Bed Molding Vs. Crown Molding: What Are The Major Differences?

Molding of all kinds can be used to add a nice decorative touch to any home. Used to cover the joint between the ceiling and wall, this decorative trim adds nice shadow lines and makes kitchens, dining rooms, and living rooms look more ornate.

To the untrained eye, moldings tend to all look similar in design. But upon closer inspection, moldings come in many different designs, and offer slightly different functions. It can be especially difficult to tell the difference between bed molding and crown molding. So, how do these two types of molding compare to each other?

Both bed and crown moldings are placed in corners where the ceiling meets a wall. But bed molding tucks more tightly into a corner and has less of a shadow line than crown molding. Crown molding juts out from the wall more, while bed molding can be flush to the wall as an extension of a cornice mold.

Today, molding is primarily installed as decorative trim. But its original use was more pragmatic than this. Molding was initially used to cover gaps and imperfections where ceilings and walls came together. Back when homes had more crevices in their construction, applying these rudimentary wooden trimmings was a quick fix.

Over time, the designs got more ornate, and now provide beautiful accents to common rooms. And depending on the labor costs of installing molding, it can also add value to a home. If the style suits the home’s current architecture and out-of-pocket expenses don’t run too high, it can increase home value by around $500. This isn’t a significant ROI, but it’s something to consider.

Bed molding is trim designed to be tightly tucked into a corner where a horizontal surface meets a vertical surface. Similar to crown molding, it’s meant to add a decorative touch to the interior or exterior of your home, and to cover corner joints.

Bed molding is used as a transition above the frieze, placed immediately beneath the corona of a cornice. Bed molding can be flush to the wall as an extension of a cornice mold. It can also be sprung or plain. More often than crown molding, bed molding is used for doorways, cabinets, and even windows.

It has more of a shadow line than a simpler cove molding, but less of a shadow line than crown molding. It also tends to stay pretty simple in its mixed concave and convex cuts, and doesn’t vary as much in length and size. Bed molding usually comes in a wood or polystyrene material.

Crown molding, like bed molding, is a ceiling trim typically used for decorative purposes. It can also help visually lift a room, drawing your eyes upward to make the ceiling appear higher. Crown moldings are often made of plaster, because these templates are easier to recreate than carved wood.

Because crown moldings often have complex designs, the cuts are harder to mass-replicate. But wood moldings are easier to install than plaster, and less prone to cracking. Perhaps the easiest and most affordable crown molding to install is a composite material, such as polystyrene, vinyl, or PVC.

The styles of crown molding vary widely by profile, size, and curves. It is usually a combination of convex and concave cuts, and may incorporate a cove. They tend to be more visually apparent in a room than bed molding, as they curve outward rather than tuck inward.

The visual style of your molding choice will depend on the room it’s being installed in. If you’re working with a really small room with low ceilings, simpler and slimmer is better. Chunky, ornate crown moldings in small spaces tend to look oppressive. The larger and taller the room, the larger and more complex moldings you can pull off.

As for color, it’s a good idea to paint your moldings the same color as the walls to visually lift up the ceiling. You can also match the molding color to the ceiling. Lighter colors are effective at brightening and opening up a room, so keep that in mind.

As for architectural styles, you can always refer to an interior designer or catalog dedicated to molding styles. Designs run the gambit from Classic Colonial, Greek Revival, Deco, and many more. You don’t have to know it all, so refer to the experts when help is needed.

Related Questions

Why is crown molding separating from the ceiling?

Crown molding can actually start separating from the ceiling and wall. Extreme humidity and temperature changes most often contribute to this, due to the ceiling tresses contracting and pulling up the ceiling. There may also be a case of termites within the wall that are eating away at the wood and caulks. 

Why is molding cut upside down and backwards?

Using a miter saw, the crown molding must be tipped on the saw to replicate the “sprung” angle it will have when it’s installed. This means that the narrow edge that’s meant to rest against the wall will be against the saw fence, and the top edge that’s meant to rest against the ceiling should rest on the saw table. Most conventional miter saws don’t tip to compound angles, so flipping it upside down helps create these angles. 

What is a crown molding spring angle?

A crown molding spring angle is the angle measured from the back of the molding to the wall when held tightly against the wall. You can use either edge of the crown molding when taking this measurement.