How to Cope With Dark Wood Trim

A coping saw can be used to cope trim by hand.

Coping trim is a technique that creates perfect joints by cutting the profile of one trim piece into the adjoining piece to create an invisible joint. The techniques used are the same, no matter what finish the trim has, light or dark. With dark stained, or painted trim, additional touch up may be required along the cut edge to cover up light flecks of wood that will show through from even very minor chipping along your cut edge.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Miter saw
• Pencil
• Band saw
• Paint or stain
• Art brush
• Pin nail gun

Instructions

Marking

1. Fit the first piece of trim to the wall and nail it in place with a pin nail gun and 1-1/2 inch nails. Measure for the coped piece from this trim to the next corner. Measure from the bottom of the trim for crown molding, and from the top of the trim for baseboard.

2. Mark the piece to be coped to length, along the bottom edge for crown molding and along the top edge for baseboards. Position the trim on your miter saw, with the top edge up and the bottom on the table for baseboard, and with the top edge down and the bottom up for crown.

3. Set the saw to a 45-degree angle so it cuts into the face of the trim with the blade angled toward the length of the trim and away from the end being cut off. Align the blade to the outside of the mark and cut down through the trim in one smooth action.

Coping

1. Rub a pencil along the revealed profile of the trim where the miter breaks. Cut the end of this piece along the profile edge on a band saw, steering the trim gently to keep the blade just on the outside edge of the mark. Alternately, clamp the trim down, with its end off your worktable and cut the line by hand with a coping saw.

2. Apply paint or stain in a matching color to any noticeable chips along the coped edge. Use an art brush to apply the finish and allow it to dry for one hour.

3. Fit the coped trim to the first piece you nailed in place. The coped end should fit perfectly into the profile of the piece you nailed to the wall previously. Nail this piece in place with a finish nailer and 1-1/2 inch nails, one every six inches.

References

• This Old House: How to Cope a Joint for Crown Molding