How to Cut Corner Angles on Crown Molding

Crown molding can be used with great effect to dress up the appearance of a room. Inevitably, however, you'll need to navigate a corner with your crown molding, which means that you need to know how to cut corner angles on crown molding. With the right tools and a little planning, you'll be able to handle this task with ease.

Things You'll Need

• Crown molding
• Mitre box and mitre saw
• Clamp

Instructions

1. Decide what angles need to be cut. The vast majority of all corner angles cut on crown molding are 45 degree angles. The reason is simple. A typical corner is 90 degrees, so two complementary angles of crown molding must be cut at 45 degrees to make the resultant angle.

2. 

   Examine the diagram to see what kind of joint you need. Most crown molding angles are cut to achieve inside corners, outside corners and straight joints. Decide what you have to cut, then make an approximate pencil line on your crown molding to remind you which way to cut.

3. Place your first piece of wood into the mitre box, with the back side of the molding against the outside wall of the mitre box. Hold the crown molding securely in place with a carpenter's clamp, then cut down into the wood with the mitre saw, using the mitre box's 45-degree angle guide to keep the saw straight and even.

4. Place your second piece of wood into the mitre box, with the back side of the molding against the outside wall of the mitre box. Hold the crown molding securely in place with a carpenter's clamp, then cut down into the wood with the mitre saw, using the mitre box's 45-degree angle guide to keep the saw straight and even. Remember that in most joints, this cut will be a mirror image of the first cut.

5. Place the two pieces of crown molding together to check the joint. It should be flush and tight.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice cutting with your mitre saw on scrap wood before undertaking a project with expensive moldings.

Resources

• Mitre box