How to Cope a Cove Molding
Cove molding is trim that is tucked between the wall and ceiling, and has an inward curve along the front surface, for a smooth, finished look. Cove molding installs like any other trim, meaning that cutting the inside corners can get complicated. Outside corners can be formed by mitering two pieces of trim at 45 degree miters to cover the square edge, but inside corners usually aren't truly square and have to be ``coped.'' A coping saw (looks like a small hacksaw) is used to custom-cut the face of one piece of molding to fit around another. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Measure the wall. Mark the measurement on a piece of cove molding that's longer than the wall.
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Set the molding on your miter saw, in the position it will be on the wall. Set the saw at 90 degrees, for a straight cut across the width of the wood. Line up the mark under the saw and make the cut.
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Hold the piece up on the wall, tucked against the ceiling, with the straight-cut end butted against the adjacent wall at the corner. Nail it in with your trim nailer, shooting nails in about every foot along the length of the piece.
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Measure the other wall out from the corner, and mark a second piece of cove molding. Set the trim on the miter saw with the blade over the mark. Swivel the blade to 45 degrees inward (toward the main body of the piece) and make the cut. The front of the cove molding should be shorter than the back and the cut you made should be fully visible from the front.
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Hold the cut trim in one hand. With the other hand, cope-cut around the mitered part of it, using the thin blade of the saw to follow the contours where the exposed wood meets the trim face. The coped cut should be curved with the contours of the front of the molding.
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Set the coped cove molding on the wall, with the coped cut against the molding that you nailed there before. The coped cut should fit snugly over the surface of the other piece, following its contours and covering the corner completely. Affix the second piece to the wall with your trim nailer.
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Tips & Warnings
Wear protective eye goggles when using a miter saw.
