Crown Molding Gap Concealment Film

Abstract

A thin concealment film is used to adhere to one side of crown molding, non-adhere to a second piece of molding and conceal the gap between the two pieces of molding. The width of the gap hiding material is sufficient to cover the gap as it widens and shrinks due to humidity, temperature and house settling that currently creates and changes the gap between sections of crown molding. The material can conform to the color, texture, and shape of the crown molding. The material follows the contour of the crown molding even on the non-adhered side of crown molding and across the gap. The gap covering material replaces current temporary solutions like filler caulking and the like that cannot withstand the gap geometry changes. The material may be a single film or lamination with adhesive pre-applied or applied onto one side of the molding at gap-covering material application.

Claims: 
     
         1 . A method to conceal gaps between two sections of crown molding comprising:
 a. Preparing the surface of the crown molding. b. Permanently applying an article to the crown molding on the first side of the gap that overlays and is not constrained by the offset above the second side of crown molding. c. Shaping the article applied to match the contour of the crown molding on both sides of the crown molding and across the gap between moldings. d. The amount of overlay across the second side of crown molding is sufficient to still cover the gap as the gap expands to its greatest width.   
     
     
         2 . A method of  claim 1  whereas an offset between the article and the second side of crown molding is less than  3  mm. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  whereas the article comprises a film with adhesive for attachment to a side one of molding and no adhesive on the film that covers a side two of molding nor across the gap between the moldings. 
     
     
         4 . A method of  claim 3  whereas the width of the adhesive portion of the film is a maximum of  5  mm, and the width of the non-adhesive portion is a maximum of  10  mm. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  whereas the article comprises a film that accepts adhesive applied to side one of crown molding for attachment to side one of molding and no adhesive on the side that covers side two of molding. 
     
     
         6 . A method of  claim 5  whereas the width of the adhesive portion of the film is a maximum of  5  mm, and the width of the non-adhesive portion is a maximum of  10  mm. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  whereas the article comprises a material that can conform and retain the shape as bent to follow contours of the crown molding. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  whereas the conforming material comprises at least one of: a metallic film, a metallic laminate, a plastic sheet, a natural fiber sheet a laminate sheet of multiple materials. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  whereas the article comprises a material that is pre-colored and/or textured to match crown molding. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  whereas the article comprises a material that is able to be colored and/or textured to match crown molding before or after application to cover the gap. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  whereas the article comprises a material that is painted or stained to match the existing crown molding. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  whereas the article comprises a generalized kit that supplies multiple widths, lengths, colors and textures to match typical crown moldings. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  whereas the article comprises a user specified kit that supplies user selected widths, lengths, colors and textures to match specific crown moldings.