| Molding is a term
used for a variety of products used in home interiors. once
made from either milled wood or plaster. Molding can refer
to the baseboards around floors or to the decorative cornices
mounted along the ceiling’s edge. Depending on their
purpose, molding products today can be manufactured from, cement,
fiberglass, milled wood or polyurethane.
Many of the fanciful cornices seen in older homes
were made from plaster. These cornices are duplicated
today a number of materials. Preselected patterns are
provided by the manufacturer in eight foot pre-mitred
lengths. Crown moldings or cornices are used to provide
decorative style to the edges of a room’s ceiling.
Decorative molding can be used in areas of the room
other than where two surfaces meet. Simple patterned
molding cut from milled wood or pre-cast in polyurethane
can create panels in a ceiling or provide a chair railing
at the midpoint in a wall.
Restoring older home interiors often requires the
fanciful cornices and other decorative elements that
were once produced with plaster. Elaborate cornices
made from pre-formed vinyl or coated fiberglass are
on the market. Some crown moldings are still produced
from milled woods, while others are made from synthetic
substitutes such as polyurethane.
Larger molding pieces are often made from a fiberglass
shell that is overcast with a layer of fine cement,
serving as a substitute for plaster. Fireplace overmantels
are now often manufactured from this sort of lightweight,
durable material instead of milled wood. Ceiling medallions,
the decorative wreath once made from plaster that surrounds
a chandelier mount – are often now created from
pre-primed polyurethane.
The basic moldings for baseboards, door surrounds
and window sills are still usually milled wood products.
However the multitude of patterns available can make
these mundane home interior features decorative as
well.
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