Crown Molding Separation for Dummies

Closing molding gaps with silicone caulk

In a recent staff meeting at Antisocial Network world HQ, one of the staffers was telling us about a type of DotD nominee she'd been seeing a lot lately. The articles and posts seemed as though the freelancer in question had started off with a bang, and then their efforts had just petered out into random factoids connected by the written equivalent of mumbling – because, she hypothesized, the writers had wandered too deep in the weeds for their background. Today's nominee is one such writer, Hunker.com contributor Lauren Miller, and her post, "What Causes Crown Molding to Separate from Walls?"

Like Miller probably did, we just dumped the question into Google and clicked "search." We probably found the same forums where the question was discussed. Unfortunately for the philosophy grad, eHow.com wouldn't let her cite a forum, so she had to get "creative." Oh, she did OK with her opening salvo:

"Humidity and extreme changes in temperature can lead to molding beginning to detach from walls or the ceiling. Gaps and cracks develop, making the crown molding separate from the wall. Nails and adhesive caulk are no match for temperature-related separation and moisture."

We rather doubt that the interior of any inhabited dwelling undergoes "extreme changes in temperature," but otherwise, Lauren's on the right track. A house swells and shrinks slightly between heating and cooling seasons, and wooden crown molding does the same but at a different rate. Hence, separation. We're a little suspicious of the other cause she claimed (perhaps due to a need to meet minimum word count), insect infestation:

"...termites and bugs... infest the wood and begin destruction at the larval stage and can eat right through the adhesive and caulk of the molding."

We have to think that if you have termites gobbling up your crown molding, you have a much worse problem than gaps between the molding and the walls! Lauren also gives a passing nod to

"...water damage from floodwaters or leaks [which may cause] the wood beams in your house may begin to rot or change position which can also affect crown molding..."

We guess that's a bass-ackward way to approach settling. Again, a worse problem than just a little gap between molding and wall... Once she's gotten the small misinformation out of the way, through, Miller brings out the big dumbassery guns:

"For wood crown moldings, you can use canned wood filler to fill in small gaps. If the damage is from pests, remove the infested material and replace it with treated wood. You can consult a professional and have the wood treated with pesticide."

Ummm, sure: treated crown molding... we've seen lots of that! The throwaway crap in the first sentence, though, is what tipped us off that Lauren knows jack about this: wood filler? Is this moron kidding? The separation between molding and wall should be filled with caulk. Polyurethane and silicone caulk are both more flexible than latex, so it's a good idea to strip out the painter's caulk that the builder used and re-caulk with silicone. Did Miller say this? No – and that's why she's our Dumbass of the Day.

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