How To Cut Crown Molding With A Miter Saw
The crown molding is a decoration installed at the intersection of the wall and the ceiling. It will give your room a different style and make your home look more elegant. When cutting crown moldings, a miter saw is the ideal helper.
This article introduces how to use miter saw to cut crown moldings, and what matters needing attention in cutting.
Table of Contents
Basic knowledge before cutting
Before cutting, there are some basic knowledge that you need to understand. We strongly recommend that you use small scraps for practice to avoid wasting materials.
Miter Cut
Miter cut is to cut along the length or width of the workpiece at an angle other than 90 degrees. So it is not a square cut, but it will cut perpendicular to the surface of the workpiece. Miter cut is often used to make boxes, photo frames and other frame structures.
Bevel Cut
Bevel cut is when the blade is tilted to the workpiece surface and is cut at an Angle other than 90 degrees. Unlike miter cut, bevel cut will change the angle of the board edge.
Bevel cut can make two pieces of wood overlap and connect carefully to make it look like a piece of wood. It can enhance the aesthetics and increase resistance to weathering.
Cutting Crown Molding
No matter what type of saw is used, remember to wear safety glasses and dust mask. We recommend cutting the crown molding upside down on the miter saw. This is because they need to have flat edges when they are connected to the wall or ceiling, so they can fit the wall smoothly.
Square cut
This is a relatively simple cut, which is used to directly fit the crown molding to the wall, where the cut end of the mold is flush with the corner. Set the miter saw to 0 degrees and make a straight cut to get the butt joint. This butt joint will be flush with the corner. As you can see, square cut is so simple.
Inside corner
When you need to cut crown molding for an inside corner, in most cases, the miter saw will come with a preset angle for crown molding. If your miter saw does not have a preset angle, you need to set it. To do this, the recommended angle of the bevel cut is 33.9 degrees and tilted to the left, and the miter cut is 31.6 degrees to the right.
Mark the contour of the crown molding with a pencil on the workpiece to provide you with a line for precise cutting. Place your mold on the saw table, fix it in place, and start cutting. After cutting this side, then you will cut on the other side.
Finally, use a wooden file or sandpaper to polish the edges to ensure that the joints of the workpiece are tight.
Outside corner
Crown moulding outside corner is suitable for rooms with more than four corners. Measure from the outer edge of the corner with a tape measure, and mark the measured value on the workpiece with a pencil. The bevel cut is set to 33.9 degrees and the miter cut is 31.6 degrees on the left.
You can now make a cut, save the right end of the cut that will be used in the left outside corner. Then do the opposite and you will cut the other side. Similarly, you need to use a wooden file or sandpaper to polish the edges to ensure that the joints of the workpiece are tight.
Some tips
- Different types of crown moldings require different angles, so make sure to set the miter and bevel angles correctly.
- Please read the instruction manual carefully before operating any miter saw.
- During operation, always wear goggles and dust mask. If the noise is too loud, you can wear earplugs to protect your hearing.
- If you don’t use the miter saw often, please practice on the scrap first.
- Always choose the right blade, the higher the tpi, the better the smoothness of the cut
Finally
Crown molding can enhance visual appeal and make your room reflect a unique decorative style. If you need to DIY this project, please don’t worry. Cutting a crown shape is indeed a complicated task, but as long as you use the right angle and cutting method, you will succeed.