Crown Molding Cost Calculator
Planning a crown molding project starts with knowing how much material you need. Our free crown molding calculator estimates the total linear feet of crown molding required, adds an allowance for waste, calculates the number of full-length pieces to purchase, and estimates your material cost.
For a standard rectangular room, simply enter the room's length and width. The calculator determines the perimeter automatically. For rooms with alcoves, bump-outs, angled walls or irregular layouts, choose Individual Walls and enter each wall measurement separately.
You can also select the length of crown molding available from your supplier, including common 8-foot, 10-foot, 12-foot and 16-foot pieces. Add the price per piece or price per linear foot to get an estimated cost for your project.
How Much Crown Molding Do I Need?
Start by measuring every wall where crown molding will be installed. For a rectangular room, calculate the perimeter by adding the lengths of all four walls. A 12-foot by 14-foot room, for example, has 52 linear feet of wall space.
You should purchase more crown molding than the exact measured perimeter. Cuts, corners, damaged material, pattern matching and mistakes can all create waste. A 10% waste allowance is a practical starting point for many straightforward crown molding projects, although rooms with numerous corners or complicated layouts may require additional material.
The length of the molding you purchase also matters. If your project requires 57 linear feet of crown molding and your supplier sells 12-foot pieces, you cannot simply purchase exactly 57 feet. You would need five 12-foot pieces, providing 60 linear feet of material.
Our calculator handles this automatically. Enter your measurements, waste allowance and available stock length to determine both the estimated linear footage required and the number of full pieces to buy.
How to Estimate Crown Molding Cost
Crown molding prices vary considerably depending on the material, size, profile and manufacturer. MDF, finger-jointed pine, solid wood, polyurethane and other crown molding materials can all have different prices.
To estimate your material cost, first find the crown molding you plan to purchase and determine whether it is priced per piece or per linear foot. Enter that price into the calculator along with the length of each piece.
The calculator will estimate:
Total room or wall perimeter
Linear feet of crown molding needed
Additional material for waste
Number of full-length pieces to purchase
Total linear feet purchased
Estimated leftover material
Material subtotal
Optional sales tax
Estimated total material cost
Remember that this estimate covers the crown molding itself. A complete installation may also require finish nails, construction adhesive, paintable caulk, wood filler, primer and paint.
Once you know how much molding to buy, use our Crown Molding Cut Calculator to determine the correct miter and bevel settings for your inside corners, outside corners and out-of-square walls.
