Different Types of Decorative Moldings

A decorative molding can be defined as any continuous projection that is used to enhance the look of a wall. In ancient Greece, they were first used to throw water away from the wall. The contours, measurements, and projections of moldings vary greatly.

Frieze
One type of molding - the frieze (or frieze board) - was first used on the Parthenon at the Acropolis. The frieze is considered a part of the Greek architectural style.

The Parthenon was built for the goddess Athena. The frieze moldings that were used were meant to tell the story of her triumph over Poseidon in becoming the patron of the ancient city which is now Athens.

The frieze panels are a series of designed pediments which are filled with the images of Athena's birth and rise to power. Today, a frieze board is the flat panel just below a crown molding or cornice. Often, low relief is applied to this panel for added decoration.

Today, frieze moldings are most common as a portion of a decorative molding that follows the neoclassical architecture or decorating style.

You need a pretty high ceiling (minimum of 9 feet), and it's a good idea to paint or stain the frieze and the crown molding the same color. The frieze is a good way to visually bring the ceiling down and make the room appear cozier.

Crown Molding
Crown molding is the most popular type of cornice molding. Crown molding is generally a single-piece of decorative molding, installed at the top of a wall, at an angle to the adjoining ceiling. However, I have seen crown molding assemblies of 5 or more pieces in more elaborate settings.

Crown molding often has a profile that projects out on the ceiling and down the wall, adding a rich appearance to a room. It is often used at the top of cabinets or built-in furniture.

Introducing this type of decorative molding to a relatively simple room provides a historic character that the room would not otherwise have. Crown molding is also used in combination with other moldings to add details to fireplace mantels and shelves. (For what it's worth, this is probably my favorite architectural feature).

Crown molding is a form of Cornice Molding. The term "cornice" describes molding installed along the top of a wall or above the window. When this treatment is made from multiple pieces of molding, it is called a "build-up cornice." The other form of cornice molding is the Cove Molding.

Cove Molding

Cove molding is very similar to crown molding, with the same application and function. The difference between the two is in the profile. Cove molding has a concave profile (which bows inward) while crown molding has a convex (outward) profile.

While crown is most at home in traditional settings, Cove moldings are equally comfortable in country, or even contemporary settings. You don't normally see multi-piece assemblies of cove moldings. You can occasionally see it "beaded" at top and bottom for a little accent.

Entries, formal living rooms, formal dining rooms, and master bedrooms usually receive decorative moldings with ornate or traditional patterns.

Kitchens and other more functional areas of the home might be where you will find the simpler design of the cove molding. Over the years, coves and crowns have become much smaller, but most still bear the shapes and styles of the original Greek and Roman designers.

Chair Rail Molding

A chair rail is a decorative molding that divides a wall horizontally, usually about 32" to 36" above the floor. They protect the walls in areas where damage might occur from people getting up out of chairs.

For this reason, the more traditional chair rails will have a nosing in the center, with curved and beveled surfaces that taper back to the wall above and below the nosing.

Today, chair rails remain a common detail in traditional interiors. They serve the decorating effect of unifying the various architectural details of a room, such as door and window trim, and fireplace surrounds.

Chair rail can also be used as a cap for wainscoting or other wood paneling. This decorative molding adds a feeling of detail and charm while achieving continuity in a room by unifying the various decorative elements.

Panel Molding
Panel molding, commonly called a picture frame molding, looks like a large empty frame, and is often part of designs on walls of old Colonial and, Georgian, and Early American homes. The placement of this molding should be above the chair rail height and about 10 to 12 inches down from the ceiling.

The size of this type of decorative molding, measuring 1" to 3" in width, should be proportionate to the ceiling height of the room. Like the other moldings, panel molding adds a feeling of charm and delicate detail to a room.

Wall framing appears at the Georgian period of American architecture, when plaster began to replace wood panels on the walls. Panel molding also is a good way to divide walls into large, aesthetically pleasing units, without the same expense of full wall paneling.

Another application of this versatile molding is to trim openings made by wider planks which are assembled as rails and styles. Often, the centers of these frames are left open. By applying panel moldings around the perimeter of the opening, you create the look of a picture frame.

When this decorative molding is painted in the same color as the surrounding walls, you achieve a sculptural quality to a wall, adding texture and shadows. If moldings are painted in contrasting colors, they can create a striking three dimensional appearance, giving depth and dimension. This type of treatment is popular for staircases and entries.

Baseboard & Base Molding

Baseboard molding protects the bottom of the wall from ware and tear, while hiding openings and other irregularities where the wall meets the floor. Base moldings give the floor line a higher profile, and can be as elaborate or simple as you like.

Whereas it is relatively easy to install chair rail on a level plane, baseboard (like crown) can be tricky if your floors (or ceilings) are not level. For this reason, I recommend getting a professional woodworker for the installation of these moldings.

As one remedy to uneven floors, you can install a "shoe molding" along the bottom front edge to give the baseboard a finished look. Something else you can do with baseboard (as well as with the toe kick of your kitchen cabinets) is incorporate accent lighting.

This isn't in keeping with the pure traditionalist, but it's a pretty nifty way to have accent lighting around the perimeter of a room. You couldn't do this until they created the small LED rope lights of today.

Rope lights come in different lengths and colors, and can be easily installed behind baseboard. Simply make a notch in the back side of the baseboard, at the top, and run the rope lights into the notch.

This is more often used in commercial spaces, but has been added in entries and hallways - especially in contemporary homes.

Flexible Moldings
If you have a curved wall or arch, you can probably have a good craftsman create a curved molding for about 3 times the cost of a straight molding. Or, you can buy a flexible molding for about the same price as the straight one.

These allow you to install moldings onto curved surfaces or arches, without the delay and expense of having them made from wood. The stock profiles (there are hundreds) are identical to the rigid versions and they are compatible as far as paint finish is concerned.

Charles Gueli invites you to ask questions about decorative molding, and take advantage of the resources on http://www.continuous-home-improvement-help.com, where guidance, information and support are always available - helping homeowners make better decisions.

Exterior Architectural Moldings - How to Pick Your Window Trim and Wall Designs

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Looking through a company's set of profiles you may be overwhelmed by the number of choices, and how similar each individual profile looks. At first glance, they do all seem to resemble one another, and it may lead you to thinking that you can pick any profile and stick it anywhere. Well, you can. But before you and your spouse decide to throw bar darts at the printed selection to decide which ones you'll use, read through this and you'll likely re-think, or atleast narrow your choices.

Cornices (also known as Crown Moldings) are usually placed at the intersection of soffits and walls. They provide a "finish" to the top of your wall and can make an otherwise boring-looking corner a focal point. More often they are larger at the top than bottom to give a tapered look.

Bands are the "chameleons" of moldings. They can be used almost anywhere, but work particularly well in the middle of walls so as to "break" the wall, or along the underside of building joints to mask their presence.

Headers are placed over the top of windows or doors and give them a sturdy sort of look. Often, they are larger and/or a different profile than the trims that run along-side the windows. Some may also contain a drip edge, which is an indent in the bottom of the molding to prevent water from running into the window joint. This helps to prevent water from infiltrating into your home through the window joint (but is not a solution to an improperly installed window!) and causing moisture damage. When compared to Trims and Sills, they protrude furthers and are in between in width.

Trims are used around windows or doors as a surround, or in a similar fashion to bands (the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably). They may run the entire perimeter of the window to give it a simple, clean look, or more commonly just between the Header and the Sill. They are usually flatter and narrower than Headers or Sills.

Sills are specifically designed for the base of windows, to help manage precipitation (such as snow) and protect themselves. When selecting sills in particular, it is prudent to ensure the profile has been designed according to EIFS Council recommendations; that is: "EIFS trim projecting out from the wall's vertical plane should be sloped a minimum rise over run of 6:12 for drainage (ASTM C1397, Standard Practice for Application of Class PB EIFS). The length of the slope must not exceed 300 mm, according to most EIFS manufacturer's specifications." This is particularly useful to note as most manufacturers do not comply with this recommendation. Sills are typically largest in size and protrude from the wall somewhere between Headers and Trims.

Stone Sills meant as a replacement for expensive, heavy concrete sills. Due to EIFS innovation, mouldings can be made which look like stone, but at 10% the weight (and sometimes cost!). Due to the manufacturing process, they can also be made in longer pieces which makes installation cheaper and easier. Architectural moldings may also be finished at the joints much nicer than concrete, to the point you can't even tell they're seperate pieces. Did I mention they're less expensive?

Baseboards may be placed along the termination of the EIFS (which should be well above grade [ground level]). Similar to Cornices, they provide a termination to the EIFS system and hide what may otherwise be an unsightly ending. With the right profile (projecting out from the building, with a drip edge), you may also help divert water away from the foundation of your house.

Pilasters may look like columns embedded in the wall, but are nothing more than vertical mouldings with caps and bases. They are popular at wall corners or at intervals along the wall to provide an illusion of "sturdiness" and are often associated with lavish Greek architecture.

Columns are designed to fit around structural poles and posts. They don't do anything in the way of structural support so don't think they're going to hold up the roof over your head, but adding them will certainly make your home more impressive.

Quoins have become so commonplace on houses, it has become fashionable to add them without them serving any real purpose. Quoins will add an air of elegant design to your house by making it look better planned and sturdier.

Keystones may have been the key to holding up bridges and windows in the past, but serve more of a design purpose now than a structural one. Like Quoins, they have become commonplace in modern architecture and serve as a focal point for windows, doors and garages.

As you can see, your selection of moulding will not cause your home to either stand or fall, but can serve important design roles and should be used with a purpose in mind. In the end, it comes down to your own personal taste and what will accomplish the look you want. Don't be afraid to ask for a picture of a previous job with your moulding or 3D rendering on your selection if you are at all unsure of what the finished product will look like. No matter what you decide to go with though, adding exterior architectural mouldings to your home will bolster the essential first impression visitors and potential buyers get of your home.

Jim Schwarznoff is a Construction Project Management student with an emphasis on the building envelope and exterior design. To see some examples of the moldings described in this article or more information on architectural moldings visit http://www.decoramould.com