A back-saw and Japanese-style pull saw are the most suitable tools. *These two things are constant: Set your miter saw to bevel left at 33.9 degrees. The saw can be adjusted to cut at any angle–set it to 45 degrees for one side of a standard 90-degree corner. The cut line should extend all the way to the bottom of the box. To cut molding cleanly with a handsaw: Clamp a scrap 2”x 6” to sawhorses. Using a power miter saw is the best way to cut crown moulding angles. Make sure that the side of the molding that you’ve finished is facing up. With the crown molding set in the vice, make the cut on the corner of the crown molding. Hold it so that it's angled against the bottom and side of the box in exactly the same way that it fits against the wall and the ceiling, and cut the end at a 45-degree angle. But on tall baseboards, cutting the long straight section of the cope with a coping saw is difficult, and the cut is usually wavy. Remove the saw from that pair of notches and insert it into the other pair so that it's splayed in the opposite direction. Watch this video for Joe Truini's Simple Solution. How to Build a Box for a Cathedral Ceiling Fan, This Old House: How to Install Easy Crown Molding, Popular Mechanics: Pro Tips For Installing Crown Molding, How to Cut 45 Degree Angle Baseboards With a Hand Saw, How to Measure & Cut Trim for the Floor & Doors. Don safety glasses. Cutting the ends so that pieces fit together cleanly can be difficult, especially if the walls aren't exactly square. A miter box is designed to let you hand-saw a piece of wood using a pre-set angle. Crown molding is often 4 inches wide, and it sits at a 45-degree angle with respect to both the wall and the ceiling. Miter-box saws are slow, but can cut correct angles in baseboard molding when no other means are available. Mark lines on both boards with a pencil, and cut through them with a handsaw. Joe is a handy guy, who’s always on the lookout for ways to make the job of home improvement easier and more efficient. If you want to install trim without a miter box, however, there is a way to do it using only square cuts, which you can make with a standard circular saw. He used this miter box as a finish carpenter for more than 20 years. The cuts you required for a quarter round molding aren’t that many, using a miter box with a miter hand saw would give you the same precise results but with a smaller mess to clean. Hold it against the bottom and side of the box, and cut the end. Joe Truini is a seasoned contractor, accomplished author and hosts Simple Solutions on Today’s Homeowner TV. For an internal corner that’s on the right side, you’re going to place your crown molding upside down on the right side of the box. You can cut in different angles. Joe Truini: The problem is when you’re using a handsaw to trim only a half-inch or so from the end of the piece of molding, the blade will flex and pop off the waste pieces, leaving a ragged, jagged cut. I’m just a homeowner who has learned a few things on my own. Cut through the molding and into the 2”x 6” with a handsaw. Locate the slot that represents the correct angle for your cut. The result is a nice, clean cut with no splintering. Instead, start the cope as usual (Photo 1). Setting up your miter saw to cut templates for 38• spring angles. Start by cutting the end of one piece of molding at a 90-degree angle and nailing it in place with that end flush against the wall. Place the baseboard between the two horizontal guides on the manual miter saw. Repurpose it as a counter-height workbench! Place the molding on the saw table with the measured portion on the right side of the blade. Also called a 'chop saw,' this tool has a fine toothed blade that you pull down on the work piece. Use the square to ensure the cutting angle is set at 90°. The difference is that the bottom edge of the piece you're cutting, which is facing up in the box, is longer than the top. Keep in mind that you are making a right-hand cut for an outside corner. Use a coping saw to fit crown molding in inside corners that aren't square. Cut the end of the matching piece at a 45-degree angle in the miter box. I have my fathers Stanley miter box circa 1950, with a sharp back saw. One set cuts at 45 degrees for a left-hand miter. Using a Traditional Saw for Outside Corners; How to Cut Crown Molding With a Compound Saw? Now carefully place the molding with the miter box’s wall. Fine-tune the edge by sanding it with a dowel wrapped with 120-grit sandpaper until it fits tightly in place. (Your saw might say 33.8 — the .1 degree is not enough of a difference to matter.) Rotate the saw clockwise and set the miter angle at 31.6 degrees. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Place your molding on a saw table so that it’s secured in place. Insert a piece of crown molding into the box with its bottom edge facing up. Chris Deziel has a bachelor's degree in physics and a master's degree in humanities. DIY Jig to Mark Baseboard Moldings for Cutting, Tip for Popping Long Chalk Lines Accurately, https://todayshomeowner.com/team/joe-truini/, How to Repurpose a Folding Table into a Workbench, Why You Shouldn’t Leave the Keys Inside the Lull Machine, Chelsea Recalls Childhood Trips to Marianna, Florida, Her Dad’s Hometown. This method of cutting crown molding can be done with any miter saw. Slide the molding to the right side of the blade to cut the left-hand piece for an outside corner. Cut the molding for an inside corner. It’s a best practice … Cut an identical 45-degree angle that splays in the opposite direction, using the same technique. To close the corner, it’s best to use 1.25-inch or 1.5-inch brads. On the other hand, the top edge of the molding, which touches the ceiling when it’s installed, must be placed against the fence of the saw. Shove the cutting tool to and fro, as you use the guide to support the blade as the tool cut clean across the baseboard.