Crown Molding Frustration

[Jim Dunn]

I've got a small bathroom to install crown molding in at my Son and DIL's house. Never was any good at cutting and installing in fact I've never tried. I've always coped.

Tried it with the molding that was bought and discovered that this time it was way over my head. Felt just like a fool trying to envision how to make the cuts. Never did get a feel for how to cope this particular style of molding.

Son made a few calls and seem like everyone he talked to say they or someone they know installed it using a "table saw". I skeptical to say the least. Never seen any type of jig for holding it using a table saw. I've found all types of settings for a mitre saw but frankly I think they are only usable for absolute 90 degree corners.

Am I right in my assumption about 90 degree corners or am I missing something?

Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

You 'could' do it on a tablesaw, but as a person who has put up hundreds of feet of crown I have to ask WHY would anyone want to? Even a basic double bevel mitersaw will do the job handily. Most even come marked for the 31 and change degree bevels.

Rockler makes an inexpensive crown molding cutter jig that allows you to cut crown at the angle it sits on the wall and ceiling. You have to cut it upside down as well, but the jig makes it very easy.

Also, you will find that most homes aren't a perfect 90* anywhere, this can add considerably to the frustration. I have been know to cut small length testers to test each angle and see how I need to adjust the cut. Usually you can bracket the angles [44*, 46*, etc] to get a good fit.

[Jim Dunn]

Thanks Kelly. There aren't any outside corners in the small bath. All inside corners. Are you talking about the coping jig used with a jig saw or the plastic jig mounted on the mitre saw?

Also dosen't the angle of the wall to the ceiling vertically effect the install as well?

Just trying to cover all bases here.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

I figured not. The idea is to make inside corner testers. Yes the wall to ceiling angle is definitely a player. You can usually fix things easily with shims in the inside corners to compensate for that being out of square but then you have to caulk the ceiling line before staining or painting.

The jig is a plastic sled type that sits on top of the mitersaw table as you cut. I've never coped crown before. I know that's the preferred method but it's a time killer when you are hanging a whole house of crown.

[Jim Dunn]

Just bumping it up top.

[Tom Hamilton]

Jim, Kelly has hung far more feet of crown than I have, so my perspective is from the infrequent DIY view:

If you google "cutting crown molding" you'll get several sites that offer instruction.

When I did our house I made sample cuts on 6-8" lengths and labeled them: inside right, inside left, etc. Then using the sample I set the saw to match what fit the needed cut. Cuts can be described by the corner or the board. The right and left sides of the corner are the opposite ends of the board. Decide which terminology you will use to describe the cut and stick with it.

I always cut mine flat with a compound miter saw. Many like to build or buy a jig, like the one Kelly mentioned, to hold the board in the installed position and then you can use a 90 degree.

Cutting a 1/8th or so long allows you to spring the board into position. The corners will dig into the adjacent drywall just enough to hold it until you get the nails in.

I also found that a little caulk in the joint is invisible in poorly illuminated corners 8 to 10 feet off the floor. Oh, paint before you install, a couple of coats, then just fix the nail holes after it is up. Again, most crown is not in bright light and is far enough away to look good.

Hope this helps. Tom

[Ted Miller]

Jim, I have done 1000s of bf of crown and yes I still cut mistakes here and there, I do use a jig for cutting crown with my 12" Double Bevel Sliding Compound and it makes the jobs go much faster, I wish I had this jig years ago, now if I can just measure perfect, another story, lol. Also I would like to see someone use their TS to cut crown, good luck...

[Ted Miller]

As Tom said, I always prime and paint prior to install, then caulk if you have some joints not fitting well, then do touch up, I like to cut the first miter than make sure its a good fit and I will cut the length a touch long so I always mark the next cut or miter in place...

[James Carmichael]

I did this for the first time recently and took many practice cuts with scrap. Cutting "in place" did not work for me, maybe I just couldn't duplicate the spring angle of the crown. What did work was laying the crown flat and making a compound cut using the pre-set crown stops on my Makita CMS (the makita manual was a great source of help). Once I got the bevel right, the coping was easy.

I didn't find many freebie tutorials on the web that were much help. One thing that did help was to brad a scrap of crown upside-down on a piece of plywood to simulate the ceiling, then I could test-fit my coped joints to it.

I coped each end and left them long and used a handsaw & mitre box for final fitting.

[Jim Dunn]

Some real good information here. I'm on my way as I write this to try, try, try again. If I still have trouble all is not lost, as I get to visit with, no make that "play with" my granddaughters:)

[Steve Clardy]

Come see me sometime Jim. A road trip you need.;)

I'll teach you about crown:)

[Jim Dunn]

Oh I need a road trip alright, course I'll probably bring my boat:)

[Steve Clardy]

Oh I need a road trip alright, course I'll probably bring my boat:)


Got plenty of water around here for sure ;)