Questions1

install molding on uneven ceiling.

hello, I am installing some crown molding (the small like 1 1/2 (i think) stuff in a small room and have ran into a problem. the ceiling is probably 3/4-1 inch off from one end (about 6 feet) to the other. What can i do to fix this and make it look right?

Here are three possibilities i've considered.

Just up it up and caulk any gaps
Try to go under house and jack up wall (afraid to even attempt it because it could make matters worse)
or try to float ceiling

What do you guys recommend?

marksr

How much color difference will there be between the trim and the wall? Caulking can hide a lot but you wouldn't want to caulk that much. If you mud the ceiling, how far out would you need to take it?

XSleeper

You don't always install crown moulding level, if that is what you are trying to do. If the ceiling isn't level, you still install it tight to the ceiling, but so that the bottom edge is in a straight line (not bowed up or down).

Questions1

Here are some pics

Questions1

Anybody have any thoughts?

XSleeper

On what? I don't see the problem.

Questions1

its hard to see unless you know what youre looknig for, but if you a put a level on it, youll see the difference

XSleeper

I don't think you have a choice but to install it tight to the ceiling. If it's bowed down in the middle you can drop both ends slightly... maybe 1/4"... but you really don't want to caulk anything that is wider than 1/4". With a 1/4" gap you will need to caulk and tool it twice because the caulking will shrink back into the gap slightly as it cures.

czizzi

I have successfully shaved some meat off the top of the crown on the areas that dip down so that I could maintain a straight bottom edge and then caulked at the ceiling and pulled a nice paint line to mask everything.

XSleeper

Anything you do will be noticeable. The question is, what will be least noticeable? A little bit of scribing... a little bit of caulking... a little bit of bowing, all put together? Or just one or the other? If you do all three, your eye is obviously going to see that the crown moulding (bed moulding) looks wider on the ends and skinnier in the middle. That's not going to look good either.

So make your choice, it's up to you. IMO, just dropping it a little, caulking it, living with a little bit of bow in it is about as good as it's going to get. If you think you can jack a wall up fine, but that may open a whole new can of worms. But if you are going to do it, do it now before you do any other work.