Clever Cornices

Materials:

- Wood
- 1/2″ finishing nails
- Wood putty
- Sandpaper
- Tack Cloth
- latex primer
- latex paint in various colors
- Coordinating wallpaper border
- Border Adhesive
- Angle Irons

Steps :

1. Decide what the cornice will look like and cut the pieces. There is no pattern to this, since the design depends on the size of the window. Take into consideration how long you want the piece to be, and if you want to add a decorative edge.

2. Cut the pieces and nail them together with finishing nails.

3. Apply wood putty to any rough surfaces and let dry.

4. Lightly sand the cornice and wipe off any excess with a tack cloth.

5. Prime the cornice with a latex primer, let dry and paint the entire surface front and back with the colors of your choice . Let dry.

6. Apply border adhesive to the wallpaper border and place on the cornice.

7. To hang: Drill two angle irons into the wall where you want the cornice to hang and place the cornice on top of the angle irons. From underneath the cornice, drill screws from the angle irons into the cornice to secure.

Steps to Create Cover a Cornice with Fabric

Materials List:

- Fabric
- Polyester batting (padding)
- Tape measure
- Scissors
- Staple gun with 1/4″ staples
- Small standard screwdriver
- Hammer

Steps

1. Cut Polyester Padding:
Measure and cut batting large enough to wrap the front and sides as well as the top, bottom, and back edges with a few inches extra length and width.

2. Install the Padding:
Lay the cornice face-down on the batting and pull the batting taut as you staple it to the back side of the cornice all around its perimeter. Use a minimum of one layer.

3. Cut the Fabric:
Cut the fabric oversized as you did the batting in Step 1. You need plenty of extra material to extend from the top of the dust cover, around the face of the cornice, and up to the dust cover on the underside, plus about 4 inches to grasp when you pull the fabric taut in the next step. Lay the fabric right-side-down on a clean, flat surface, and place the cornice on top of it.

4. Install Preliminary Staples and Check Your Work:
Wrap the fabric over the top edge of the cornice and drive several staples in the middle (about 1 inch apart); then pull the fabric around the bottom so it is just taut (don’t stretch it) and drive several staples directly opposite the top staples. Do the same for the sides. Turn the cornice over to check that you have not distorted the fabric. Pry out staples with a small standard screwdriver if it’s necessary to rework the material.

5. Complete Stapling:
Add several staples to the left and right of the first ones you put in, then go to the opposite side, pull it taut, and again staple opposite the ones you just put in. Work your way back and forth in this way along the length of the cornice until you get to the ends. Do some careful (neat) folding and cut fabric as necessary to make the inside corners look neat. Add a few staples to the sides as needed and cut off any excess material.

6. Reinstall the Cornice:
Place the cornice against the wall so it fits around the braces you installed when making the cornice. The dust cover should rest on top of the top casing. Drive 1-in. screws through the brackets and into the side cleats in the existing holes.

Custom-build your own wood window cornices for one-fourth the price of store-bought.

Window cornices are a simple, inexpensive way to dramatically enhance any room. They’ll hide ugly drapery rods and add a touch of custom-made detailing that makes an ordinary window or patio door look like something special.

Cornices are surprisingly easy to build, even those elegant ones you see in home magazines. Using off-the-shelf trim from the home center and a compound miter saw, anyone with simple carpentry skills can create a beautiful window or door cornice in just a few hours. The top of the cornice can function as display space for art or collectibles.

Build it yourself and save big bucks: Search the Internet for cornice suppliers and you’ll see that you can save huge money by building your own. Build your own and you can expect to spend about one-fourth that.

Using a compound or sliding compound miter saw: The best tool for cutting miters on wide boards (1×6s) is either a 10-in. compound miter saw or a sliding compound saw. Standard compound saws work like typical miter saws, but the motor and blade tip sideways, making them capable of cutting bevels. A sliding compound miter saw cuts compound angles too, but the motor and blade slide on tracks so it can handle wider stock. Be sure to use a sharp finish-cutting blade in either one. Prices for standard compound miter saws start as little as $100 or you can rent one for about $35 per day.

You can pre-drill and hand-nail most of the project, but an air-powered brad nailer with 1 and 1-1/2 in. brads makes the job much easier. Some of the cheaper ones sell for less than $100, or you can rent one for about $25 per day. (Rent one of the special airless ones and you’ll save the price of renting a compressor.) But for the money, compound miter saws and brad nailers are far too cheap and far too fun not to own them yourself.

Build the basic box, then add the trim: Every cornice begins the same way, with cutting and assembling the three-sided, lidded box. Then you add the trim of your choice and finish the cornice. The cornice is then ready for mounting on the wall by screwing it to a 1×2 that’s screwed to the wall above the opening

Begin by measuring the curtain and valance for length, depth and width Measure with the curtains open so you take into account their thickness when they’re bunched. Add an inch or so to the depth and the width of the curtain rod to make sure the cornice will cover everything.

Miter the ends and front box pieces first. It’s easiest to square up the board, then tilt the miter saw to cut a 45-degree bevel for the first end piece and then square it up to cut the second end. The mitered corners are glued and nailed together with 1-in. brads. Measure the assembly to determine the exact length for the top.

When mitering the box trim, always start by first cutting and mounting an end trim piece, then the long front trim and finally the other end. That way, you’ll be able to check fits and get crisp miters at each corner. Fit each miter, then scribe the length of each piece rather than measuring. It’s faster and much more accurate. It’s best to cut pieces just a tad long so you can shave them down until they fit perfectly. If you’re new to woodworking, it’s nice to have a helper by your side to hold the miters together while you’re scribing lengths or fastening parts.

Cutting crown molding is a little tricky. The trick to cutting perfect crown molding miters is to rest the molding upside down and against the bed and fence while cutting the 45-degree angles. If you cut wide crown molding, you may have to extend the fence height by screwing a length of 1×4 to the miter saw fence through the holes in the back. Remember that the long point of the miter is the top edge. That’ll help you remember which way to angle the saw before cutting. To further eliminate the costly mistake of miscutting an angle, draw a light line while you’re fitting the piece to indicate the proper angle.

Designing your cornice:-
Design elements within your home should dictate the wood type, molding styles and finishes that you select. Match the existing trim or other details in your home. You can expand into something a bit more elaborate, but don’t stray too far. At the home center, you’ll find a molding or some combination of moldings that’ll complement any home style.

Depending on the design, the top either overlaps the sides, sometimes with a routed edge, or is nailed to the top or inside of the box and doesn’t show from below. The tops are best made from 1×4s, 1×6s or 1×8s. There’s no need to cut the tops to width if you choose the right combination of top style and board size. The example we show is a 1×6 nailed on top of the box, which gives an overall inside depth of 4-3/4 in. For the same look but with a shallower box, you could also nail a 1×4 inside the box flush with the top for a depth of 3-1/2 in. Choose whichever method it takes to clear your curtains.

Selecting the wood:
If you plan on painting your cornices, poplar and aspen are good choices for the box materials. They’re stable and relatively cheap, and the grain won’t show through paint. Pine and basswood moldings are usually the least expensive choices for paintable trim.

If you want a stained or natural wood cornice, look for oak, mahogany, cherry, maple and others at home centers. The biggest problem is in finding hardwood moldings other than oak. You may have to special-order them or find a specialty millwork supplier by looking under “Millwork” in the Yellow Pages.

Building mock-ups:
Not sure what style to choose? Here’s a tip. Buy short lengths of different types of trim along with some cheap 1×4 and 1×6. Cut everything to 1-ft. lengths and mock up several different combinations. Just squirt a little wood glue on the pieces and clamp them together for about 10 minutes. Hold the mock-ups over the opening to get a feel for the final look. We actually made about 30 cornice samples before deciding on the final design for the how-to photos and the designs on this page. Of course, the hard part is choosing one of course. We’d love to see what you wound up doing. Feel free to send us photos of your cornices and let us know how the project went.

Finishing:
Fill nail holes and prime before painting. If your cornices have elaborate details like dentil blocking, you’ll get better results with several light coats of spray paint instead of brushing. Finish highly detailed natural and stained wood with spray lacquer, shellac or polyurethane. Prepaint the 1×2 cornice ledger to match the wall before you put it up if you think it’ll show after the window covering is in place.

Simple 1×6 box technique:
Tops that don’t show from below can either lap over (upper photo) or butt against (lower photo) the top of the front board of the box. Further box depth adjustments can be made by using narrower or wider top boards or ripping it to a smaller width.

Overlapping top with routed edge:
Overlapping tops simplify construction and are good to use when the top of the cornice will be seen from above. Use a router to carve a profile on the outer lip of the top before you assemble the cornice. “Stamped” moldings (upper photo) and “pierced” moldings (lower photo) offer another unique look and are widely available at home centers.

Custom-build your own wood window cornices for one-fourth the price of store-bought.

Window cornices are a simple, inexpensive way to dramatically enhance any room. They’ll hide ugly drapery rods and add a touch of custom-made detailing that makes an ordinary window or patio door look like something special.

Cornices are surprisingly easy to build, even those elegant ones you see in home magazines. Using off-the-shelf trim from the home center and a compound miter saw, anyone with simple carpentry skills can create a beautiful window or door cornice in just a few hours. The top of the cornice can function as display space for art or collectibles.

Build it yourself and save big bucks: Search the Internet for cornice suppliers and you’ll see that you can save huge money by building your own. Build your own and you can expect to spend about one-fourth that.

Using a compound or sliding compound miter saw: The best tool for cutting miters on wide boards (1×6s) is either a 10-in. compound miter saw or a sliding compound saw. Standard compound saws work like typical miter saws, but the motor and blade tip sideways, making them capable of cutting bevels. A sliding compound miter saw cuts compound angles too, but the motor and blade slide on tracks so it can handle wider stock. Be sure to use a sharp finish-cutting blade in either one. Prices for standard compound miter saws start as little as $100 or you can rent one for about $35 per day.

You can pre-drill and hand-nail most of the project, but an air-powered brad nailer with 1 and 1-1/2 in. brads makes the job much easier. Some of the cheaper ones sell for less than $100, or you can rent one for about $25 per day. (Rent one of the special airless ones and you’ll save the price of renting a compressor.) But for the money, compound miter saws and brad nailers are far too cheap and far too fun not to own them yourself.

Build the basic box, then add the trim: Every cornice begins the same way, with cutting and assembling the three-sided, lidded box. Then you add the trim of your choice and finish the cornice. The cornice is then ready for mounting on the wall by screwing it to a 1×2 that’s screwed to the wall above the opening

Begin by measuring the curtain and valance for length, depth and width Measure with the curtains open so you take into account their thickness when they’re bunched. Add an inch or so to the depth and the width of the curtain rod to make sure the cornice will cover everything.

Miter the ends and front box pieces first. It’s easiest to square up the board, then tilt the miter saw to cut a 45-degree bevel for the first end piece and then square it up to cut the second end. The mitered corners are glued and nailed together with 1-in. brads. Measure the assembly to determine the exact length for the top.

When mitering the box trim, always start by first cutting and mounting an end trim piece, then the long front trim and finally the other end. That way, you’ll be able to check fits and get crisp miters at each corner. Fit each miter, then scribe the length of each piece rather than measuring. It’s faster and much more accurate. It’s best to cut pieces just a tad long so you can shave them down until they fit perfectly. If you’re new to woodworking, it’s nice to have a helper by your side to hold the miters together while you’re scribing lengths or fastening parts.

Cutting crown molding is a little tricky. The trick to cutting perfect crown molding miters is to rest the molding upside down and against the bed and fence while cutting the 45-degree angles. If you cut wide crown molding, you may have to extend the fence height by screwing a length of 1×4 to the miter saw fence through the holes in the back. Remember that the long point of the miter is the top edge. That’ll help you remember which way to angle the saw before cutting. To further eliminate the costly mistake of miscutting an angle, draw a light line while you’re fitting the piece to indicate the proper angle.

Designing your cornice:-
Design elements within your home should dictate the wood type, molding styles and finishes that you select. Match the existing trim or other details in your home. You can expand into something a bit more elaborate, but don’t stray too far. At the home center, you’ll find a molding or some combination of moldings that’ll complement any home style.

Depending on the design, the top either overlaps the sides, sometimes with a routed edge, or is nailed to the top or inside of the box and doesn’t show from below. The tops are best made from 1×4s, 1×6s or 1×8s. There’s no need to cut the tops to width if you choose the right combination of top style and board size. The example we show is a 1×6 nailed on top of the box, which gives an overall inside depth of 4-3/4 in. For the same look but with a shallower box, you could also nail a 1×4 inside the box flush with the top for a depth of 3-1/2 in. Choose whichever method it takes to clear your curtains.

Selecting the wood:
If you plan on painting your cornices, poplar and aspen are good choices for the box materials. They’re stable and relatively cheap, and the grain won’t show through paint. Pine and basswood moldings are usually the least expensive choices for paintable trim.

If you want a stained or natural wood cornice, look for oak, mahogany, cherry, maple and others at home centers. The biggest problem is in finding hardwood moldings other than oak. You may have to special-order them or find a specialty millwork supplier by looking under “Millwork” in the Yellow Pages.

Building mock-ups:
Not sure what style to choose? Here’s a tip. Buy short lengths of different types of trim along with some cheap 1×4 and 1×6. Cut everything to 1-ft. lengths and mock up several different combinations. Just squirt a little wood glue on the pieces and clamp them together for about 10 minutes. Hold the mock-ups over the opening to get a feel for the final look. We actually made about 30 cornice samples before deciding on the final design for the how-to photos and the designs on this page. Of course, the hard part is choosing one of course. We’d love to see what you wound up doing. Feel free to send us photos of your cornices and let us know how the project went.

Finishing:
Fill nail holes and prime before painting. If your cornices have elaborate details like dentil blocking, you’ll get better results with several light coats of spray paint instead of brushing. Finish highly detailed natural and stained wood with spray lacquer, shellac or polyurethane. Prepaint the 1×2 cornice ledger to match the wall before you put it up if you think it’ll show after the window covering is in place.

Simple 1×6 box technique:
Tops that don’t show from below can either lap over (upper photo) or butt against (lower photo) the top of the front board of the box. Further box depth adjustments can be made by using narrower or wider top boards or ripping it to a smaller width.

Overlapping top with routed edge:
Overlapping tops simplify construction and are good to use when the top of the cornice will be seen from above. Use a router to carve a profile on the outer lip of the top before you assemble the cornice. “Stamped” moldings (upper photo) and “pierced” moldings (lower photo) offer another unique look and are widely available at home centers.

A cornice board is an attractive box, painted or upholstered in your choice of fabric. Cornices are attached to the wall or the molding above a window and cover functional curtain hardware that may take away from the overall look of the room. Traditional or contemporary cornice board styles are available from these online merchants.

Whether you have chosen blinds, shades or curtains, a cornice board can help create the look you want for your interior decor. Although some people prefer decorative curtain hardware as part of a window treatment, other interior decorating ideas include the practical and attractive look of cornices

These online merchants offer cornice board styles ready made. They are available painted, stained or with faux finishes. You may choose to have them upholstered with fabric that matches or contrasts with the curtains or blinds you have chosen.

To provide added interest to your window treatment, cornice board styles come in different heights and shapes. The bottom can be straight or scalloped and the variety of patterns gives you opportunity to fashion the look you want whether classic or contemporary.

Choose an impressive looking cornice board for a striking window treatment. Measure the width of the window opening and the depth you want for the treatment (i.e. from the wall outward) - add an inch to each measurement for clearance. Online merchants give detailed instructions to make sure you get exactly the cornice board you would like.