Measure first
Crown Molding Size by Ceiling Height
Crown fails when it is too small for the wall or too deep for the soffit. Height is the vertical face. Projection is how far it comes off the wall. Both numbers are printed on every Spectis cut sheet.
Ceiling or eave
- Crown height
- about 4–6 in
- Projection
- Confirm on the cut sheet
Start with these Spectis types, then confirm the cut-sheet height against the actual wall.
General guidance
| Ceiling | Crown height |
|---|---|
| 8 ft | about 3–5 in |
| 9 ft | about 4–6 in |
| 10 ft | about 5–7 in |
| 12 ft or a foyer | about 7 in and up, or a built-up cornice |
An 8-foot ceiling with a very tall crown looks top-heavy unless the room is wide or the ceiling is trayed. A tall foyer with a 3-inch cove looks unfinished. Exterior cornice is sized to the eave, not to the room inside. Projection cannot stick out past the overhang.
Spring angle is profile-specific. The compound miter on a 38-degree crown is not the setting for every Spectis stick. Use the angle on that SKU’s cut sheet, or cope the inside corners if your saw work is stronger that way.
Build-ups change the math. A crown cap over flat stock over dentil can be the right “size” even when no single stick matches the chart. Read crown cap, crown with flat stock, and two-step crown before you invent a stack from loose lumber.
Order length from the perimeter, and add waste for the miters. A 12-foot stick does not finish a 12-foot wall once both ends are cut.
How to read projection, height, and length. Filter the catalog by height: 4 to 6 inches and 6 to 8 inches.