6/16

Living room crown molding dissolving into the fireplace brick. It comes out the other side and continues

around the room.

[Read more about other Molding Dissolves here >>]

3. Corbel Return Examples

7/17/2019 Four Ways to Terminate a Crown Molding - The Joy of Moldings

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/four-ways-to-terminate-a-crown-molding-the-joy-of-moldings 7/16

This is my favorite way to return a crown molding. You can save this method for your most

important rooms. The material costs to make one are very little, just the price of a corbel.

 A dramatic, soli d way to terminate a crown molding. They may look super-fancy, but they are very easy to

make.

Below  Another flying crown molding, but this time terminated in a corbel return.

7/17/2019 Four Ways to Terminate a Crown Molding - The Joy of Moldings

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/four-ways-to-terminate-a-crown-molding-the-joy-of-moldings 8/16

This is my favorite corbel return application. The corbels were purchased online.

[More about corbel returns here: How Do I Build a Corbel Return?]

7/17/2019 Four Ways to Terminate a Crown Molding - The Joy of Moldings

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/four-ways-to-terminate-a-crown-molding-the-joy-of-moldings 9/16

  Molding Dissolves How to Return a Crown Molding to the Wall

4. Finial Return Example

This is the fourth method for return a crown molding

that is somewhat similar to a corbel return, and I call

it a finial return.

I’ve written a separate post about how to install onehere: How to Make a Crown Molding Finial Return.

 

[This is part of my How to Install Moldings series.]

Share this:

About The Joy of Moldings

Moldings with Meaning -- we'll show you how to install them yourself!

View all posts by The Joy of Moldings →

Subscribe

Subscribe to our e-mail newsletter to receive updates.

Related Posts:Example of Expensive Crown Molding Separating at Scarf Joints

Before & After: CROWN MOLDING-103 Installation

Crown Molding Hanging Return in Historic Home

Winona Works Wonders With Moldings!

Crown Molding & Corner Blocks: Do This Not That

5

      More

7/17/2019 Four Ways to Terminate a Crown Molding - The Joy of Moldings

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/four-ways-to-terminate-a-crown-molding-the-joy-of-moldings 10/16

Leave a Reply

Name

Email (will not be published)

Website

SUBMIT COMMENT

2 Responses to Four Ways to Terminate a Crown Molding 

Tina January 29, 2013 at 2:16 PM # 

This is very helpful. I’m dealing with a room with 8ft ceilings and the window is only 2.5inches from the ceiling. I’m debating whether to do a return or finial like you are showing, or get

a really narrow moldin. Any thoughts appreciated.

Ken January 29, 2013 at 2:33 PM # 

Tina, my best ideas are all on this page. Take another look at the very top picture. Note

the crown molding at the top of the window. You could do something like that but instead of 

ending it to make room for the larger crown you can just continue that smaller crown around the

room.

But then you’d have a small crown.

You could also make a few models of different crowns and hold them up to see if you like them.

7/17/2019 Four Ways to Terminate a Crown Molding - The Joy of Moldings

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/four-ways-to-terminate-a-crown-molding-the-joy-of-moldings 11/16

 Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

 Notify me of new posts by email.

Subscribe via Email

Email Address

SUBSCRIBE

7/17/2019 Four Ways to Terminate a Crown Molding - The Joy of Moldings

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/four-ways-to-terminate-a-crown-molding-the-joy-of-moldings 12/16

7/17/2019 Four Ways to Terminate a Crown Molding - The Joy of Moldings

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/four-ways-to-terminate-a-crown-molding-the-joy-of-moldings 13/16

7/17/2019 Four Ways to Terminate a Crown Molding - The Joy of Moldings

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/four-ways-to-terminate-a-crown-molding-the-joy-of-moldings 14/16

7/17/2019 Four Ways to Terminate a Crown Molding - The Joy of Moldings

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/four-ways-to-terminate-a-crown-molding-the-joy-of-moldings 15/16

Directory

 AZ, Robinson Trim (Finish Carpenter)  Phoenix

 AZ, Saguaro Moulding (Millwork)  Phoenix

CA, JH Finish Carpentry (Finish Carpenter)  LA

CA, McColes (Finish Carpenter) Sacramento

CA, Showcase Moulding (Millwork)  Escondido

CT, Fine Line Finish Carpentry (Finish Carpenter)  Danbury

GA, PCI Millwork (Finish Carpenter)  Atlanta

GA, Pierce & Pierce Architectural Millwork (Millwork)  Atlanta

IL, Bart Ollos (Finish Carpenter)  Chicago

MI, Armstrong Millworks (Millwork)  Metro Detroit

MI, Standard Lumber (Millwork)  Grand RapidsMI, Trimmers Inc. (Finish Carpenter)  Metro Detroit

MI, Wood Moldings Online (Millwork)  Metro Detroit

MN, Aaronwood Finish Carpentry (Finish Carpenter)  Minneapolis

WA, Abacus (Finish Carpenter)  Seattle

WA, Lacey Door & Millwork (Millwork)  Olympia

7/17/2019 Four Ways to Terminate a Crown Molding - The Joy of Moldings

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/four-ways-to-terminate-a-crown-molding-the-joy-of-moldings 16/16

© 2015 The Joy of Moldings.com. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by WordPress. Designed by