How do I improve the appearance of poorly installed / painted styrofoam crown molding?

Question

I'm considering purchasing a great new home, but unfortunately, they used styrofoam for some elaborate crown molding. It looks awful - you can see the "dots" of the styrofoam under the paint. Also, where more than one piece was joined together, you can see the seams. Is there anyway for me to salvage the molding without ripping it all out and having real molding installed? I'm concerned about how expensive that would be. As long as it doesn't look like styrofoam, I'd be happy.

Answer 1

this sounds like a really crappy product. i used foam crown molding but the stuff i got has a smooth uniform surface over the foam and it looks exactly like wood--i painted it the same color as the real wood beams in my ceiling (a dark espresso color) and know one could tell that they arent both original parts of the house. i think you may be able to at least camouflage some of the pock marks by applying a heavy latex primer over it--maybe several coats. also where there are obvious seams you could fill the seam gaps with poly fill then sand over it-- it will help but may not totally make them invisible. when you paint the molding, remember that a flat paint will hide imperfections better than a glossy paint--and a darker color will make the pock marks less visible. if your not satisfied with the results then id suggest just redoing it yourself--tear out that crap and start fresh. i got my crown molding at home depot for about 9 dollars per 8 foot section--its a foam core with a smooth plastic-like shell that is primed and ready for paint. it only cost me about 80 dollars to do living/dining area. you can also get the pre-cut outside and inside corners---i highly reccommend this even tho theyre worth about 4 bucks a piece, cuz trying to get the angles cut properly on crown molding corners is a nightmare!

Answer 2

funny, i was just doing some research on styrofoam molding...
to me it seems like if u applied a think primer then some paint it might cover the dotted look. Otherwise your only option is to buy styrofoam molding online for a 12x12 room it could cost $70.

Answer 3

I work for Benjamin Moore Co. If the molding is wood , I would recommend that you use a good to high quality brush. Use a high bonding primer that also has stain blocking properties properties if the wood has been previously stained and sealed with a clear finish. If it is new use a high quality primer recommended for bare wood. Apply two coats of a high quality paint preferable a Satin or Semi-gloss finish. Benjamin Moores' Waterborne Satin Impervo looks great and levels very well. It is available in white and light to medium depth colors. If you have more questions you may email me.