Choosing the right material is essential for both the appearance and performance of your crown molding. Each option has distinct benefits depending on your application, finish preferences, and installation environment. Here’s what you need to know:

MDF (Medium-Density Fiberboard)

Best for: Painted interiors, cost-effective projects, straight walls
MDF is an engineered wood product made from wood fibers and resin. It’s smooth, consistent, and easy to work with, making it ideal for painted finishes. It cuts cleanly and holds detail well. Best of all, it's a bargain-and-a-half compared to other materials. However, it’s not recommended for damp areas. MDF will swell if exposed to moisture unless properly sealed. It’s also heavier than synthetic options, which can affect installation on ceilings.

Wood (Poplar, Pine, Oak, etc.)

Best for: High-end interiors, stained finishes, historical homes
Wood is the traditional choice for crown molding. Poplar is popular for painted applications due to its fine grain and ease of machining. Pine offers a budget-friendly alternative, while hardwoods like oak are ideal for stained finishes and durability. Wood delivers a warm, authentic look but can expand, contract, or warp with humidity changes, especially in climates without stable interior temperatures.

Polyurethane

Best for: DIY installations, bathrooms, complex designs
Polyurethane molding is a high-density foam product that mimics wood but is much lighter and more moisture-resistant. It doesn’t warp, crack, or rot, making it suitable for kitchens, bathrooms, or basements. It’s pre-primed and easy to cut and install with standard tools. It is also slightly flexible, not enough to wrap around a corner, but enough to be forgiving of minor mistakes during installation. Because it is formed in a mold, it can hold crisp details that are less feasible in other materials, making it, it ideal for ornate profiles.

PVC (Vinyl)

Best for: Utility spaces, exteriors, wet environments
PVC molding is fully waterproof and impervious to insects and rot. It’s often used in utility spaces, exterior applications, or anywhere direct water contact is a concern. It has a smooth, modern finish and can be painted with vinyl-safe paint. However, PVC lacks the crisp detail of polyurethane or wood, making it better suited for simple profiles.

Resin (High-Density Urethane Composite)

Best for: Ultra-precise detailing, consistent finish quality, architectural restoration
Resin moldings offer the highest precision in profile replication. These are cast in molds, allowing for extremely fine and consistent detailing that surpasses wood or MDF. Resin is stable, paint-ready, and won’t warp or expand. It’s ideal for customers seeking premium-quality finishes or replicating historical trim work. Our resin section also features flexible profiles, for rounded corners and other difficult spaces.

Need Help Deciding? We’ve worked with thousands of designers, contractors, and homeowners. If you're unsure which material fits your project best, contact us directly to compare performance, cost, and installation factors side by side.

Selecting the right crown molding style depends on your room's architecture, interior design goals, and personal taste. Each profile we offer serves a different aesthetic and functional purpose. Here's a detailed overview of the styles available:

Traditional

Best for: Timeless interiors, transitional spaces, formal rooms
Traditional crown molding features smooth curves and subtle contours that add a classic touch without overpowering the space. It pairs well with a wide range of décor styles, from colonial to contemporary, and works in living rooms, dining rooms, and entryways where understated elegance is desired. This is our most versatile category.

Dentil

Best for: Classical architecture, formal libraries, dining rooms
Dentil molding includes a repeating tooth-like block pattern that originates from ancient Greek and Roman design. It conveys a sense of order and formality. This style is best suited for high ceilings and grand spaces. Because of its visual weight, dentil molding is typically used in traditional or historic-style homes.

Egg & Dart

Best for: Decorative detail, restoration projects, period homes
This ornate style features a repeating pattern of oval "egg" shapes alternating with pointed "dart" elements. Egg & Dart molding is rich in historic character, often seen in Victorian and neoclassical interiors. It’s ideal when you want your crown molding to act as a centerpiece rather than a subtle accent.

Ornate

Best for: Dramatic interiors, luxury spaces, feature rooms
Our Ornate profiles include scrollwork, floral elements, and complex curves, designed to make a statement. These moldings are typically wider and deeper, intended for rooms with higher ceilings and ample natural light. Best used in rooms where decorative molding plays a central role, such as master suites, foyers, or formal sitting areas.

Modern

Best for: Minimalist spaces, contemporary homes, clean lines
Modern crown molding favors straight edges, geometric shapes, and low-profile designs. This style blends seamlessly into minimalist interiors and helps define space without drawing attention. Modern profiles work well in open-concept layouts and pair with neutral palettes and sleek furniture.

Cove

Best for: Subtle transitions, small spaces, relaxed environments
Cove molding features a concave curve with no added ornamentation, offering a simple and graceful transition from wall to ceiling. It’s especially effective in smaller rooms, hallways, or spaces where a soft visual break is needed. Cove is often chosen for its ability to blend in rather than stand out.

LED-enabled

Best for: Accent lighting, media rooms, modern upgrades
These profiles are designed to accommodate LED strip lighting (sold separately), allowing you to add indirect lighting to ceilings for ambient or task lighting effects. LED-enabled crown is popular in home theaters, kitchens, and modern living rooms. It combines clean design with functionality and adds a subtle but impactful upgrade to your space.

Choosing the right crown molding size is critical to achieving a balanced look. The size should complement your ceiling height, room scale, and architectural style. Too small, and the molding disappears; too large, and it can overwhelm the space. Here’s how to make the right choice:

Ceiling Height Guidelines
Use these general recommendations as a starting point:

8-foot ceilings: 2 ½" to 4 ½" crown
Stick to slimmer profiles to avoid making the ceiling feel lower. Shallow, streamlined moldings such as Cove or Modern styles work well here.

9-foot ceilings: 3 ¼" to 6" crown
You have more room to introduce detail without cramping the space. This height accommodates most Traditional and Dentil styles.

10 to 12-foot ceilings: 4 ½" to 7 ½" crown
Larger, deeper profiles are appropriate. This is where Ornate, Egg & Dart, and LED-enabled moldings shine.

Over 12 feet: 7" and up, often in stacked or built-up configurations
For very tall spaces, layered moldings or oversized single profiles create dramatic visual interest. This scale supports bold design choices.

Room Size and Function
Beyond ceiling height, consider the scale of the room itself:

Small rooms (bathrooms, offices): Go narrower, even with tall ceilings, to avoid visual clutter.

Medium rooms (bedrooms, kitchens):
Mid-size profiles work well and offer flexibility with style.

Large rooms (living rooms, dining rooms):
Larger profiles help ground the space and draw the eye upward. In multi-purpose rooms, you can differentiate zones using varying molding sizes.

Style Considerations
Some styles inherently look better at certain sizes:

Ornate and Egg & Dart styles generally require larger sizes to show detail clearly.

Modern and Cove styles look best in smaller to mid-size profiles, where their simplicity complements rather than dominates.

Dentil patterns lose clarity when too small and benefit from wider profiles for spacing.

LED-enabled profiles often require a larger build to accommodate the light channel discreetly and maintain visual proportion.

Stacked or Built-Up Molding
If you're aiming for a custom, high-end look, you can combine smaller moldings (e.g., base trim + crown + panel mold) to create a larger, more detailed crown. This is especially effective in homes with very tall ceilings or in formal rooms.

Cutting corners is easily the biggest hassle when installing crown molding. All the profiles on this page have pre-mitered corners, sold separately, to take that hassle out of the project for you. Just add your corners and get your project done fast.