Another Weekend in the Kitchen

This time it was adding crown molding to the cabinets. I had purchased the molding when we got the cabinets for over the sink, but delayed installation, primarily out of fear. That first cut into expensive wood is always the hardest one. "Measure twice, cut once" doesn't really apply...measure about a dozen times, think about it, check it again, brew a pot of coffee, measure it from the other end, etc, is more like it.

The cuts were relatively simple. One outside forty-five degree miter and two inside twenty-two-and-a-half degree miters. (Oh, and a forty-five degree scarf cut to join two pieces together for the long side.) A while back I bought a jig to help with the miter cuts. Set the jig so that the molding fits securely into it as it would in its finished position (only upside down) and adjust the saw to the desired angle and make the cut. This avoids having to set a compound angle on the saw.

The installation wasn't too bad. Having a nailer helps, and its always nice to have plenty of clamps. One problem was the lack of a nailing surface. There is only about a half inch of usable space above the cabinet door, so while the bottom of the molding is secure the top is allowed to float. That became an issue trying to match the pieces at the inside corner. Glue and clamps resolved it, but I was stumped at first thinking I had made a bad cut.

Finishing was the last step. The dealer provided a little bottle of finish and some putty to fill the nail holes. So, after a little sanding and a little putty the job was done. We think it goes a long way to adding a finishing touch to the cabinetry.