Styles

• Wall molding comes in a variety of styles and shapes. Baseboard and window trim are usually a similar style throughout the home. They are available in modern, arts and crafts, Victorian, country and traditional design so you can add trim to match the home's style. Crown molding is often available in a similar range of styles to further enhance the room. Chair rail runs along the mid-section of the wall. Additional wall trim may serve as a frame to wall panels. Panels give a flat wall a three-dimensional effect.
  
  

Selection

• Wall molding profile is the shape you see when you look at the cut end. The profiles may be sleek or elaborate. Pick profiles that match the style of the room. The profiles should also be in proportion to the room. A large profile may overpower a small size room. A room with tall ceilings benefits more from crown molding than a room with a lower ceiling. Careful placement of the right profiles can make a room appear larger. Combine different profiles to create one-of-a-kind molding.
  
  

Accessories

• Each molding style and profile typically has a matching accessory to use on corners and any location where the molding changes directions. While it's possible to cut angles in the molding where it changes directions, accessories allow you to simply cut a straight edge on the molding and butt it against the accessory profile. Inside and outside corner blocks, plinth blocks, divider blocks and rosettes are common wall molding accessories.
  
  

Installation

• Whether you are installing base, crown or chair molding, the process is similar. Paint or stain the trim before you hang it. Measure the length of the wall, minus the width of any accessory. If you are cutting corners, measure the full length of the wall and cut the corner at the proper angle. Snap a chalk line to indicate where you plan to install the wall trim. Attach the trim to wall studs with finishing nails placed near the top and the bottom of the trim. Fasten the accessory piece to the corner. Finish the remaining walls of the room in a similar manner. Touch up any damaged spots on the trim with paint or stain.