- Q.I would like to find an
alternate crown molding for exterior use. I can't get
my local suppliers to advise me if primed MDF crown can
be used outside. I have thrown scraps of this product
in the trash pile, where it was rained on for a month,
and was amazed that it was unaffected. However, I don't
want to install it outside, only to find out that it's
the sun or something else that destroys it.
A.Finish carpenter Gary
Katz of Reseda, Calif., responds: There are
crown moldings that are meant for exterior use, but
MDF is not one of them, and neither is MDX, counter
to the widely accepted belief. Your best material
choices for exterior crown moldings are either wood
or high-density polyurethane. If you use wood, I'd
suggest redwood, cedar, Douglas fir, or yellow
pine. However, I find that polyurethane moldings
are superior to second-growth wood moldings because
they hold paint much longer and never warp, twist,
cup, or crack. If the material is installed
properly, the joints remain tight indefinitely.
Several companies manufacture a variety of crown
moldings in polyurethane; I'd suggest trying Fypon
(800/955-5748, www.fypon.com), Focal Point
(800/662-5550,
www.focalpointap.com),
Chemcrest (800/665-6653,
www.chemcrest.com), or
Style-Mark (800/446-3040,
www.style-mark.com).