A finished edge between wall and ceiling
Coving installation
Coving softens the hard line where a wall meets the ceiling and gives a room a finished look. It is a small job that shows every shortcut: gaps at the mitres, adhesive squeezing out, uneven lines. Fitted carefully, it disappears into the room in the best possible way.
How we work
Fitting coving properly
Coving comes in plaster, polyurethane and polystyrene, in profiles from a simple cove to ornate period designs. Plaster coving suits period rooms and takes paint beautifully; lightweight polyurethane is easier to handle in long lengths and copes better with slightly uneven ceilings. The choice depends on the room, the age of the house and the look you want.
The fitting is where the quality shows. Corners are mitred or scribed so the profiles meet cleanly, lengths are fixed with the right adhesive for the material, and any joints along the run are filled and sanded so they vanish under paint. On older ceilings that are not perfectly straight, the coving is fitted to follow the ceiling line rather than fighting it.
Coving is often fitted alongside other plastering work. If the ceiling is being [replastered](/services/ceiling-plastering) or the walls [skimmed](/services/skimming), the coving goes up after the plaster has dried, in the same visit sequence.
What the work covers
Profile and material chosen to suit the room
Ceiling and wall lines checked first
Corners mitred or scribed cleanly
Lengths fixed with the correct adhesive
Joints filled and sanded invisible
Gaps caulked ready for decoration
Old coving removed carefully where required
Choosing a profile
A simple cove suits most modern rooms and smaller bathrooms. Larger rooms with higher ceilings can take a bigger or more detailed profile without it looking heavy. For period properties, a profile in keeping with the age of the house usually looks right; we can show you options at the survey and advise on what suits the room's proportions.
Getting a quote
Coving is priced by the room once we know the perimeter, the profile and whether old coving needs removing. Send us the room sizes or book a free survey, and you will receive a clear written price before any work is booked.
Good to know
Coving and older ceilings
In older Greater Manchester houses, coving often goes hand in hand with ceiling work. An Artexed ceiling can be skimmed smooth first, as our Artex ceiling removal guide explains, and new coving then finishes the room. Where original cornicing exists, damaged sections can sometimes be matched rather than replaced wholesale.
If the walls are being skimmed at the same time, the sequence matters: plaster first, coving once everything is dry, then decoration. Our plastering service covers the whole room, so the coving is planned into the job rather than treated as an extra.
Read before you commit
Common questions
Coving Installation: your questions answered
Plaster or polyurethane coving: which is better?
Plaster suits period rooms and paints beautifully but is heavier and more fragile to handle. Polyurethane is lighter, more forgiving of uneven ceilings and quicker to fit. The room and the look you want decide it.
Can coving be fitted to an uneven ceiling?
Yes, within reason. The coving is fitted to follow the ceiling line, and small gaps are caulked before painting. A badly sagging ceiling may need attention first.
Should coving go up before or after plastering?
After. Walls and ceilings are plastered and allowed to dry first, then the coving is fitted, then the room is decorated.
Can you match existing cornicing?
Often, yes. Damaged sections of original cornice can sometimes be repaired or matched with a similar profile rather than replacing the whole run.
Other services we provide
Free home survey
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