I have sheetrock walls and want to put up picture frame moulding to simulate raised panels (I have a friend that calls this judges panels). I can nail on the horizontal moulding that runs across the studs, but not sure what the best method for attaching the vertical pieces that where nails will not hit studs. Should I use construction adhesive, or is there a better way?
Jeff
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Replies
Construction adhesive and nails will probably hold. Is your trim thick enough to where you could use biscuits or pocket screws to make up the entire picture frame first?
Buy the trim you want to use, and take it to a picture framer with all of the specific measurements. They can knock it out in not time flat and they will all be nice and square with super tight miters. Then take them home and glue and nail them to the walls where you want them.
What JFord said. 18 g brads and small dabs of construction adhesive right on to the sheetrock. Been doing just such a thing for years. Get the Liquid Nails heavy duty stuff, or try the newer panel "instant grab" adhesives. Yellow glue your miters.
Using a nailgun you can nail smaller molding profiles to drywall only using a technique called stiching. Basically you drive small diameter nails within an inch or so of each other and at opposing angles. As other said, be sure and augment the attachment with adhesive and glue your outside miters with wood glue.
Best to build the frames to size before you install. Use yellow (New primed drywall) or white molding (Latex painted wall) glue tacked with brads. 18ga will work but if you have a thinner gage nailer use that. I'd stay away from construction adhesives because of the possible mess you might make on the carpet etc. and the squeeze out.
I've done (# lost count) so of these--- Number the frames and their position on the wall. Its too easy to mix them up. Position / level the top first then plumb one side is fastest.
Tip: Make a clamp table adjustable for width out of melamine. Wax & polish table for easy clean-up between assemblies.
Best to you and yours, Chris.
Some say I know too much.
pocket screws to hold the frame together--preassemble the frames and then tack them in.
I've done hundreds of these, and use regular moulding glue on the verticle pieces.
It's a little thicker, and won't drip on everything..
I measure the boxes, cut all the verticle legs with a stop block for uniformity, then measure and cut the horizontal pieces, also using a stop.
I then assemble the frames on a glue-up table, using glue and Collins miter clamps. I clean up the glue squeeze-out on the boxes as I assemble them. I like to let them set for 15-20 minutes before installing. You can leave the clamps on when installing the frames, too.
It's then a simple matter of nailing the frames in place. If I'm running them under a chairrail, I use a block to keep the same margin. Butt the block to the chairrail, push the frame to the block, and nail.
I usually run a bead of caulk around the frames to finish the job, and so that the painter doesn't put a big, heavy bead of caulk on everything.
Jeff
I do similar to what Shep and others described but I don't use anything more then latex caulk behind my mouldings. Latex caulk will adhere mouldings just fine. I don't worry about nailing to studs either, cross pin the mouldings right to the rock, never have the stuff come loose.
I'm not going to deal with construction adhesive(or uz-out) on sheetrock walls!
Here is a couple pix of a dinning room that I just completed doing just as I described.
Doug
Nice work, what I have seen at the big box stores - the moulding is not as thick. I like yours and I would be able to pre-assemble it. What I have seen so far is thinner and nothing that I would be able to brad together before putting on the wall. What is the moulding you use called?
Jeff
Jeff
We make all our mouldings so its not something that can be bought at the store.
This particular moulding isnt all that big, but I nailed it right to the wall, just as fast as trying to pre assemble them, not sure why the need for that?
I doubt that I have 4 hours total in that room. It goes pretty fast if you gang cut your pieces.
I can use my micro pinner and nail up mouldings that are only about 3/8" thick if need be. This moulding is probably all of 1/2-5/8ths" thick. Its the same thing as whats in the panels on the columns that are pictured.
Doug
Doug-
I like pre-assembling the frames because I find it easier to get the miters nice and tight.
I've done it your way, too. For me, pre-assembly works better. But if your way works for you, keep it up.
I've always said there's more than one way to get things done.
Shep
The only time I pre-assemble is if the walls are wavy. That way I can tack them at the high points of the wall and fill the back side with caulk.
So I'm not completly/intirely discounting the idea! :)
In this case(pictured in my previous post) the walls were really nice and flat so I was able to move along pretty fast.
Doug
Nice work. Like the outlet detail...
If the sheetrock is intended to mock wood then you'll need to finish it ultra smooth to simulated painted wood.
If the wall has previously been painted by roller the texture from the nap of the roller will need to be smoothed out.
You can compound it, sand fine, and paint with a roller for enamel.
If the look you seek is that of molded plaster then you're probably more than half way there.