Wall moulding - best profile?

[Mjward]

Hello

I have a few large blank walls in an Edwardian house and would like to add wall mouldings to them.
Not something I've done before but seems relatively straight forward particularly with help from a laser level.

There is a plethora of moulding profiles and I am a bit puzzled if a design is better than another, in particular whether to opt for a design that rises up then down in symmetry (like Astragal) or one where one side is much higher than the other (like Broken Ogee). If that latter, would panel moulding (i.e. with 90 degree side/flat edge) ever be desired?

 

[DBC]

I do a lot of work in period buildings. I try to get things period correct but sometimes the old mouldings have been stripped out and there is nothing to work from. In these cases I have bought mouldings off of - or stolen their profiles when making my own - mostly from this company. At the top of the page click on the link for their dado and picture rails etc.

Also, it is not always best to use a level in older buildings to mark out for mouldings. If I’m putting in a picture rail say I will try to make it look parallel to the ceiling as the ceiling/floor/walls may be miles out in an older building.


https://www.periodmouldings.co.uk/find-your-style/edwardian-style/

 

[TRITON]

Think dust. A profile that traps dust and is hard to dust it off is a pain in the proverbial.

 

[Spectric]

Hi

If you want some nice profiles and have a router table on which to make them then look at Infinity Cutters, they do some nice period profiles that are great to also make built up profiles. Router Bits - Infinity Tools

 

[Inspector]

Some of the turn of the century millwork catalog reprints have information that can be helpful in selecting period correct molding, panelling, fireplaces etc. Maybe a local library have some you could look through.

https://www.amazon.ca/Roberts-Illus...5ae97&pd_rd_wg=2q3Hv&pd_rd_i=0486256979&psc=1
https://www.amazon.ca/Turn-Century-...5ae97&pd_rd_wg=2q3Hv&pd_rd_i=0486285146&psc=1
https://www.amazon.ca/Victorian-Arc...5ae97&pd_rd_wg=2q3Hv&pd_rd_i=048644015X&psc=1
Pete

 

[Mjward]

Thanks all, this is brilliant.
Triton 100% with you on the dust, thats why I'm thinking to avoid the 90 degree and the large leading edge profiles that can trip it. Thinking an astragal or similar won't be perfect but should help minimise it, my only concern is that its a bit dado looking.

 

[Limey Lurker]

In that period, wall and ceiling mouldings would have been fibrous plaster, as would any cove or cornice mouldings.

 

[Mjward]

In that period, wall and ceiling mouldings would have been fibrous plaster, as would any cove or cornice mouldings.

I don't disagree but I am opting for the easier alternative i.e. pine mouldings as it's my own place and it's more to please the lady of the manor than the grafter

 

[Spectric]

but I am opting for the easier alternative i.e. pine mouldings

If you are routing them yourself then I find with hardwood you get a cleaner finish than with softwood.

 

[Doug71]

I did my "posh" room a while ago, made the mouldings myself on the spindle moulder.

Everything was pretty square and level but it still drove me mad working out when to follow the walls/ceiling or when to make it plumb.

I drew it all out on the walls first then made up the panels like picture frames and stuck them to the walls. I used fix all with a few temporary pins in until it went off.

Making a new fire surround and painting everything a darker colour are jobs on the list.

 

[Bojam]

I did my "posh" room a while ago, made the mouldings myself on the spindle moulder.

Nice work Doug. Looks great.

 

[thetyreman]

in edwardian times they still used handtools for the mouldings, using a router or spindle moulder is blasphemy!

 

[schnapps95]

in edwardian times they still used handtools for the mouldings, using a router or spindle moulder is blasphemy!

I would suggest most mouldings were produced on machines by the late 1800's and a read of the book 200 years of woodworking machinery will confirm this i believe spindle moulders were created in Victorian times, doe's anyone know a date and who invented them ?

 

[Mjward]

That is indeed a nice looking posh room Doug! I think drawing it out on the wall first makes a lot of sense, easier to fix a mistake in HB. With regards to assembling them like frames first, was it a simple glue up or something else?

 

[Doug71]

That is indeed a nice looking posh room Doug! I think drawing it out on the wall first makes a lot of sense, easier to fix a mistake in HB. With regards to assembling them like frames first, was it a simple glue up or something else?

I just made up the frames by gluing the corners together with some mitre fast adhesive, worked really well, easiest if you do it on a nice flat surface. Just did one corner at a time, hold it for a few seconds until it's set then move on to the next one. When the frame is made put a bit of fix all or similar on the back, line it up with your lines on the wall and tack in place until set (depending what your wall is made of).

 

[Mjward]

Lovely. Will be attacking this project towards the end of next week and will stick some pictures on here

 

[Mjward]

Find some narrow 20mm wide moulding in the shed so did a demo knock up and think it's a good profile to minimise dust build up. Not very ornate but seems a good balance

 

[Mjward]

I've been posting updates on my kitchen revamp project thread but in the end went for slightly different profile, marginally more of a dust trap but looks better in my opinion