Time: 20 hours over two days.
Difficulty Rating: This project rates a 2 out of 5 on the Weekend Handyman difficulty scale.Materials:
Safety glasses
Rubber gloves
Garden sprayer
Cordless drill
Rubber spatula
Ceiling texture scraper
Sanding sponge
Compound miter saw
Wood chisel
Coping saw
Utility knife
Putty knife
Nail gun
Paint stripper
Drywall compound
Plastic sheeting
Tape
Reclaimed crown molding
Drop cloth with waterproof backing
Prybar
Hammer
Clamps
Tape measure
Replacing Molding and Crack Repair
1. Measure the appropriate angles for your molding. Set the miter saw to the proper compound angle and make the miter cut.
2. Clamp it down. With a coping saw, backbevel the molding following the contour of the cut and cutting off the excess wood at an angle (figure A).
3. If the ceiling is not level with the molding, scribe it (figure B).
4. Begin by scoring the edges of the line with a wood chisel. Then, working towards the wall, remove as much ceiling material as necessary. If you remove too much you can use drywall compound to fill it back in.
5. Using a pneumatic nail gun, fasten the molding to the wall spacing the nails about every six inches apart (figure C).
6. To repair hairline cracks, widen the crack using a 9 in 1 tool or sharp chisel (figure D). Dig out any loose material until you reach a solid wall surface. Make sure the channel is as deep as the crack in the wall. Fill with drywall compound (figure E). Push the compound into the crack until its full and then scrape away the excess.
7. Put drywall tape on (figure F) and then another coat of drywall compound.