How to Make Coping Saw Corner Cuts

The purpose of making coping saw corner cuts is to enable molding to perfectly fit together in corners. The coping saw has a squared brace-holding thin blade for cutting sharp curves and angles. This lightweight wood saw has a handle behind the blade for one-handed maneuverability. The skill of making a coping cut is acquired with practice. The result is baseboards, side molding and crown molding that appears to be made of one piece.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Wood trim
• Chop saw
• Sand paper
• Wood file
• Wood putty
• Finish hammer
• Nail sets

1. Set one piece of trim, baseboard or molding into the corner with the flat edge meeting the wall. It is not necessary for the board to be perfectly flush against the wall since the corner will get covered. Hammer finish nails through the trim and into the wall with a fitting nail set.

2. Measure a piece to meet against the piece in the corner. Make a 45 degree crosscut with a chop saw or miter saw, leaving the finished side longest.

3. Cut along the exposed wood profile of the molding design and follow the shape precisely. The thin top curves should be left to protrude farther than the wider squared-off base.

4. Set the cope cut in place to meet the intersecting corner piece to check the fit. Make slight adjustments using sand paper or a wood file without shortening the board.

5. Nail the cope cut piece to the wall once the fit is perfect. Use putty to fill any slight gaps. Paint will unify all colors and textures.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep extra blades on hand. Coping saw blades are thin and vulnerable and they wear out quickly.

References

• Trim cutting with a coping saw from One Project Closer
• Cut molding with a coping saw from Online Tips dot org
• Coping saw corner cuts video from Ask the Builder