Wood-Cornice Restoration, Part II by Larry Jones Decorative wood trim and moldings often warp and pull away from the surface of the cornice. Nails rust off or the wood decays around the fasteners, allowing them to pull out. Loose trim can often be reattached after you clean out the debris behind it. After removing the trim, cut the remaining original nails and reposition the piece. If you use nails to reattach the trim, blunt their ends or predrill pilot holes to reduce the chances of splitting. Renail through new holes in sound wood. Use only high-quality, long-lasting fasteners to reattach loose pieces: Hot-dipped galvanized finishing nails, or brass or stainless-steel marine wood screws. Self-starting drywall screws. These can rust, so use
