# What size furring strips for crown?



## shelzmike (Feb 9, 2012)

I am getting ready to install crown and since my largest wall is 21' and parallell to the joists, I am going to use furring strips as a backer. Seems like a straightforward process. would this 3 inch piece: 

http://m.lowes.com/mt/www.lowes.com...br|0||p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo=

be a good fit for this 3 5/8 flipface moulding?

http://m.lowes.com/mt/www.lowes.com...L=/pl__0__s?Ntt=flip+face+moulding&facetInfo=


Also, I am guessing I can really stretch only a few of these boards by cutting to make them smaller? Meaning, they do not need to fun the whole length of the wall right? I could cut 5" pieces and center them every 16"?

One more question: i would still need a nail in the wall stud as well, right? Not only straight into the furring in the middle and that is it?

Mike


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## troubleseeker (Sep 25, 2006)

The best backing is a 2X4 that is ripped into a triangle so that it's face is parallel with the back of the crown. Size it a little small, so that you have some wiggle room for twisting the crown, the goal is not to have the back of the moulding fit tight to it, but for it to be a nailing block. Attach it into the top plate with 3 or 3 1/2" screws, and run it the entire length of the wall. You can almost gaurantee that you will need a nail at one of the void spots if you just use skip blocking; we are talking a couple of spruce 2x4"s here, not African rosewood :laughing:.


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## shelzmike (Feb 9, 2012)

I have certainly seen that /ethod mentioned; however, unfortunately I just have a little table saw that I borrowed from someone and I am not sure that it is big enough to rip a 2x4. I have been using it to rip jamb extensions and it works awesome on my 1/2" x 6 boards. Now, it is possible that the blade can be adjusted up, I just dont know how. Actually, now that I saw that it must be able to be adjusted bc it has a 7" blade and it wouldnt make much sense that it would only cut 1/2" board. I will have to check it out.

Mike


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## Willie T (Jan 29, 2009)

On 3 1/4" (give or take a half inch or so) crown, I use 1x2 furring strips all the time. I cut then into 4' lengths, just to make them easier to install. Like you said, they do NOT have to cover the whole length of the run. Just hold them up against the wall and ceiling at a 45 degree tilt, and hit them with a 12 penny nail gun a few times, simple, fast to install, and very cheap.

Once you have shot the firring strip into the top plate with bigger nails, you only need small nails into the firring strip from then on to hold the crown in place.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

If you nail the crown right, the nails should hit wood, there is 3 inches of upper plate to hit for the wall + studs and there is a sheet rock nailer in the ceiling so you should be able to hit wood without a backer.


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

adding to the last post,, you can also cross nail, simpy angle your nailer at about 30 degrees on the peice of crown , shoot a nail now flip the gun to opposite way right next to the nail you just shot and shoot another. do this in combination with wood glue and you'll be fine.

this is the standard nailing method for trim on steel stud walls, be it baseboards , casing or crown


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