Molding Gives Your Home a New Look on a Budget

Every house has moldings. Most homes have the simple, contractor grade moldings that were installed when the house was built. These molding are not ornate. They are very simple in design, small in size, and plan ordinary. The moldings surround the various doors in your home, line the base of the floors, and occasionally are installed around the ceiling of a room. The purpose of a molding is to hide undesirable areas. For instance, door moldings cover the door jamb and the gap between it and the drywall. Base moldings covers the gap between the carpet or wood floor and the drywall. Though they do serve a purpose, molding can be so much more.

Simple flat moldings do little to beautify your home. They serve their purpose, but a more elaborate molding can really make a statement. Molding replacement is really a simple do it yourself project that may take a lot of time, but does not have to cost a significant amount of money.

Replacing the moldings throughout your home is a tedious, time consuming project. Therefore, I recommend that you take it one room at a time. You want to choose moldings that fit your style of home. If you have a modest house, choose modest moldings. Don't select four inch tall base moldings unless you are sure that you will be satisfied with the finished look. Likewise, the more ornate and detailed moldings cost significantly more to buy, so select a molding based on your preference and your budget.

Many moldings are sold at home improvement stores and can even be purchase in contractor pack bundles. These bundles can save you a lot of money. A simple base molding that would be considered an upgrade in most homes can cost less than 50 cents a foot. Replacing the base moldings in an average size room does not have to cost more than about $25. However, their are moldings that are expensive. Some moldings can cost upwards of $4 per foot. If you are focused on staying on budget, avoid overly expensive moldings.

The process of replacing moldings is really quite simple. Remove the existing molding by cutting the the paint along the edge of the molding and wall with a razor blade, insert a pry bar behind the molding and prior gently to remove it. To install the new molding, cut it to length with the correct angled cut on each end, nail it into the studs of the wall, caulk the gap, paint and the job is done.

New moldings throughout your home will give and entirely new look to your home. Elaborate moldings are one element that make expensive homes look expensive throughout. Even if you have a modest, small home, your house can have high end looks with the choice of the right molding. Best of all, the entire project taken open room at at time is both manageable and budget friendly. This simple upgrade will make a dramatic and immediately noticeable impact on the appearance of your home.