Tech Tip #1 - Installing Full Flush Crown Molding

Crown molding can really make or break a kitchen design. Designers or companies that that hire you to do an installation may not always tell how much overhang they want or whether they want the crown Installed at box-depth or full flush. Box depth is simple: you put a cleat on top of the cabinet, and you nail the crown to the cleat, and then you're done.
“Full flush” requires a footed crown because you'll pull the crown even with the door in the front and give it a slight overhang on the sides. We follow a default that will work with almost every circumstance when you're installing full flush crown. Before we get into that let's define some terms.

Footed Crown: Crown molding that has a finished installation cleat attached to the bottom.

Overhang: The portion of a surface or component that extends beyond the supporting structure.

Reveal: The visible gap or space between two surfaces or components, often used in cabinetry and trim work.

Bump-Out: A cabinet that protrudes out further than its adjacent cabinets.

What is Full Flush?

Full Flush: The state where all flat surface pieces are on the same surface plane, typically this means flush with the face of the cabinet doors. You may also hear the term “full overlay” in similar contexts.

The default Front reveal when installing full flush crown molding is to align the bottom profile of the crown with the profile or face of the cabinet doors and overlay fillers. This will typically overhang the cabinet box by 7/8”. Since you are pulling the crown forward you will use either footed crown that has an attached factory cleat or add a cleat finished on the bottom to the top of the cabinet box.

For bump outs, return panels, and finished sides, we recommend the overhang of the crown extends about 1/4 inch past the side of the cabinet box or panel. If the sides have decorative applied doors, then the bottom profile would be installed “full flush” with the face or profile of the door just like the fronts.

As you can see by these examples, placement is just as important as how well you cut the miters. Full flush crown is both cleaner and more upscale and the preferred way to install crown or any molding on top of a cabinet.

Thanks for reading and keep on building!

- The Cabinet Talk Team