MOULDING
Mouldings are designed for a specific purpose—framing a door, accentuating hallways and stairways or providing a visual transition at the junction of walls and flooring and to dress up a room. So many types of moulding decorate our homes today, it's often difficult to distinguish them—and learn which types you should purchase for your home remodeling project. Our mouldings are available in a wide variety of species including Solid and FJ Pine, Ultralight and Standard MDF, Fir, Redwood, Oak, Poplar, Cherry, Maple Mahogany, Alder, Resin and Polyurethane.
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Moulding Guides & Tips
Moulding comes in a variety of species and densities. Understanding the material differences and selecting the right one for your project is key to a successful installation and end result.
- Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) is a high-grade, composite material. Moulding products tend to come primed, making it easy to paint.
- Primed finger joint products are available in pine and poplar wood. This engineered moulding is made by fitting smaller pieces together to create one long board. Finger joint moulding looks best when painted.
- Poplar is a favored material by design professionals. The crisp grain lines and rich wood tones accept paint and stain, making it a perfect wood type for any room.
- Pine adds a distinct character to a room. The lines from the grain and occasional knots can create interest and texture.
- Fir offers two distinct grain patterns. Mixed grain (MG) offers coarse, wide and light to dark patterns. Vertical grain (VG) has a more consistent and tighter grain pattern and less color variation. This wood should be stained to bring out its natural beauty.
- Oak moulding is typically milled from red or white oak, which are among the hardest and most durable wood species. Both have great grain appeal and are easy to sand, cut and finish. Your choice of stain color can really enhance the character of this material.
- Aspen is a light, soft wood that's typically used for more ornate moulding profiles. It has a straight grain and fine uniform texture.
- Polyurethane moulding is made from high-density polyurethane that won't warp, rot or split. This product will create detailed patterns without the expense of wood. It's lightweight for easy handling, saws like wood and comes preprimed and ready to paint.
- Polystyrene prefinished moulding is lightweight and easy to cut using conventional saws, making installation a one-person job. These mouldings can be installed with construction adhesive or finishing nails and are slightly flexible, making them perfect for walls that aren't true. They're also moisture resistant - an ideal solution for kitchens and bathrooms.
- Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) gives you the look of wood with moisture protection, inside or out. Strong and durable, PVC moulding is easy to cut and installs without chipping, splitting or cracking.
This chart is a handy reference of the most common wood substrates available. It has details to help you choose the right substrate to meet the demands of your project and budget.
| MDF | FINGER JOINT | SOFTWOOD | HARDWOOD | |
| MATERIALS | Wood fibers and resin | Pine, poplar | Pine, fir, hemlock, alder, poplar | Oak, maple, cherry, mahogany, walnut |
| BEST FINISHES | Painted | Painted | Clear, stained or painted | Clear or stained |
| WEIGHT | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Heavy |
| INSTALLATION | Similar to solid wood but produces more sawdust | Same as softwood | Can be cut with hand tools | Difficult to cut with hand tools; requires predrilling before hand-nailing |
| COST | Economical | Economical to moderate | Moderate | Investment |
| PROS | Long, consistent lengths of trim available | Environmentally friendly, smaller lengths jointed together to eliminate waste | Allows for stainable product at a moderate price | Crisp edges can be milled into hardwoods |
| CONS | Moulded edges must be softened to avoid flaking | May require some sanding before painting | More susceptible to denting when used in hightraffic areas | Can have restrictions in trim lengths and widths |
These products provide a decorative and functional accent. Moulding can be installed with square cuts by simply butting the square end of the moulding to the side of the block or rosette.
| Plinth A block decoration that connects door trim to base moulding | |
| Base Also known as baseboard, this type of moulding is installed where the wall meets the floor | |
| Chair Originally intended to protect walls from the backs of chairs, this kind of wall moulding is installed approximately a third of the way up from the floor | |
| Rosette A flower-shaped plaque decoration used where two moulding materials join | |
| Crown Moulding installed where the wall and ceiling meet |
Casing
Casing is designed to cover the unfinished gap between walls and door or window frames.
Baseboard & Baseboard Styles
Base moulding surrounds the wall and is mainly used to dress and protect the walls. It is available in various heights and sizes. The taller the wall size usually dictates the height of the base moulding.
Crown
Crown moldings also known as cornice moldings, typically boast intricate silhouettes. It is used to add a "finishing architectural touch" to a room.
Chair Rail
Chair Rail moulding is trim meant to protect walls from the damage caused by chairs and such. However, it can also serve a purely decorative function, artfully separating two different types of wall coverings.
Picture Rail
Picture railing, like this one installed by A Beautiful Mess, allows artwork frames to be hung without nails having to be driven directly into the wall. Often combined with crown molding, this type of molding is one or two inches tall and appears seven to nine feet off the floor.
Cove
Cove moulding is a plain, concave-shaped moulding used were walls and ceilings meet. It can also be utilized on stairs, where risers meet treads.
Dentil
Dentil moulding consist of small, evenly spaced blocks in a repeating pattern. It is often used in historic homes.
Batten
Batten, also called board-and-batten, is a wall trim piece used to hide the joint between two pieces of paneling.
Bead, Pearl
Bead and pearl mouldings are two different, though very similar, types of trim. Both feature a row of small, symmetrical spheres. Paired often with other designs—leaves, darts, or spindles—this variety of molding typically accompanies crown or chair railing.
Wanes Coating
Wanes Coating moulding is used to dress up the wall. In most cases it is approximately 36” tall and separates the different wall coverings or textures of the wall.
In-House Custom Milling Available
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