Wall moulding is by far the easiest way to add character and elegance to space, in my opinion. Most of the moulding in my apartment is original, and growing up I always that that the wall was molded to make the designs, it was only a few years ago I realized they were actually just strips of wood nailed to the wall! I promise you its an insanely easy beginner level DIY and you don’t need any power tools to do it! Moulding can be applied to be permanent or renter friendly, I’ll walk you through both options!
General Supplies:
For rental-friendly:
For permanent:
The Process
Step One
For either option, you’re going to begin the same way, I suggest mapping out your design with painter’s tape. That way you’ll get an easy visual, can play around with it and measure for your cuts more easily. Once you’ve decided on a design write down all your measurements, then mark them on the moulding piece with a pencil so you know where to cut. I also like to draw an arrow to show the direction the cuts, if you ever get confused, just grab a picture frame and observe how the corners meet.
Step Two
Using a pencil, tape measure, straight edge and level, draw where your moulding will go onto the wall. Having these straight lines already there will be super helpful when you’re putting it up.
Step Three
Using your saw and mitre box, you’re going to make cuts at a 45° angle, the cuts will be going inward, starting from the thicker side of the molding. The mitre box comes with angle notches, just make sure you’ll holding the moulding tight as you cut so it doesn’t wiggle around.
Step Four
If you’re doing renter-friendly moulding, all you have to do is attach mounting tape to the back and attach it to the wall, following the pencil marks. You can use wood filler to fill in the cracks at the corners, but you don’t have to. Paint the moulding the same color as the wall, or a contrasting color, if you want- and that’s it!
If you’re doing permanent moulding, a few more steps… using the caulk gun, apply a thin strip of construction adhesive to the back of each strip. This is optional, but helps keep it in place when it comes to nailing it down. Use a hammer to attach the moulding to the wall with 3-5 finishing nails, depending on the length of the moulding piece. Use the nail punch and hammer to get the nails all the way in so there are no bumps on top.
Step Five
Finishing touches! Fill any corner crevices and nail holes with wood filler, let dry then sand to smooth. Use caulk & caulk gun along the sides of the moulding, wipe with a damp cloth after applying to smooth. Let dry then paint!
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