How to Use Light Rail Moulding
Have you ever noticed how the beautiful crown moulding at the top of kitchen cabinets just seems to give the finishing touch to the kitchen? You may have also noticed that most high-end cabinets have moulding attached at the bottom of the cabinet, to soften the boxy look at the bottom and give another beautiful touch to the cabinet. This small strip of light rail trim moulding packs a powerful punch in terms of style and function.
Light Rail Moulding can not only dress up the look of cabinets, but (true to its name!) it serves the dual purpose of hiding the under-cabinet lighting. A shallow light strip tucked behind the cabinet face frame will provide much-needed light in your work areas, but will be beautifully hidden from view when you use some stylish light rail moulding. Also, the rail moulding will prevent glare for anyone seated in the kitchen area.
So, what does light rail moulding look like and how is it different from other mouldings? The key feature of light rail moulding is the small cleat on the back of the moulding for easy attachment to the bottom of the cabinet. Also, there is a small corner on the face of the light rail moulding that fits perfectly against the bottom corner of the cabinet, slightly covering the bottom edge. This little lip on the moulding helps to easily align the moulding to the cabinet and prevent unsightly gaps in the finished product. Other mouldings can be adapted to use as light rail moulding by manually adding a cleat to the back of the moulding.
Installing light rail moulding is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to quickly dress up kitchen cabinets and give a kitchen a polished look.
Choosing the Correct Light Rail Moulding for your Project
There are two types of light rail moulding and the one needed depends on the cabinetry it is being applied to.
If you have traditional framed cabinetry, you would use a light rail moulding that has a designated lip allowing it to seamlessly attach over the bottom edge of the cabinet.
If you have more modern frameless cabinetry, you would use a light rail moulding that features the pattern jutted out in the front of the piece to avoid cabinet opening and closure.
Please keep in mind some of these designs are versatile and can be used in either application by being flipped upside down. They also have various attachment possibilities. This depends on the surface available on your cabinetry, the moulding and your intended look of the carved pattern. Our customer service representatives are readily available to discuss any questions you may have regarding our selection! Give us a call at 1-800-849-8876.
How to Install Light Rail Moulding
- Measure carefully to determine how much light rail moulding you will need, remembering to add a little extra for the mitered corners.
- Order one of Osborne’s beautiful Light Rail Mouldings! This is the hardest part because we have a variety of designs to choose from. See above instructions on choosing the correct moulding for your kitchen.
- Measure the bottom of one side of the cabinet and cut one end of the moulding with a miter saw or miter box so that the shorter end lines up with the corner of the cabinet. Repeat this step for the other side of the cabinet, but at an opposite 45-degree angle.
- If installing to framed cabinetry, hold the moulding up against the cabinet so that the small corner of the moulding fits up and over the bottom corner of the cabinet. Make sure the flat end of the moulding sits flush with the back wall.
- If installing to frameless cabinetry, hold the moulding up against the bottom of the cabinet so that the carved pattern piece hangs under the cabinet (out of the way of its opening/closing).
- Use a pin nailer to attach a pin through the cleat on the back of the moulding up into the frame of the cabinet. You may also be able to attach it from the cabinet floor through the top of the moulding. (If you don’t have a pin nailer, you can pre-install narrow finishing nails along the length of the moulding every 6 inches, then tap in the nails one at a time when you place the moulding on the cabinet frame.) Repeat for the other side of the cabinet.
- Measure the length of the front of the cabinet bottom from corner to corner, then cut miter cuts on each end of the front piece of moulding, taking care that the measured length is the short side of the mitered moulding.
- If you have measured and cut correctly, you should be able to place the front moulding neatly on the front or below the cabinets with the mitered corners neatly lining up with each other. Nail the underside of the moulding up into the frame of the cabinet, or attach through the cabinet floor. Use wood putty or caulking to fill the miter joint seams.
