How To Set Miter Saw For Crown Molding

In this mail service, I'll show you how to easily cut crown molding with a miter saw.

This is a useful skill to learn that you lot tin can apply to many futurity projects!

.

Before nosotros dive into cutting, let's discuss what crown molding is for a minute and how it'southward typically shaped.

The Anatomy of Crown Molding

Crown molding comes in many sizes and styles. You'll notice, though, that most types accept these features–a apartment surface at the acme, a flat surface at the bottom back, and the "corner" section is hollow when installed.

You may occasionally meet "solid" crown molding options where the corner section is solid, simply it's not as common.

.

Note that the bottom, in many cases, has a apartment surface area that'southward larger than the meridian. You're typically nailing through the bottom, and then the larger surface area allows for more room to smash and a more secure hold.

.

Also, the flat pinnacle and flat back sections are 90 degrees to each other and so these should fit square into a corner–like the corner where a wall meets a ceiling.

Of class, not every awarding using crown molding is for walls and ceilings. In many cases, I use crown molding for furniture pieces to requite it some extra detail. And in this case, I used it to trim out a window.

.

Bank check out some article of furniture projects using crown molding here:

• 

  Library Bookshelf with Desk-bound

• 

  Small Linen Chiffonier

• 

  Glass Door Linen Chiffonier

• 

  Dog Crate Nightstand

• 

  DIY Entertainment Center

.

No matter how you're using it, the steps to cutting it are yet the same. I'll show yous below.

*Come across website policies before starting any project.

To Cut Crown Molding, You Volition Need:

• Miter Saw
• Crown Molding
• Measuring Tape
• Speed Foursquare (helpful to double check angles on miter saw)

.

You tin can cut crown molding many ways, but a miter saw is a quick and easy way, so that'due south what I'm sharing hither.

.

Crown molding tin exist installed in dissimilar orientations. I'll hash out in item below, simply first, allow's compare inside vs. outside corners.

.

RELATED: What type of nail gun should y'all use to install crown molding?

Crown Molding on Inside Corners

Inside corners are corners that run into together to grade an internal angle–like the corner of a room. These are corners that don't protrude outward, but instead, kind of course an "enclosed" infinite.

.

The fundamental thing to remember when cutting crown molding for INSIDE CORNERS is that the bottom is longer than the top.

Below is a real life example. Notice that on the inside corners, the bottom of the crown protrudes farther into the corner than the top, making it longer.

In this example, the corner on the right is a 45 degree corner and the corner on the left is a 90 degree corner. I'll talk over that more below.

Crown Molding on Exterior Corners

Outside corners are corners that meet together to class an exterior angle–one that protrudes outward into a space. An example of an exterior corner would be the corner of a bookshelf that sticks out into a room.

.

The key thing to recollect when cutting crown molding for Exterior CORNERS is that the top is longer than the bottom.

Beneath are some real life examples. Discover that on the outside corners, the top of the crown sticks out further than the bottom, making it longer.

In this example, the left epitome shows a basic ninety caste outside corner and the right image shows a 45 degree outside corner. I'll discuss both of these more below.

How to Identify Crown Molding in the Miter Saw

When using a miter saw to cut crown molding–whether you're cut an within or outside corner, you desire to place it into the saw UPSIDE Downward.

.

Identify the flat department of the bottom against the vertical saw argue and the flat top section flat on the saw base.

It'south very important to brand certain the molding is fix into the saw nice and square. Make sure the flat sections at the superlative and bottom are Apartment against the back argue and the saw base.

When you brand your cuts, make certain to concur this position firmly to avoid the piece shifting.

.

HELPFUL TIP: If you detect that the ends on your cuts aren't lining up very well, information technology's likely that the piece wasn't sitting square in the saw.

Cut Crown for 90 Degree Corners

To make cuts for a 90 caste corner, arrange your miter saw's MITER Angle to 45 degrees. Utilize a speed square to double check that the 45 degree miter saw setting IS Actually 45 degrees.

.

NOTE: Proceed your miter saw's BEVEL ANGLE set to 0. You only demand to adapt the MITER angle hither.

.

Depending on which side of the corner yous are cutting and whether it'southward an inside or outside corner, you may have to miter to the right or to the left. This is where y'all take to pay close attending.

.

Remember that for inside corners, the bottom is longer than the peak and for exterior corners, the elevation is longer then the bottom. So, place your piece in the saw upside down and turn the miter angle based on what you need.

.

If you're cut the left side of an outside corner (shown in diagram below) or the right side of an inside corner, you'll plough 45 degrees to the left.

If you're cut the right side of an outside corner or the left side of an inside corner, you'll miter 45 degrees to the right.

For me, information technology'southward easiest to simply remember 3 things:

1. Upside downwards
2. Figure out which side (top or bottom) should be the longest in your situation
3. Accommodate 45 degrees that direction

A Note About Adjusting angles:

In real life situations, you may not exist working with Verbal 90 caste corners as things are rarely ever exactly perfect. If it's close, a little glue, caulk and/or putty will piece of work to fill small cracks.

.

Only if your corners are several degrees off, y'all tin can adjust each cut slightly off 45 degrees to compensate.

• For corners slightly OVER 90 degrees, adjust your cuts ½ caste less than 45 for every degree the corner is over xc.
• For corners slightly UNDER xc degrees, adjust your cuts ½ degree more than 45 for every degree the corner is nether 90.

Cut Crown for 45 Caste Corners

To make cuts for 45 degree corners, the procedure is exactly the same as cut 90 degree corners, simply this time, you adjust the miter bending to 22.5 degrees instead of 45.

.

Follow the same rules for inside and outside corners, just change the cut angle.

Measuring Crown Molding

Measuring crown molding–peculiarly if it's a long piece–can be a piffling challenging. Instead of really MEASURING, many times, I find it easiest to hold the slice in identify and just mark where information technology needs to be cut.

.

Simply sometimes (especially for inside corners), you can't always concord it in identify and marking information technology. And so sometimes you exercise have to measure.

.

In one case you measure for how long of a piece yous demand, keep in listen that the part that the measurement needs to exist transferred to is the flat part on the back at the bottom.

This is the role that gets secured to the wall/piece of furniture so it'due south the role that needs to fit where you measured (assuming you measured the wall/slice of piece of furniture).

.

One time I make my mark, or my measurement, I like to trim it a little long (near ⅛″ to ¼″), and then cutting a footling off (half a blade width) at a time and test it until I get a perfect fit. When I say "cut to fit," that'south what I hateful. I literally cutting it until it fits haha.

Splicing Long Pieces of Crown Molding

The great affair virtually moldings is that they are commonly adequately like shooting fish in a barrel to splice together if you have a really long slice, or you're trying to use up some shorter pieces yous don't want to waste.

.

To splice pieces of crown together, you but cut the end of one piece with a 45 degree bevel and the end of the adjacent piece with a 45 caste bevel the other way then that one overlaps the other.

To cutting this bevel, place the big, flat "corner" section of the back of the crown molding flat upwardly against the dorsum fence of the miter saw, and cut with a miter angle of 45 degrees.

To splice together, apply a piffling glue to the articulation, smash in place, and putty over the seam once dry.

Now you know how to measure, cut, splice crown molding for your next piece of furniture or abode comeback project!

.

Check out this post to learn which type of nail gun is best to use when installing crown molding.

.

And if you're looking for some projects to practise on, hither are a few favorites:

• How to Install Window Trim
• How to Build an Entertainment Center
• DIY Armoire Cabinet

I hope you constitute this helpful and if you'd like to see more than woodworking nuts, head over to the Getting Started Folio!

.

To stay up to date on the latest projects, plans, and DIY tips, be sure to sign up for the FREE Woodshop Diaries newsletter:

Don't forget to pin this or share to your favorite social aqueduct to save it for subsequently!

Until next time, friends, happy building! 🙂

Source: https://www.woodshopdiaries.com/how-to-cut-crown-molding-with-a-miter-saw/

Share this post