Advice from a Contractor to Renovate a Cornice Moulding

You've probably landed here looking for information about cornice mouldings and how to repair them. Knowing that this information isn't always easy to find, we asked one of our contractors, Felix Deblois-Beaucage, to tell us more about this type of renovation project. 

What are the main steps of a cornice moulding renovation project?

Every project is different. For the project we are currently completing, we had to remove the old paint first. This created big holes in the wood because at least 1/4 inch of paint was removed. Next, we filled in the holes with putty- a very strong filler also used to fill in holes on cars. For wood knots, we used shellac- a resin- to seal them.

Afterwards, we sanded the whole surface to even it out. A water-based primer was then used to cover everything and create a nice base for the new coat of paint. Once the primer had dried, we applied 2 coats of water-based paint. It was almost the same colour as the old paint. 

For the stucco (also called roughcast) of this cornice, we scraped its' surface and repainted it in the same colour.

What colour should we use for a cornice?

It depends on the client. In certain cases, I’ve been asked to paint cornices using very bright colours like red or sky blue. Those types of colours often require up to three coats to look good. 

It usually takes more time and work for bright colours. If you want to change the colour of your cornice moulding, for instance from a dark colour to a pale one, you’ll need a good primer to decrease the number of finishing coats needed for the pale paint to come across well.  

What type of paint should we use for a cornice moulding?