Are you looking for an easy and quick way to give a room a makeover? Adding or replacing decorative molding is a simple DIY project that’s even easier today, thanks to prefinished plastic molding. Before you tie on your tool belt, here are some tips for choosing the right molding for your home.
How to Choose a Molding Style
Choose molding that reflects the style of your home. Contemporary homes should use simpler moldings with fewer details, while richly detailed Victorian homes look great with elaborate decorative moldings. Experienced designers can mix and match decor, but it’s difficult to integrate different styles in one space.
The best thing about plastic molding is that it can be made to look like almost any material, including the look of wood grain. Since plastic moldings are created in a mold rather than milled, they can be made in almost any pattern or design.
This gives you a lot of flexibility in choosing the best look for your home.
How to choose the size of molding
Molding should enhance the beauty of a room, not overpower it. Choose the width of crown and other moldings based on the height of the ceilings in the room. The higher the ceiling, the wider the molding should be. Test the size by getting molding samples or cutting out a piece of cardboard to see how the molding will look when installed.Today’s Homeowner Tip
Since many plastics are more flexible than wood, plastic molding may be more tolerant when installed on uneven ceilings or crooked walls. Some plastic molding can also be installed on curved surfaces, which would be difficult – if not impossible – to do with wood molding.
Other factors to consider when choosing molding
high humidity conditions
For rooms with high humidity – such as bathrooms, basements, kitchens and utility rooms – plastic mouldings are the best choice because they are impervious to moisture and resist warping, rotting and mildew.
Buy Extras
Buy more molding than you think you’ll need because if you make a mistake you’ll have some extra material to give you some leeway. Plastic molding can be cut and installed with the same tools used for traditional wood. Since plastic molding won’t crack, splinter, or split, you’ll have less waste than with wood molding.
Finishing
If the molding will require painting or staining, do it before installation. Plastic moldings are available in a variety of prefinished colors that do not require painting or staining, making installation much less labor intensive.
recycled materials
You can also find plastic moldings that are made from recycled plastic. One manufacturer, Timbron (available at Home Depot), uses recycled plastic foam packaging to make its products. The company has already recycled enough plastic to fill the Empire State Building twice!