How to Cut Crown Moulding on Top of Kitchen Cabinets
Cutting crown molding can strike fear in even a veteran carpenter. There is little more gut wrenching than making the wrong cut in an expensive piece of crown molding, making it worthless. This mostly occurs with complicated compound cuts at odd angles that you won't generally find on kitchen cabinets. Getting correct measurements and knowing how to use them are the keys to proper crown molding cutting. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Paper and pencil
- Tape measure
- 360-degree adjustable protractor
- Crown molding
- Miter saw
Instructions
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Cutting Crown for Cabinets
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1
Draw your cabinets from the top. Measure each cabinet face. Write the dimension on your sketch. Mark whether the joint is inside or outside. An inside joint is where 2 cabinets meet, making an inside corner. An outside joint is on an outside corner. Note whether the cut will be on the right or left end of the molding.
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2
Determine angle of the miter to be cut. Most corners on cabinets are 90-degrees. Cabinets on an angle in the corner are typically set at 45-degrees. Remember that each corner has 2 angles. A 90-degree angle is made up of two 45-degree angles, and a 45-degree angle is made up of two 22.5-degree angles. Odd angles can be measured with a 360-degree adjustable protractor. These are available at your local home center.
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3
Mark your molding in place for proper fit. Hold the molding where it will be installed. If it runs from outside to outside, overlap enough at each end for the miter. Mark the back of the molding where it meets the cabinet face. For inside to inside, you will need to measure the cabinet face and mark the molding using a tape measure. For inside to outside, butt it into the inside corner and overlap outside corner. Mark the piece where bottom edge of the crown meets the cabinet face.
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4
Measure all inside miters with the angle into the center of the molding with the bottom edge being longest. All outside miters angle away from the center, with your top edge being longest. Mark your piece to length at the bottom edge where it meets the cabinet. Use a square to transfer the mark around to the face of the molding.
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5
Set the molding against the miter fence so that the flat edge on the back at the top rests against the fence squarely. The flat edge at the bottom should now rest squarely on the saw base so that the molding is in relation to the fence as it will be to the wall. If your saw is equipped with crown stops, use them. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to set them up.
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Adjust your saw to the correct angle and lock it in place. Move the crown until the saw blade meets the outside of your mark. The side of the blade toward the piece you are keeping should be on the outside of your mark.
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Keeping your hands well clear of the blade, hold the piece firmly against the fence and start the saw. Push it gently through the cut at full RPMs. Making the cut in one motion gives best results. Always release the trigger and wait for the saw to stop spinning before moving the part. If you are uncertain of where the blade will pass, set the molding to make the piece a little longer and try the cut, then adjust as needed.
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Tips & Warnings
If the saw is equipped with a clamp, and it is possible to do so, fasten the piece down before making the cut.
If you have never used a miter saw and are unfamiliar with power tools, seek professional guidance before attempting to cut.
Always wear safety glasses when cutting with any power saw.
