Paneling and Trim - corner blocks plus 'flat' crown: will it work?

I'm to the point where it's time to order my crown (my home depot was out of what i wanted so need to order it). It's 3.5 inches and 'flat,' not angled like big dental moulding. I have to do corner blocks because i'm not a miter kind of guy. I found a good selection at lowes but then wondered, will it look right with just flat crown up against the wall? All the pics i've seen online are of angled crown with blocks. And Im assuming getting blocks a bit larger than the crown is the way to go.

Also wondering do you even nail the crown and corner block together or just push it up tight and nail the crown only to the wall? I'm assuming the block needs to be nailed in at an angle and i'd predrill the hole to ensure no splitting. Then maybe spackle to eliminate the seams?

this is an example of the kind of piece i'm getting..but not exact

http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/300/67/67dd9e3d-b44d-4e5a-863a-5ae9e48d90cc_300.jpg

The crown you have pictured is not "flat", as it has angles on both top and bottom for installation at an angle. To answer your questions, however, using the blocks is a fine way to accent a larger room and to keep from having to cut all those angles. Most modern saws have detents for cutting crown molding, so you can lay it flat and make flawless corners, but the block idea is just fine. Using a nail gun??? Use 2 1/2" nails, as you got a long way to go to hit wood.

ok well like i said thats not the exact piece. But i do have a piece at home and it definitely just lays flat up against the wall. Thats another thing that made it attractive to me....just hold up and nail..no muss or fuss with angles at all. I guess i should really take a pic of it to post it.

everyone here has suggested a nail gun but id have to rent it and i'm doing this in stages because of moving around furniture. I guess i could take a day to do nothing but the crown and blocks but is the manual labor that bad? I'm worried about splitting so would predrill all the holes. It cant be any worse that predrilling every single deckboard in a 12x18 deck can it? ;)

So am i right to pick corner block just a bit wider than the crown and that the nails have to be angled to nail the block in?

and that the block doesnt get nailed to the crown, just fit tight together then caulk the seam and paint?

also is it best to just nail thru the top 1 inch where it's flat vs in the design?


pic of upside down crown (only way i could get it to stay up there at the time) and as you can see i tested light blue but i hate that color so just painted it all dark

http://i371.photobucket.com/albums/oo155/luckydriver/IMG_3048.jpg

1st coat of denim blue..thinking about the corner trim to set it off and brighten up

http://i371.photobucket.com/albums/oo155/luckydriver/IMG_3077.jpg

Are you going to do any more trimwork around your house? If you are, just get an air nailer. I'm systematically replacing all of the trim and doors in my house, and adding crown molding. The first room I did by hand. Then I borrowed a neighbors gun. Then I went out and bought my own. It's so much quicker. I got a compressor and finish nailer on sale at one of the big box stores for $200. I know it sounds like a lot of money, but if you think of the time you can save it's well worth it.

wasnt planning on anymore trim, no.....money is tight after this room and even the dining room i'm not sure it would even look good if i did it. (lots of ins and out corners and closets etc)

I just had 2 weeks of 2 different car bills costing me over 2000 bucks total so the only reason i'm even continuing with this room is because it's already started. So 200 for something i'd rarely use isnt worth it at this time. and the rest of the house will have to do with free labor repairs (ie ripping out cat pee carpet or old worn carpet etc)

my mind may change once i start this but i'd have to rent then.

Yep nail up the corner blocks - they should be about 3/4" thicker than the moulding you are using. So if the moulding is 3/4 x5 then use 1 1/2" x 1 1/2 x 5 1/2 blocks. If a nail gun is not used then predrill the holes, the same size or a bit smaller than the 2-2 1/2" finish nails you are using, make sure you hit a stud, the top nails should hit the top plate. I would put the nails at the top and at the bottom-find an easy place to fill the nails in the pattern like the "egg" part but stay away from the dart. Don't nail to the block, just fill the gap if there is one with some latex caulk and wipe with a damp cloth. Caulk the top and bottom of the crown and your done- again wipe /smooth with a damp cloth. Prime and paint all moulding before you put it up, then you'll just have to give it it's final coat.

here's a pic of a similar block that i found at lowes. (not exact one i'm getting but they are expensive..mine is 13 each)

http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/716781/716781041681sm.jpg

It's much wider than the moulding (the pointy part of course) but i put a 3.5 inch piece of moulding that was there next to it and it looked decent. So is that what you mean by wider than the moulding? I'm assuming so because thats makes sense but want to be sure.

I hear you saying you must get into the studs so i'm assuming every corner of the room has studs right? Because you literally only have a few inches from which to nail the block vs having 8 ft for each piece of crown. And looking at this pic, i guess i just angle in from the side and go to town with a few nails..then it will stay in the plaster even if i dont hit a stud..right ? :)

closer look at actual crown i have

http://i371.photobucket.com/albums/oo155/luckydriver/IMG_3075.jpg

yep, yep and yep. Put a bit of caulk on the back of the blocks after you drill the holes and before you nail them up....this will act as glue.

, the same size or a bit smaller than the 2-2 1/2" finish nails .

i hate to ask..but are finish nails 4d?

i found i have a box of 1 1/2 but know those are too short unfortunately. So have to go buy some and wanted to be sure i'm getting the right ones

aw man.one corner of mine is so bad i'm gonna have to caulk in the gap at the wall..just must have settled or not built straight..the corner block 'dont fit right' lol