May I ask, did a pro install or you? We are trying to install crown in a bathroom with almost the same results. Very frustrating. I hope you get some good advice.

I don't think this is unusual but it's usually not quite that dramatic. Trying to get a totally even ceiling appears to be challenging for most dry-wallers. Mine is not perfect but I'm not allowing it to bother me.

Are the cabinets level?

Yes the cabinets are level

Float out the ceiling.

I had the same problem, more like the first pic than the second (wow!). I cut a tapered piece to fill the gap, painted to match the cabinets, and since then pretended it doesn't exist. I don't think anyone has ever noticed, and if they did, it wasn't mentioned. Except for new additions, nothing in my old house is plumb or level.

Happened to us. Contractor said in old houses, it’s pretty standard because the ceilings can be uneven. Our house is over 100 years old and this contractor is known as one of the best and has worked for us several times with great results so I took him at his word.

My last house had this problem. We dealt with it by putting a flat piece of trim from the top of the cabinet up to the ceiling and then installing the crown on top of that.

This is what we attached the flat trim to:

This is how it looked when we were done. If you really looked hard you could see it but unless we pointed it out no one noticed.

The more layers of crown you have the more you can fudge, 2 or 3pc

i have the same thing in one corner. the ceiling was not level. didn't realize it until the cabs and crown went in.

just have your guy fudge it w/back filling and ceiling paint. it will make it less obivous

Thanks to everyone. It’s uneven compared to the other cabinets in the kitchen. I do not think it’s fixable. I think we may have to level the ceiling. Any other ideas?

Skim coat the ceiling & or get a filler mounting block shown in red then slide crown up tight to ceiling.

Can the ceiling be skimmed if it’s about 1 to 1.5 inch difference? Also we do have the filler strip on the cabinet.

I see the filler strip. Have you pushed the crown as tight as possible to ceiling? it is visually better to be tight to ceiling & be slightly unlevel than see gaps that are very noticable.

You could try to use scribe & cut a sliver & squeeze in gap then chalk.

or take it down & skim coat the ceiling level & redo.

Try the 1st easier ways,if fails then do the other.

Also any recommendations on brands and type of compound to skim coat the ceiling since we may need a thicker coating? That is if it can be done.

It’s not fully pushed into ceiling yet. The other side of cabinets do not match up with this one. They have a thicker filler. I think it makes the cabinets appear uneven. The other side may need skim to bring it down.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/how-to-fix-gap-between-ceiling-and-kitchen-crown-molding-dsvw-vd~2992917

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/2016/08/23/scribing-crown-molding

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/cabinets-installed-ceiling-not-levelhelp-dsvw-vd~2674090

It isn't a high joist, it looks as if the left side is a few low joist. The sub crown reveal doesn't match cab to cab. Crown should be pushed tight then material taken out of the top of the left end. You will never get it all out settle with a happy medium.

What is the thickest layer of skim coating that I can put on top?

Did you cope your molding?

Crown is much harder than it looks. Their are so any angles & factors that effect the other. I know many contractors who can build a home, but they are not finishing contractors. They sub the crown out to a finishing contractor.

Before getting into the mess of skim coating, ask a finishing contractor who specializes in trim if he could finish this section off for you without skim coating. It should not cost that much to finish up that area.

My dad is an amazing finishing contractor, retired now. I use to hangout in the field watching. There's a lot that goes into getting that gorgeous finished look. He was known as the finisher. Lol.

If you are a perfectionist, then hire the perfect Pro. Becoming a true finish, molding contractor takes many years to perfect.

There is a trick that DIY do I have heard of...

Try hanging the crown slightly less than the ceiling, like an 1/8-3/4". Enough to level out crown but when looking up at you can't see gap. That trick may work for this situation.