or less) against the portion of the fence farthest from the blade. Test the cope and adjust the screw in or out until the cope fits tight. You saved me money. Miters almost always have to be shaved to fit perfectly. This solves half the problem. Cordless models are available as well (the Ryobi costs about $130). Well, dont worry. Close a gap on the top of a miter by placing a skinny shim (1/16 in. Many pin nailers cost less than $100you can even find one at harborfreight.com for about $30. Trim back the drywall with a sharp utility knife until the molding no longer rocks when its set in place against the jamb and drywall. But on tall baseboards, cutting the long, straight section of the cope with a coping saw is difficult, and the cut is usually wavy. When the angle is correct, recut each board just to the outside of the marks before nailing them into place. Its far more precise than a pencil mark. 9 Best Home Improvement Projects Under $500, 12 Best Home Improvement Projects Under $100, Do Not Sell My Personal Information CA Residents. A quicker and easier method is to place a shim against the miter saw fence to slightly change the angle. The skinny pins fasten returns and other tiny pieces without splitting. More often than not, youll encounter out-of-square corners, walls that arent plumb and drywall that has bumps. When trim comes to a dead endon window aprons or chair rail, for example some trim carpenters just chop it off and nail it up. Thanks for your comments and welcome to our site! Use a hammer to mash and flatten the drywall if necessary. Home House & Components Parts of House Walls, By the DIY experts of The Family Handyman Magazine. Since gaps on the back of the corner are barely noticeable, while gaps on the front are glaring, its a good idea to start by cutting slightly steeper 45-1/2-degree angles first. But even now a regular 45-degree miter wont fit because the molding has to tilt down to meet the jamb. Theres nothing wrong with your saw or your technique. Plus, check out theseTips for Tight Miters and Miter Cuts. They look great. Drop the blade slowly through the wood to shave thin slices. Adjust the angle to about 15 degrees and saw down along the straight section of the beveled cut. In most areas, you dont even have to fill the nail holes paint or finish will hide them. long. Youre welcome, Jacky! Remember, both pieces need the exact same cut to fit precisely. Caulk and paint will hide the gap. If the miter is open on the front, increase the cutting angle to about 46 degrees and recut both sides. Use this shim to elevate the outside edge of your molding (Photo 3) before cutting it. Firstly, thank you for sharing your expertise and making what can often anything you can't do Leah??? But theres a better way: Add a mitered return for a finished look. If other small adjustments to the angle are needed, follow the tip in Photo 1. Heres one of the easiest ways to make your work look better: When sections of trim meet at joints or corners, match the wood tone and grain pattern. YEAH. Be careful to remove only a hairs width from each board. Tool hacks usually happen on the fly, when youre in a situation that calls for a tool to be modified slightly or used in a way thats different than its intended purpose. It only takes a few seconds, and youll avoid ugly mismatches like this. Close a gap at the bottom by removing the square-cut base and driving a drywall screw into the wall about 1/2 in. I found your site a few years back. You then file or plane to the line. Instead, cut through the remaining sliver of wood with a utility knife. Close a gap at the top by scribing the gap with a small compass to mark the wood to be removed. Trim the other half of the miter using the same technique. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. Your videos are so clear and easy to understand. Repeat the process for the opposite miter. Miters rarely fit on the first try. Then tip the molding upside down in the miter saw and saw straight down to the profiled section. Hi Cathy, that is great to hear! Let the blade stop before lifting it from the cut. The secret to making tight-fitting miters is knowing how to adjust your cuts for these real-world conditions. Well show you tricks you can use to cut door and window casing and baseboard joints to fit perfectly, even when you have less-than-perfect walls and jambs. Saw out the remaining profiled section with a coping saw. Photo 3 shows marking a cope thats open at the top. First remove enough drywall so the trim can span the jamb and wall without rocking (Photo 2). from the floor. Choose a fast-acting cyanoacrylate glue formulated for wood (Krazy Glue is one brand). 2006 - 2022 Ekena Millwork. And then cut the piece a little long so you still have the option to shave a little from the angle if it doesnt fit. long. Related Video: How to Install (Inside) Baseboard Moulding With Tight Corners, by See Jane Drill, Copyright 2015, All Rights Reserved, Love this site , tell everone about it,love the host. Then make standard 45-degree miter cuts. From carpentry to plumbing! Then file to the line. How to Install Baseboard Molding, Even on Crooked Walls, Fool-Proof Wall Framing Tips for New Construction, Perfect Trim on Doors, Windows and Base Moldings, How to Frame a Window, Build Window Headers and Door Headers, How to Add a Covered Entryway to Your Home, How to Finish, Frame, and Insulate a Basement, Trim Paint Tips for Smooth and Flawless Results, Metal Studs: How to Use and Frame With Metal Studs, How to Fill Holes in Woodwork Around Your Home, How to Prepare Wood Trim for a Smooth Paint Job, We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer). Hammer Drill vs. Impact Driver: Whats the Difference? November 2, 2015 How To Make Perfect Outside Baseboard Corners. Then if theres still a gap in the front, cut a slightly steeper angle on both pieces. Finally, complete the cope by sawing out the profile (Photo 3). The miter cut provides a profile to guide your cope cut. So check out these 20 cool tool hacks. (If the holes are at eye level, though, its good to putty them.) Wow.Thanks for that angle formula. On a protruding jamb, you can nail the trim to the jamb, slip a shim between the trim and the drywall, and then nail the trim to the wall. Need advice or a video made on a home improvement project? Photo 1 shows how to determine the correct thickness for the shim used in Photo 3 to tilt the molding. Grex makes a version (about $280) that shoots pins up to 2 in. Watch this video to learn how to make perfect outside baseboard corners every time, using an easy math trick. The straight sections rarely fit perfectly. Correct this problem by tilting the trim on the bed of the miter box to match the angle at which it rests against the wall. One method is to simply adjust the angle slightly on your miter saw and recut both moldings. 7 3/8"H x 4 3/4"P Hillsborough Baseboard Moulding Outside Corner, Manufacturer of Urethane, Wood, Metal, & PVC Millwork, 30 1/2"W x 20"H x 1 1/2"P Strasbourg Ceiling Medallion, 7 3/8"H x 4 3/8"P Hillsborough Baseboard Moulding Inside Corner, 7 3/8"H x 1"P x 94 1/2"L Hillsborough Baseboard Moulding, 2"H x 5/8"P x 94 1/2"L Raymond Egg & Dart Panel Moulding, 2"H x 5/8"P x 94 1/2"L Oxford Panel Moulding, 7 1/8"H x 3 1/4"P x 7 3/4"F x 94 1/2"L Milton Smooth Crown Moulding, SAMPLE - 7 3/8"H x 1"P x 12"L Hillsborough Baseboard Moulding, 21 5/8"W x 21 5/8"H x 5/8"P Legacy Rectangle Wall/Door Panel, SAMPLE - 4"H x 3"P x 5"F x 12"L Traditional Smooth Crown Moulding. I have done the baseboards in my kitchen and bath with several obtuse angles. Cut a shim just thick enough to slip under a straightedge spanning the drywall corner. Check the fit against the square-cut piece of base before nailing either of the two baseboards. Uneven walls or floors that are out of level can cause even perfectly coped inside corners to look lousy. A custom website by SeeMeRoar, How to Make Perfect Outside Baseboard Corners, How to Install (Inside) Baseboard Moulding With Tight Corners, Air Compressor Overview and Usage Beginners Guide. The key is to make accurate marks with the baseboard in place rather than relying on measurements. See Jane Drill I would have been trial and error cutting for days. Raise the outside edge of the molding with the shimand cut the 45-degree miter. Slide the molding tight to the shim and against the fence near the blade. Leah, thank you. Instead, start the cope as usual (Photo 1). Even if you only do occasional trim jobs, you need a 23-gauge micro pinner in addition to your 18-gauge brad nailer. Use the same shim and place it the same distance from the blade. Cut the angle for a small mitered return on your miter saw, but dont completely cut it off from the trim stock. It took a while to stumble upon your site, but I am so glad I did. Coping is better than mitering at inside corners. An inset jamb demands a different approach. You taught me to make coped joints and the job looks clean and precise. You are now my go to for advice on jobs like this. Hold it in this position while you make the cut. Repeat the marking process on the opposite baseboard. Tilt the saw to at least a 30-degree angle to create a back bevel for easier fitting. As with any coped joint, begin by cutting a 45-degree miter on the baseboard. from the path of the blade. Mark outside corners with a sharp utility knife. This technique also works with crown molding and chair rail. Occasionally youll run into a door or window jamb that isnt quite flush with the wall. You did it! All rights reserved. How many times have you set your miter saw exactly on 45 degrees and cut miters on a pair of moldings, only to discover they dont fit? Turn the mitered baseboard upside down. Glad to be of help. Keep the blade slightly to the outside of the line. We recommend our users to update the browser. The trouble is that making tiny adjustments to the cutting angle is difficult on many saws. Youll need a compound miter saw or sliding compound miter saw to easily cut tight-fitting miters on wide baseboard. Cut 45-1/2-degree angles on both boards, leaving each an extra 1/8 in. Reduce the angle if the cut is open at the back. Move the shim away from the blade for smaller adjustments and closer for larger ones, or vary the thickness of the shim. Caution: Keep your fingers at least 6 in. That way youll still have the option to shim out the bottom of the square-cut (uncoped) piece to close a gap at the bottom of the cope (Photo 2). Write us! Check the fit of your cope before you nail in either base molding. Getting outside corners to fit tight is trickier than it looks.