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Discussion Forum

Crown Moulding and Pan Ceilings

| Posted in General Discussion on October 2, 1999 08:11am

*
Does anyone know of a way to install crown moulding at the base of a pan ceiling where it meets the wall? To make things worse the pan ceiling flows into a regular ceiling on two walls making for an uneven transition. Am trying to get the customer to consider a different moulding such as 2″ band. Would appreciate you’re input.

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Replies

  1. Guest_ | Sep 24, 1999 07:15am | #1

    *
    Im not sure what you are calling a pan ceiling but we often have a sloped ceiling meeting a wall. The best solution I have found is using coping blocks (sometimes called trim blocks) They are roughly the size of a 4x4 with a routed edge. They are wide enough to catch the butted edge of most crown molding. The tops are cut on the angle of the ceiling and they are placed in the corner. This allows the crown to be butted into the block much like plinth blocks and rosettes. You can also make these blocks by laminating 2x4's if your local molding shop does not make them. They cost about 3 dollars each for stain grade here.

    1. Guest_ | Sep 24, 1999 07:24am | #2

      * Mad Dog M,

      I think the term is "tray" ceiling. I'm sure it goes by many different names. A picture or sketch of the ceiling would help. . .

      Joseph Fusco View Image

      1. Guest_ | Sep 24, 1999 07:52am | #3

        *Hi Joe, I am sending a rough sketch of what I'm talking about. I appreciate your help.

        1. Guest_ | Sep 24, 1999 08:32am | #4

          * Mad Dog M,

          For starters maybe we can shorten up the down load time. You might want to delete your previous thread. :-}

          P.S. Thanks for your "plug." ;-]

          Joseph Fusco View Image

          1. Guest_ | Sep 24, 1999 08:46am | #5

            * Mad Dog M,

            Aren't the spaces always uneven due to "poor" drywall installation, lol. I don't know whether your customer/client is willing to go for the added expense but, if they want the crown I would suggest a light pocket. Basically the crown is fastened to the wall in the usual manner creating a soffit which is back lite by a tube/rope light. I would really like to see the connection between the two room though, maybe you could take a picture?

            If the light soffit doesn't fly I have some other suggestions.

            Joseph Fusco View Image

          2. Guest_ | Sep 25, 1999 07:05am | #6

            *I think the space is due to the fact that the crown molding is designed to fit snugly at a 90 deg corner instead of the angle formed by the tray ceiling pitch. We just completed a house with this same problem in the tray ceilings. We solved it by nailing a piece of 1 1/4" screen molding to the top of the crown. This cut off the shadowed area at the top of the crown and allowed the painter to caulk the void to the ceiling. The other option I know of is to backsaw the crown molding to allow it to fit tightly against the ceiling. This is trial and error to find the right angle and can be tricky to saw.

          3. Guest_ | Sep 25, 1999 08:46am | #7

            *Hello Brian, What you described is exactly what the problem is only where the ceiling pitch starts up from the wall the sheet rock runs like a wave and varies as much as 11/4". I've never seen an installation this bad. I managed to convince the homeowner to let me install 2" Band moulding which didn't turn out as bad as i thought it would.and it also took care of the problem where the tray ceiling stops and the flat ceiling picks up. I thank everyone for their input. M.D.M.

          4. Guest_ | Sep 25, 1999 09:30am | #8

            * Mad Dog M,

            Simple is always best I say. I'm glad it worked out. BTW, I took a run by your site. . . Nice work and nice site.

            Joseph Fusco View Image

          5. Guest_ | Sep 25, 1999 09:46pm | #9

            *I sorta agree with brian 3006. However the fact that you are running into a flat ceiling at the other room intersection means you have to stay above the spring line where the pan meets the wall. Laying the crown flat on the splay at the rake point won't look real good because of the gap at the top of the crown. Brian suggests to fill that area, and that is a resonable option. The light cove is a good idea, but it adds the electrical expense to the finished product that your customer may not want. It may also accentuate the wavy ceilings which ain't to pretty good either. I've seen this sort of thing done more often with a bed moulding instead of crown. It turns back into the ceiling rather than away from it. The gap then becomes a caulkable thing. Plaster mouldings may be an option. They are easier to adjust to odd angles than wood mouldings but can be difficult for someone who is not used to working with plaster. It just seems to me that a pan ceiling is not a very good place for crown. It wasn't designed to go there. The flat moulding on the wall is an option, but you'd have to return it on itself when you reached the other room. The flat moulding on the splay will work, but so will the bed moulding. I'm sure some other people will have better ideas, but those are my thoughts.Good luck,Ed. Williams

          6. Guest_ | Sep 26, 1999 06:30am | #10

            *Thanks Joe, Was just curious how you found my site. I've had people look for it and say they couldn't bring it up. I don't think they used the right address. M.D.M.

          7. Guest_ | Sep 26, 1999 08:12pm | #11

            * MDM,

            I just clicked the link you entered in my Guest Book.

            Joseph Fusco View Image

          8. Guest_ | Oct 02, 1999 08:11am | #12

            *Mad Dog - I've addressed this problem by dropping the molding down 4 - 6" below the transition, wrapped it around all sides at that height, including the flat walls, and painted everything above the crown ceiling color - it gives the effect of a tray ceiling. I've also done it with concealing lights above the crown (and slightly inside it) to make the ceiling glow.

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