How to Cut Miter Joints by Hand

A miter box has grooves set to 90 and 45 degrees to make neat corners a snap.

You don't need a big power miter saw to cut molding into a few mitered corners . Renting a miter saw isn't that expensive, but they can be a pain to lug back and forth. Don't let miter projects intimidate you. Small projects, or even just a couple of miter cuts, are sometimes best done by hand.

Things You'll Need

• Miter box
• Hand saw
• Sandpaper

Instructions

1. Mark your cut on the wood and place the piece of wood into the miter box. The box includes two different 45-degree angles -- one going in one direction, and one in the other -- and a slot for a 90-degree straight cut.

2. Place the saw into the desired slot and begin sawing lightly. At first you want to barely drag the blade over to wood start a groove. As the cut gets deeper, increase the speed and pressure of your cutting motion. Make sure your blade is level with the ground to insure a fluid cutting motion.

3. Sand any rough edges with a sheet of medium-grit sandpaper. The slow, hand cutting action often results in extremely rough cuts.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice on a piece of scrap lumber before working with the wood for your project.