$4 – $23 per linear footThat is the typical crown molding installation cost in 2026, materials and labor included, which works out to $611 – $2,119 for a typical project and about $1,299 on average (Angi, updated June 2025). Other guides land inside that band: Fixr puts a carpenter at $4 – $8 per foot installed, and Homewyse prices a basic pine job at $14.28 – $21.85 per foot. Material, ceiling height and how many corners the room has decide where you land.
Crown molding is priced by the linear foot, so the first job is to measure: add the lengths of every wall the molding will run along. A 15-by-14-foot room has two 15-foot and two 14-foot walls, or 58 linear feet (HomeGuide). The tables below turn that number into a budget. Baseboards and other trim are priced separately and are not included in these figures.
Crown molding installation cost per linear foot
| Source | Installed, per linear foot | Project total it reports |
|---|---|---|
| Angi (June 2025) | $4 – $23 | $611 – $2,119 normal range; $1,299 average |
| Homewyse (May 2026) | $14.28 – $21.85 | $858 – $1,312 for 60 feet of prefinished pine |
| Fixr (January 2025) | $4 – $8 (carpenter, materials and labor) | $2,000 – $4,000 for a whole house; $3,150 average |
| Networx (2026, undated) | $4 – $23 | $300 – $800+ for a small room |
| HomeGuide (older guide, April 2023) | $7 – $16 | $670 – $1,700 average range; $1,200 average |
The guides disagree more than usual. Homewyse builds one example job from retail prices for 3.625-inch finger-jointed pine, prefinished, plus 5.1 hours of basic labor, nail-hole patching, caulking, supplies, an equipment allowance and debris disposal, so it prices a fuller scope than a bare per-foot rate. Fixr’s per-foot carpenter figure is the lowest. Treat $4 – $23 as the full spread and expect plain paint-grade molding in a simple room to land in the lower half.
Estimate your crown molding installation cost
Our estimate: the published ranges above multiplied out for your inputs. Not a quote. Installed prices per linear foot by material from Networx (2026, undated); painting from Angi (June 2025); removal from Fixr (January 2025); door and window trim from HomeGuide (April 2023) and Angi (June 2025). Angi quotes $4 to $23 per foot overall, and Homewyse (May 2026) $14.28 to $21.85 for prefinished pine. State adjustment: BLS construction wages (May 2025), applied to an assumed 50% labor share. How we calculate
Crown molding cost by material
| Material | Fixr | Angi | HomeGuide (older, April 2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| MDF | $1 – $7 | $1 – $7 | $1 – $3 |
| Solid wood | $3 – $30 | $3 – $30 | $1 – $6 (common); $10 – $45 (exotic) |
| Polyurethane | $2 – $4 | $2 – $10 | $2 – $6 |
| Plaster | $6 – $15 | $6 – $20 | $6 – $12 |
The materials behave differently on the wall, and that is part of the price:
- MDF is pressed sawdust and resin. It is soft, dents and scratches easily, needs paint, and does not do well in very humid rooms (Angi). Angi calls it an excellent low-cost option for painted crown molding because it takes and holds paint well.
- Solid wood is the widest range. Fixr lists maple at $2 – $5 per foot, oak at $3 – $12 and mahogany at $10 – $30 (Fixr); Angi lists common softwoods at $3 – $10 and exotic hardwoods at $15 – $30. Wood can be stained or painted, but it is heavier than synthetic molding and more prone to water damage and rot.
- Polyurethane is dense foam that looks like wood but weighs much less, resists moisture and insects, and arrives pre-primed. It dents easily during installation (HomeGuide). HomeGuide also recommends it for a curved wall because it is flexible.
- Plaster is made to order rather than bought off the shelf, which is why it costs more (Fixr). It is heavy, can crack during installation and needs a professional installer (HomeGuide).
Cheaper options exist too. PVC runs $2 – $4 per foot at Fixr and $1 – $4 at Angi, and polystyrene foam is $0.50 – $3 at Fixr (materials only). Metal crown molding starts at $10 per foot at both guides.
What the installed price looks like by material
| Material | Networx, installed | Family Handyman, installation labor only (older, October 2023) |
|---|---|---|
| MDF (paintable) | $4 – $7 | $4 – $5 |
| Wood (pine, poplar) | $5 – $10 | $5 – $10 |
| Polyurethane | $5 – $9 | $4 – $5 |
| Plaster or ornate profiles | $15 – $25+ | $10 – $15 (plaster) |
| Custom or exotic wood | $20 – $30+ | $10 – $20 (exotic hardwoods) |
Networx is the least detailed of the guides, so use these as a cross-check, not a quote. The pattern is clear in both: MDF and polyurethane are the cheapest to hang, plaster and exotic wood the most expensive, because they take more skill and time per foot.
Crown molding cost per room
| Room or length | Installed cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 25 linear feet | $100 – $575 | Angi |
| 30 linear feet (one room) | $120 – $240 | Fixr |
| 50 linear feet | $200 – $1,150 | Angi |
| 50 linear feet (living room) | $350 – $700 | Fixr |
| 15 × 14 ft living room (58 ft) | $460 – $1,100 | HomeGuide (older) |
| 10 × 10 ft kitchen (40 ft) | $210 – $570 | HomeGuide (older) |
| 60 linear feet | $858 – $1,312 | Homewyse |
| 75 linear feet | $300 – $1,725 | Angi |
| 100 linear feet | $400 – $2,300 | Angi |
| Whole house (500 linear feet) | $2,000 – $4,000 | Fixr; HomeGuide also gives $2,000 – $4,000 |
These examples show the same split as the per-foot table. For 60 feet, Fixr’s table gives $240 – $480 (two 30-foot rooms) while Homewyse gives $858 – $1,312. A quote at either end can be honest; ask what molding, how many corners and what finish the price assumes.
Our estimate: a 12 × 12 foot room has a 48-foot perimeter. Multiplying by Angi’s $4 – $23 per foot gives about $192 – $1,104, and by HomeGuide’s $7 – $16 about $336 – $768. This is our own arithmetic from the guides’ per-foot ranges, not a measured price, and it ignores doors, windows and waste.
Crown molding is also used on cabinets, mantels and shelves. Fixr prices it at $150 – $350 for kitchen cabinets, $50 – $175 for a mantel and $75 – $300 for a bookcase, materials and labor (Fixr). If you are planning new cabinets, our kitchen remodel cost guide shows where trim fits in the budget.
Why ceiling height changes the price
| Ceiling height | Molding width | Cost per linear foot |
|---|---|---|
| 8 ft | 2.5 – 6 in | $3 – $25 |
| 9 ft | 3 – 7.5 in | $4 – $30 |
| 10 ft | 4 – 9 in | $6 – $35 |
| 12 ft or more | 6 – 12+ in | $7 – $50 |
Taller ceilings call for wider molding, and Angi notes that wider molding raises the material cost per foot. Fixr adds that complex ceiling types such as cathedral, uneven or coffered ceilings run $8 – $30 per linear foot installed (Fixr).
Labor: what the installer charges
Angi puts professional labor at $3 – $12 per linear foot, or $15 – $20 for custom molding, and $50 – $100 an hour with two to three hours per room. HomeGuide says $6 per foot for one worker and up to $12 for an expert carpenter, with 10 to 26 minutes per foot depending on the material. Fixr quotes carpenters at $50 – $70 an hour. Angi says plaster needs a skilled installer and that multi-piece profiles raise labor.
How much of the bill is labor depends on who you ask. Fixr says about 25% and Angi says “50% or more” in one passage and “around 25%” in another, so do not rely on a single share. For comparison, the median carpenter in the United States earned $29.12 an hour in 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A quoted rate also covers the saw, ladders, insurance and travel, not just the wage.
Angi adds that complicated rooms with many corners, multi-piece profiles or obstructions can raise labor by 30% – 60% and material by 10% – 20%, because there is more cutting and waste.
Cost to paint or finish crown molding
| Source | Painting or staining |
|---|---|
| Angi (June 2025) | $1 – $3.50 per linear foot |
| Networx (2026, undated) | $1 – $3 per linear foot, if the installer does it |
| Fixr (January 2025) | $150 – $600 to paint crown molding in one to three rooms |
| HomeGuide (older, April 2023) | $1 – $3 per linear foot for a job of about 100 feet |
Finishing is not always in the installed price. Networx says painting or staining may be quoted separately, so ask whether the quote ends at primed molding. MDF is the one material that must be painted, and Fixr advises painting before installation, either by hand or with a sprayer, using semi-gloss or high-gloss for a washable surface (Fixr). If you are painting the rest of the room at the same time, our interior painting cost guide covers walls, ceilings and trim.
Our estimate: painting the 48 feet of crown molding in a 12 × 12 foot room at Angi’s $1 – $3.50 per foot comes to about $48 – $168. This is our own multiplication, not a measured price.
Extras that change the bill
| Work | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Crown trim around a door or window | $150 – $200 each | HomeGuide (older); Angi |
| Removing old crown molding | $0.50 – $1.50 per linear foot | Fixr |
| Custom molding, materials | $10 – $30 per linear foot | Angi |
| Custom molding, labor | $15 – $20 per linear foot | Angi |
| Repairing or rebuilding traditional plaster molding | $4,000 – $6,000, even for a couple of linear feet | Angi |
Buy more molding than the wall measures. HomeGuide advises adding about 2 inches per corner and 10% extra for a material that dents easily, such as MDF, because mistakes happen at the miter saw. Angi’s note on traditional plaster refers to molding run in place on the wall, which is rare today; premade plaster crown is the material priced in the tables above.
Is old molding a lead-paint issue?
If you are replacing crown molding in a house built before 1978, ask the installer about lead. The EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting rule requires anyone paid to do work that disturbs painted surfaces in a pre-1978 home to be a lead-safe certified firm, including sole proprietors. The rule does not apply to homeowners working in their own pre-1978 home, but it does if you rent out part of the house or flip it for profit (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). The EPA says renovation work that disturbs lead-based paint can easily create dangerous lead dust.
How to keep the bill down
- Choose a less expensive material such as MDF or PVC. Angi lists this among its ways to save, and the tables above show MDF and polyurethane as the cheapest to install.
- Pick a simpler profile. Angi says complex, multi-piece designs raise labor.
- Ask about pre-cut corners, another of Angi’s suggestions, and about putting the molding only where it has the most impact.
- Hire a carpenter to install it and paint it yourself. Inch Calculator, an older guide (August 2023), lists this as a way to save.
- Compare several quotes with the same linear footage, material and finish. Our guide on how to find a contractor covers licenses, bids and deposits.
If crown molding is one line in a bigger renovation, such as finishing a lower level, see our basement remodel cost guide for the rest of the budget.
Questions to ask before you sign
- What is the price per linear foot, and how many feet did you measure?
- Which material and profile does the quote assume, and what is the molding width for my ceiling height?
- Does the price include priming, painting or staining, caulking and cleanup?
- Is removal of the old molding included, and who patches the wall or ceiling afterwards?
- My house was built before 1978: are you a lead-safe certified firm?
- What happens if a piece is damaged during installation, and who pays for the extra molding?
Sources
- Angi, How Much Does It Cost to Install Crown Molding?, updated June 11, 2025. Archived copy of July 12, 2025, because the live page blocks automated readers.
- Homewyse, Cost to Install Crown Molding, May 2026.
- Fixr, How Much Does It Cost to Install Crown Molding?, updated January 31, 2025.
- Networx, Cost to Install Crown Molding, 2026 guide with no date shown.
- HomeGuide, Crown Molding Costs, author date April 5, 2023 (older guide).
- Family Handyman, How Much Does Crown Molding Cost?, updated October 23, 2023 (older guide).
- Inch Calculator, Cost to Install Crown Molding, updated August 4, 2023 (older guide).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Carpenters, 2025 median pay.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Renovation, Repair and Painting Program.
