Few decorative finishes can equal the elegance of crown molding on a room, but there’s more to installing it to perfection than bending back at the hard angle of a corner cut. Cutting that corner right is particularly intimidating for those without much experience, and yet knowing the difference between inside and outside corners is the foundation you’ll need to achieve an installation that’s absolutely flawless. With the correct tools and techniques, you can master your space with crown molding in fit-just-so every corner. This guide masters cutting crown molding corners.
1. Inside vs. Outside Corners
Understanding this makes a big difference between inside and outside corners that will guide you in determining the approaches to cutting and installation.
Inside Corners: These are inside corners, where the walls make a concave angle less than 180 degrees. Any room where walls come together at a simple right angle will have inside corners.
Outside Corners: These are the outside corners where two walls come together to make a convex angle, meaning it is greater than 180 degrees. Commonly, it happens in open spaces like pillars and fireplaces or where walls go out.
Knowing what kind of corner you have is step one to cutting your crown molding.
2. How to Cut Crown Molding Corners
To achieve a flush fit on all inside and outside corners, you will have to make some very precise cuts with your miter saw. This means you are setting up your molding at the correct angle on the saw so that your cut just hits the corner.
For interior corners, coping is most often used. This entails an angle cut with a miter saw, but it involves cutting away the extra wood on the molding profile along the edge of the piece being fitted by using a coping saw. Coping ensures that there is a tight fit at the place where the two molding pieces overlap in the corner.
Out here, at the outside corners, you’ll need to cut the crown molding with your miter saw because you are cutting at an angle. The pieces of molding jut out from the corner so that the angles on either piece must match up perfectly when placed together at the point you use to screw them to each other.
For a more detailed and video explanation of cutting corners, check out this tutorial that clarifies this in detail by differentiating between inside and outside corners.
3. Tools for the Task
Though tools can make all the difference between a good-looking finish and an awful one when cutting up crown molding, what you will need is the following:
Miter Saw: This is probably one of the most important tools in your arsenal-high-quality miter saw is quite crucial for making precise cuts at the right angles. For crown molding, you will make mostly 45-degree cuts for both inside and outside corners.
Coping Saw: You need this tool to cope the edges of the inside corners and make a snug fit.
Measuring Tape: Measuring is key so that your cuts are just exact. Always measure twice before you cut.
Crown Molding Jig. It helps hold your molding level and at the right angle during cuts, so clean, accurate cuts are easily obtained.
4. Working with Vaulted Ceilings
If your ceilings are vaulted or angled, cutting crown molding becomes a bit more difficult. The angles of the walls and ceilings will need to be taken into account in the measurement to make up for the adjustments made when cutting. For more inspiration on how to deal with those kinds of conditions, check out this crown molding with lights option here, which will add both sophistication and functionality to your installation.
5. Tips for Perfect Cuts
Measure Twice: Always measure twice before you cut. The error of the width of a piece of tape easily makes for noticeable gaps.
Practice First: When you are a beginner at cutting crown molding, you’ll probably want to practice on scrap pieces first. This will help you get a feel for how to hold the molding and where it should go on the saw.
Use caulk to close gaps: Even when making accurate cuts, small gaps would still appear in the corners. You can fill up the gaps using the caulk for a flawless and seamless finish.
Prepare to Take on Your Crown Molding Project
Although cutting crown molding corners looks daunting when you first lay eyes on it, there’s practice here, as well as proper techniques, and you will get a professional finish. To learn more, or to see more types of molding, visit Creative Crown.
Watch this YouTube video on the cutting of crown molding step-by-step and tight corners like a pro!
