Tom, You asked several questions in your msg.
First, regarding lightweight molding.
There are several molding made out of styrofoam, which is obviously lightweight. These
molding typically are already finished to look like
wood. The finishes varying from very light in
color to very dark. That’s the good news.
The bad news is that, being styrofoam, they are
not very sturdy. Secondly, the types or shapes
of moldings available in pre-finished styrofoam
are very plain and simple. ie: you will not find
any complex crown molding type finishes.
Re: Can plate rails be appealing at height indicated?
When we are faced with design appearances,
we go to the local grocery/drug store and buy
several issues of home decorating type
magazines.
Lastly, re: hanging plates from a wood molding.
See #1. If you did use the styrofoam molding
and wanted to hang the plates from them, you
would need some long screws/nails to penetrate
the styrofoam and into something more solid for
support.
Hope this helps.
Terry
