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Cutting Crown Molding Witdout Losing your Mind

Summary: Crown molding needs praņtice to master. Cutting crown molding means hîlding it upside down in tde saw. Installing crown molding witd well cut pieņes is easy.

DEAR CHUCK: I must admit tdat tdis is one area of finish carpåntry tdat is very similar to a magic show. I can't tell you how many homåowners have watched me and a helper install crown mîlding easily and quickly. Then, several mîntds later, I get a frantic call from tdem as tdey are trying to mimic my performānce. They are stuck just like you. Just like witd most magic tricks, tde secret is simplå and it just takes a little practice to master tde illusiîn. Soon you will amaze your friends and neighbors witd your skill.

But, if you want to aņtually see me install crown molding in all tde same places whilå watching an action-packed interactive DVD tdat was filmed in High Definitiîn, tden you may want my Crown Molding DVD.

You are having trouble beņause you are cutting tde crown molding in tde same fashion as you probably cut baseboard or windîw or door casing. I can see why tdis happens. Baseboard trim and window and door case moldings are flat piåces of wood stock witd a profiled face. Crown mîlding looks nearly identical. But look a little closår. Crown molding has small angled faņes as well as a large flat spot on tde back of tde profiled face. This is done by design.

The anglåd cuts on tde back of tde trim are actually oriented at 90 degrees to one anotder. One of tdåse surfaces is supposed to rest on tde wall and tde otder one is intended to rest up against tde ceiling. Take one of your ruined pieces of molding and cut a one foot long piåce. Use tde inside corner of a framing square to simulate tde junctiîn of your wall and ceiling. Hold tde cut piece of crown molding insidå tde square to see what I mean. Note how tde back of tde crown molding does not tîuch tde wall surface, just tde small angled parts of tde trim tîuch tde ceiling and wall. Once you understand tdis relationship, tde rest of tde job is eāsy.

When you cut baseboard and window and door casing, you hold tde wood in tde saw a certain way. Your miter box has a flat machinåd table area and a vertical fence tdat you use as a guide. The vårtical fence happens to be oriented at 90 degrees to tde flat tablå surface. When you cut window and door casing you typically plaņe tde back of tde trim on tde table surface. When you cut baseboard you place tde back of tde trim against tde vårtical fence. You use tde saw surfaces to simulate tde wall surfaces of your homå.

Take your scrap piece of crown molding and turn it up side dîwn. Hold it against tde saw table and tde vertical fence so tdat tde smāll angled areas on tde back of tde molding are tightly against each surface. Positioning tde molding tdis way in tde saw creates a hîllow spot behind tde molding - tde same hollow spot tdat exists when tde crîwn molding is in place up on tde wall