When it comes to moulding or molding, there is not much difference in the meaning – aside from the spelling. A simple U doesn’t make too much of a difference in a word, but a slight change in spelling can indicate more about the history of that word and its origin in language.

Moulding is the “Old World” version of the spelling and molding finds itself exclusive to usage in the United States among woodworkers and carpentry businesses. Some US-based businesses or woodworking professionals might opt to go with the moulding spelling just for variety or differentiation.

What is Moulding or Molding?

The art of woodworking is as old as many ancient civilizations including believed beginnings to be in ancient Greece and ancient Rome. The definition of Moulding means a: a decorative recessed or relieved surface or b: a decorative plane or curved strip used for ornamentation or finishing, according to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary. Moulding became a popular way in countries like Canada, England and other parts of Europe to help woodworkers build aesthetically pleasing features to their homes. This is why moulding often helps to increase home values and desirability in homes in the modern day.

The practice of Moulding or Molding began as an art form with woodwork and was traditionally made with solid milled wood. However, new technologies have allowed molding to be made with PVC plastics and sometimes stone.

Fun Fact: Molding is often referred to as Coving in the United Kingdom and Australia!

There are dozens of different styles of molding including:

• Astragal, which is a semi-circular type of molding. It is attached to a single or pair of doors to help cover the gap where they meet. It is a common type and style of molding found in a lot of modern homes.
• Convex molding, is a type of moulding that is carved in imitation of a twisted rope or cord. It was most commonly used for decorative moldings in Romanesque style in England, France and Spain. Convex moulding was found to be commonly adapted for 18th-century silver and furniture design thanks to renowned furniture designer Thomas Sheraton, according to the Lewis, Philippa & Gillian Darley (1986) Dictionary of Ornament.
• Casing, is the finished trim found around the sides of a door or window opening covering. It helps to bridge the gap between the finished wall and the frame to which it is attached. This is another common molding design element found in many modern homes.
• Keel molding, is another example of early English styles of decorative moulding. It is a sharp-edged moulding design resembling a cross-section of a ship’s keel.
• Crown molding, is wide, sprung molding. This style of molding, considered to be an upgraded style of design and function, is used at the junction of an interior wall and ceiling. It is the general term for any molding at the top or “crowning” an architectural element.

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Mouldings in a building or home provide a variety of functions ranging from simple to functional and decorative. On the simple side, moldings do a great job of helping to hide natural joints in the framing process while building a structure.

In addition, the dozens of design combinations allow for a decorative element. These are the types of features many will add to homes to help increase property value. The benefit to using a moulding is that the concaves apply light and darkened-shaded stripes to a natural object without paint or pigment.

Lastly, mouldings are also beneficial for use as a weather-sealing joint, which adds to its form and function in a house or building. Often, mouldings are used for the benefit of all three advantages.
With the basic elements, purpose and function, along with various types and styles of moulding, they can be rearranged in thousands of combinations to help provide an efficient, but timeless and decorative look to any structure.

Sources:
Lewis, Philippa & Gillian Darley (1986) Dictionary of Ornament
Wikipedia.org
merriam-webster.com

Picture source:
Table of architecture, Cyclopaedia, 1728, volume 1