Full List of 2019 Cornice /Coving Materials

• Function
• Budget

Now let’s talk a look at the cornice molding material list we found in the architectural molding market.

Interior use material list of Cornice Moulding / Architectural molding 

• Plaster /Gypsum Molding

Plaster in its various guises (gyproc, hessian backed, paper-faced etc) is the material that coving/cornice molding was traditionally made in before the more modern counterparts. Its attractive smooth finish is great for creating an authentic period look to a room and it does lend itself to some incredibly ornate and detailed pattern. Gypsum materials can be formed into various architectural molding and decorative elements with a limited budget like crown molding, chair rails, panel molding, ceiling medallions, columns, pillars, and wall panels. If you have a limited budget and also need full packages of decorative elements, gypsum is definitely a good choice for your project. The disappointing part of gypsum is that gypsum cornice moldings are quite heavy, easy to crack, and not water-resistant.  And Install gypsum molding is not a one-person job, it always takes at least two-person and needs careful cut. 

• Rigid Polyurethane Foam or Hard Polyurethane Molding

High-Density Polyurethane is a relatively new player on the market (though it has now been available since the 1980s). It aims to offer the same visual benefits of plaster coving /cornice molding and yet it is affordable and lightweight, so can be fitted much faster and without all the cursing! This material is also strong and durable (like a piece of light hardwood), making it perfect for a single-person installation with minimal do-it-yourself skills. Polyurethane cornice mouldings are waterproof and insect resistant, no matter what humid area you are located in, and also do not need to worry about damage caused by an insect which is important for South Aisa customers. Polyurethane architectural molding has a rich selection of profiles include all accessories decor elements. Rich profiles (including matching skirting boards) are available in a flexible rubber compound so they can bend around curved walls and bay windows – something that is very difficult to achieve in plaster or wood.

With its many advantages as well as the same visual appearance as plaster,  polyurethane is now replacing plaster coving and becoming the ‘new traditional’ coving material of choice for designers and installers.

Polyurethane Cornice Moulding Installation Guide

• Wood Moldings

Wood is a gift from nature’s mother. Wood has a long history of being used as fuel and construction materials since humans began building shelters, houses. This is the first thing used for construction we take from nature mother before chemical or resin composite materials be invented. In North American, wood commonly known as lumber. Lumber usually refers to felled trees and the word for sawn planks ready for use is timber. Wood can be shaped to any moldings, plain or carving designs, like crown molding, casing, chair rail, panel molding, carving molding, ceiling medallions, corbels, columns etc architectural moldings. Installing wood architectural moldings will adding elegance to your home to embellish cabinetry, furniture, walls, ceilings, mantels, and doors.

• MDF 

Medium-Density fiberboard (MDF) is an engineered wood product that consists of wood fibers, wax, and a resin binder. MDF is a cost-effective material to replace natural wood. Compared with natural wood, besides being cost-effective, MDF is well-shaped, stable in dimensions (less expansion ), and also easy to paint & glue.MDF has its own disadvantage that it may break when saturated with water, it may wrap or expand in humid environments.

•  Polystyrene ( XPS Molding)

Polystyrene is the cheapest solution and is ideal if you have a limited budget. Polystyrene coving is lightweight and therefore easy to fit, although it does tend to be quite soft and prone to damage when installed. Also, even after painting, you may find that the finished look still reveals it to be a ‘cheap and cheerful’ installation.

There are two types of polystyrene cornice molding, XPS ( extruded polystyrene foam ) and EPS ( expanded polystyrene foam). As we can see from the name XPS is extruded process, it means XPS only comes in plain /smooth architectural molding, not details patterns on the surface. EPS can bring details patterns on the surface of molding, but the finished surface looks rougher compared with Polyurethane cornice mouldings & Plaster cornice molding.  Both EPS & XPS cornice mouldings have to be repainted at least twice before or after installation to achieve a more smooth finish look. 

•  PVC -Cellular composite PVC 

Cellular composite PVC moldings become more and more popular in the North American Market because of the features that are low cost, long piece, and scratch-resistant. Cellular PVC moldings are only available in plain /smooth architectural moldings. The main profile styles are plain crown molding and trim moldings for windows and doors. PVC molding manufacturers develop classic trim moldings for windows and doors such as traditional cap /base set, windows trims, entry door jamb, Ram’s crown, back band casing, sill nose, colonial casing ect and provide a set solution of window decoration. The quantity -consumed 4″ trim board moldings have been replaced by Celluar PVC from Wood/MDF materials because PVC mouldings are waterproof, high density ( 500 kgs/m3), and rot resistant compared with traditional wood/MDF materials with the almost same cost.

•  Marble 

 Construction marble is a stone that is composed of calcite, dolomite or serpentine which is capable of taking a polish . Marble moldings are mainly used for trimming, chair rail molding, pencil molding, and some crown molding and to be the finishing detail of the tile project. We can use marble trim pieces to create a finished edge on the backsplash tile, wall tile, and countertops or to frame a wall or floor mosaic in your kitchen, bath or entryway.

•   Artificial Marble

 Artificial marble is marble dust combined with cement or synthetic resins to make reconstituted or cultured marble. It is a replacement of real polished marble molding which is heavy,  higher cost. Artificial marble moldings are not solid inside, they have holes through the whole molding to reduce molding weight and molding cost. 

• Polyurethane Flexible Molding 

Polyurethane flexible molding is an ideal solution for arch design, particularly for arch baseboard and trim molding. Polyurethane flexible material is more like rubber, completely flexible. We do not suggest using flexible molding as crown moldings. It will not bring a perfect finish look like a top area of crown molding will cause some fold lines. If you want to make arch crown moldings, there are two options. Option 1: Create a new mold to produce a specific arch dimension.  Perfect joints match, exact dimension, but higher cost. If you can use them repeatedly to reach a large volume, it is a good choice. Option 2: bend the rigid polyurethane molding by heating. Rigid polyurethane molding can be bent into a different arch by putting rigid moldings into hot water. 

•  PVC Flexible Molding

PVC flexible molding comes in rolls. They are used as furniture accessories. Some furniture needs trim moldings that are not in a straight line.

Exterior Architectural Molding 

• GRC /GRG Moulding

Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete or GFRC is a type of fiber-reinforced concrete. It is also known as glass fiber reinforced concrete or GRC . Glass fiber concrete are mainly used for exterior molding since it was developed in the twentieth century. 

Since concrete is difficult to work with different designs, it is not a good material for exterior architectural molding.  GRC is easy to mold and can be given any required shape with lightweight and fine finish details . Glass fiber reinforced concrete has a wide range of products including balustrades, cladding panels, columns, Cornice Molding, Domes, and Ceilings. Full Range products collection can meet the various need for the exterior.

• Exterior EPS Mouldings or Stucco Moulding