Had a talk with a framer in Boise last Thursday that made me question my whole approach to crown molding

He said trimming out rooms with pre-made corner blocks is faster and looks cleaner than coping every joint by hand. I've been doing it the old way for 15 years and always thought the blocks looked cheap and lazy. Has anyone here actually switched to corner blocks on high-end trim work and still gotten good results?

2 comments

2 Comments

angela_kelly28d ago

Drove past a high-end custom home last week and noticed the crown molding had corner blocks. Thought it was a cheap builder grade move but then got out and looked closer. Those blocks were actually carved to match the profile perfectly, like a custom piece. Made me realize the stigma is mostly in our heads. If the blocks are quality and match your style, nobody is gonna notice or care once the paint is on.

the_kai28d ago

Gotta respectfully disagree here. In my experience, corner blocks always catch my eye, even after paint. Once you know what to look for, you can spot them from across the room. It's like a shortcut that breaks up the clean line of the molding, no matter how well it's carved. The craftsmanship might be there, but the visual flow is still interrupted for me. Your mileage may vary though, some folks truly don't notice it.