George Vondriska

How to Install Crown Molding on Cabinets

George Vondriska
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Duration:   6  mins

As you learn how to build cabinets, you’ll look for ways to dress up the basic wooden box. One surefire upgrade is installing crown molding. This video teaches you how to install crown molding on cabinets with clever tricks and tips it would take you years to learn on your own.

Watch this video, and even your first crown molding installation will look neat and professional.

Gussets

Crown molding that sits atop kitchen cabinets gives them a solid, finished look. For strength and stability, gussets are added to the top. You don’t want this molding to pull off the cabinet if someone pulls or pushes on it when moving the cabinet, for example. Learn how to angle-cut the gussets and where to locate them on the top of the cabinet.

Helping Hand

It can be difficult to install trim pieces like crown molding when you’re working alone. Our trick comes in very handy as you learn how to install crown molding on cabinets, and you’ll find lots of other uses for it when you’re assembling furniture projects.

Transfer Measurements

Discover the best way to ensure perfect-fitting miters. Hint: It was nothing to do with your ruler or tape measure.

Glue

It’s important to choose the right glue as you learn how to install crown molding on cabinets. You don’t want drips, runs, and squeeze-out, so a thick glue is recommended. Watch to learn the best method for applying the glue to kitchen cabinet crown molding.

Finishing Touches

Fasten the crown molding to the top of the cabinet (we used a brad nailer). Then stand back and look at your crowning achievement.

Titebond No Run, No Drip Wood Glue provided by Titebond. For more information, visit www.titebond.com.

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28 Responses to “How to Install Crown Molding on Cabinets”

  1. Bruce A Pariseau

    This was a disappointment coming frong fro the guild. Tje laying flat method of cutting tje crown on a compound miter saw with the appropriate angles would be the modern way of cutting, rather than the cumbersome, less accurate, upside down, backwards method, not even discribed here.

    Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hello Bruce,

      Thank you for your feedback. I have forwarded your comment to the proper department. We value your opinion, and it will help with the development of our online streaming community.

      Sincerely,
      Sarah
      Wood Workers Guild of America

      Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hey Ruben,
      Here’s what the experts had to say about your question:
      45

      Paul
      Wood Workers Guild of America Expert

      Reply
  3. Doug Williams

    I agree with one of the suggestions…clamp a block to the face of the cabinet on the other end, to rest the crown on while your measuring/gluing/nailing. That especially prevents smearing glue on the cabinet face. The other point is: if this happened to be a repair of an antique cabinet, the glue used would most likely been hide glue. It would be good to use the same kind. Old Brown Glue can be bought, which has urea in it, to keep it liquid. It works great.

    Reply
    • Loxmyth

      Angles depend on the crown molding you’re going to use. Some mount at 45 degrees to the surface, some don’t. The corner is a compound angle of the same slope in two directions; as you see in the video the simplest solution is to stand the molding at the angle it will be installed at (though upside–down) and then miter at that same angle. More detail on that elsewhere.

      Reply
  5. Oldporkchops

    Thanks for this very helpful video. Could you please comment on whether it is advisable to apply wood finish (lacquer, stain, etc) before or after cutting and assembly?

    Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hello. When I install crown molding on a project that will be finished in the same way as the crown molding, I generally finish the crown molding after installation, along with the rest of the project. If the molding is installed on a wall in a room, then I pre-finish the molding.
      Thanks
      Paul-Woodworkers Guild of America

      Reply
  6. Nancy J

    I watched the video “how to install crown molding on cabinets” it’s great. But what I need is paper drawings or plans on how to do it so I can take it into my shop in the garage. Does WWGOA have such a thing and if so where should I look? Can you help me and if you can email me at nancy3304@yahoo.com. Yours truly, Nancy

    Reply
    • Customer Service

      Hi David. The gusset is just a piece of wood that is attached to the top of your cabinet using glue and brads, and the crown molding is attached to the gusset to provide additional strength to the molding. The gusset creates an inside corner between the molding and cabinet top. The angle cut on the gusset equals the spring angle of the molding. If you pause the video at :32 you can see the gussets pretty clearly.
      Thanks
      Paul-WWGOA

      Reply
    • Loxmyth

      Something done correctly but not called out: After feeling for the gusset so you know where the pin has to go, _always_ move that hand away before pulling the trigger. Nail points have been known to come out the top or sides of the board; you don’t want a finger in the way if they do poke through. Generally, treat any nail gun like a real gun; never pull the trigger if there is anything downrange that you would mind having it hit. There are plenty of emergency room stories about people who forgot this; don’t be the next one. (Though actually the pros tend to be the most common victims, because they’re tempted to think they know better and cheat in the interest of speed. Safety should *not* be optional!)

      Reply
  8. larrybud

    Any idea on what to do to the top of this when cabinets are installed in an open floor plan, and the top of the cabinets can be seen?

    Reply
    • WWGOA Team

      What I would do in this situation is to add a piece of wood on top of the crown molding, serving as a cap over the entire cabinet. Overlap the crown molding by 1/2″ or so all the way around so it is more forgiving to install. This should look nice whether you are looking at it from below or above.

      Reply
  9. Mitch

    This video could have been much more informative if the person explained the compound angles needed for each of the 90* corners. Since the molding does not lay flat against the cabinet, it is much more complicated to get the angles correct. This is my weak point in installing crown molding.

    Reply
    • WWGOA Team

      Hi, Mitch!

      Great suggestion! We will add this to our list of future topics to cover.
      Thanks for taking the time to provide this feedback.

      Reply
  10. fuzznarf

    two things..

    you still got glue on the face of the cabinet while positioning the crown.

    and a note to the web designer. Move the video left or move the social media buttons somewhere else. Very annoying.

    Reply
    • Étienne Rivest

      What are you doing with that glue spill you made while positioning? Why don’t you talk about it and how to prevent it?

      Reply
      • Customer Service

        PVA glue is water soluble, so the easiest approach is to simply use a damp cloth and wipe up the glue. It’s quick and simple. The glue used here is a good way to minimize glue from running down your project, but there is no way to completely prevent it.
        Paul

        Reply
      • Customer Service

        PVA glue is water soluble, so the easiest approach is to simply use a damp cloth and wipe up the glue. It’s quick and simple. The glue used here is a good way to minimize glue from running down your project, but there is no way to completely prevent it.
        Paul

        Reply
  11. Cats Dogo

    Yep, but I use a headless pin nailer instead of a brad nailer so there’s no holes ti fill and you don’t see any heads to a brad nail. They are thinner then brads but in the end the glue will dry and hold it secure, the pins just hold it in place while the glue dries. Also, I use a clamp on the base piece just to hold the other end of the crown since you can be working with long pieces and the sag on the other end can give you trouble when you tape up and your trim isn’t straight. It just acts like a 3rd hand at the other end supporting the trim while you are getting things level and in place to tape up.

    Reply

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