Some Terms to Learn When Choosing Moulding and Decorative Trim

One good way to add character to your home and to even cover over some construction flaws or imperfections is with moulding and decorative trim. Moulding can give any space more visual appeal and work as a frame for windows, or create a cozier look in certain areas. However, when you shop for moulding and trim, you may notice that you have far more choices than you realize and may not recognize all the terms and phrases you'll see. Note a few of those here so you can choose the right moulding type for your space.

Types of moulding and trim

Crown moulding is so named because it's meant to be used at the tops of walls; it will be cut flat at the top so it can be installed flush with the ceiling and no gaps will show. Baseboard moulding is meant to be used on the bottom of the walls; the bottom side of baseboard moulding may not be cut as perfectly flat as crown moulding, as you typically add a shoe moulding in front of this piece. Shoe moulding is a very thin piece that is rounded on the outside and which covers the gap between the baseboard moulding and the floor.

A chair rail is a piece of trim that is flat on the back and which is meant to be put horizontally along the wall, usually a few feet or meters above the floor. This is to break up the look of the wall space; you might use bead board or solid drywall under the chair railing and then wallpaper above the railing. The top and bottom of the chair railing is usually rounded in order to give the piece more visual appeal, so they're not typically a good choice for crown moulding or baseboard moulding. Colonial trim refers to pieces that have many ridges on the outside, for visual appeal. These are usually added around windows, to give them depth and to create a frame for the windows.

Material

Along with the style, you may see a large variety of materials when it comes to moulding. Clear hardwood is usually more expensive because it is not meant to be painted, just varnished or sealed. Clear pine is more affordable and may be used when you want to add a paint color, to match your walls or for something unique. MDF refers to medium density fiberboard and is very economical; it is meant to be painted over and is good for when you don't want to add weight to a piece with the moulding, such as when adding trim around older cabinets or window frames.