Crown molding can improve the appearance of any area and provide it a more polished appearance. Installation is straightforward, however creating the angle cuts for corners components necessitates meticulous attention to detail in order to get the required results. What are the Miter Saw Angles for Crown Molding.
How to Cut Crown Molding with a Miter Saw? This article covers the methodologies for cutting crown molding using miter saws, as well as how to cut crown molding angles for corners, how to set miter saw for crown molding, and a crown molding angle guide, so let’s get started
How to Cut Crown Molding with a Miter Saw – A Compound Miter Saw
Compound saws are useful because they cut both sides with a single cut, tilting to slice the bevel and rotating to the right or left to cut the miter. This also enables you to put the molding level on the saw table that is especially useful when working with wide molding. Please remember that a conventional compound miter saw just tilts to the left, so these cuts will require you to invert the position of the molding.
What do I Need for Cutting Crown Molding?
To make precise miter saw angles for crown molding, you will need the following supplies;
- A miter saw.
- Crown molding.
- A speed square to double check the saw angles.
- Measuring tape.
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How do you Measure and Cut Crown Molding on a Miter Saw?
Let’s take a look at six steps to measure and use a miter saw for crown molding:
- Get two pieces of scrap wood of the same width.
- Place one piece of scrap wood against the wall where it meets the ceiling.
- On an outside corner that points into the room interior. Lay the second piece of scrap wood over the first with an inch of overlap.
- On an inside corner that faces out from the room’s interior place, the second piece of scrap wood over the first and push them snugly into the corner. The two walls will prevent the material from overlapping.
- For both types of corner, mark the overlap with a pencil along the edge of the board that’s closest to you.
- The two opposite corners created by the board edge closest to the ceiling and the pencil line you made, need to be connected. Place the combination square in the corner to get a corner to corner straightedge to draw a diagonal line. This line is the bisection of the angle that’s created where the two walls meet.
What Angle do You Set a Miter Saw for Crown Molding?
Learning how to set crown molding miter angles is tricky and you will need to consult a table to figure out the exact miter angle and the required bevel angle. Many modern miter saws have marks or stops for common 52/38 molding, which is helpful. But, if you’re working on a wall with 92º and you don’t have a table to use you’re out of luck.
To use the table, you must determine which type of common molding you’re working with, 45/45 or 52/38. Next, find the miter and bevel angles for the combination on the table. When you set the miter saw, it will not be as precise as the table, which has a precision of .01 inches. So, you’re going to need to perform some test cuts to find the exact angles. If the joint is too closed or too open, move to the previous or next row of settings on the table and try again.
Bear in mind that you need to adjust the miter and the bevel angle to get a precise cut. The bevel is fixed for left and right cuts, but one side is cut on the right miter and the other on the left miter. Some cuts are made on the left side of the blade and others on the right and you will need sample pairs to check that the angle cuts are accurate.
Be sure to cut crown molding flat
When you’re cutting a crown molding inside or outside corner on a miter saw, you need to place the piece in the saw in an upside down orientation. The flat section should be placed at the bottom up against the vertical saw fence, and the top flat section should be on the miter saw base.
The crown molding must be set in the saw squarely with the flat sections at the top and bottom totally flat against the saw base and back fence. When you make the miter cuts, it’s important to hold the crown molding in place firmly.
Any shifting during the cut will ruin the angle, and you will need to repeat the cut. If the ends on the miter saw don’t line up well, it’s probable that the piece is not sitting square in the saw.
What is the Trick to Cutting Crown Molding?
Many people ask themselves,”How do I know the angle of my crown molding?” and it’s natural to want to know if there is a simple trick to make this process easier. There are four main miter cuts to consider: Inside Left, Inside Right, Outside Left, and Outside Right. If you consider these cuts logically, it’s easier to understand them.
An inside corner is 90º, an outside corner is 270º, and inside corners turn inwards and outside corners to outwards. If you’re a visual person, this won’t make much sense, but when you start to put together crown molding templates and test pieces, it will be much clearer.
Simply hold up the templates to any given corner where you are working, and it will be obvious if it’s an inside or outside corner. Even some professionals do this throughout their career, because it can be confusing to keep this information straight without visual aids.
For Cutting Right, Outside and Left Inside Corners
- First of all, put on a dust mask and safety eye-wear. To trim angles for a 90 ° corner, check for preset angles on the saw. The necessary miter angles for crown molding are already built into most compound miter saws. If yours lacks them, counterclockwise twist the saw and preset the miter angle to 31.6 ̊. Adjust the bevel angle to 33.9 ° by tilting the saw to the left.
- Place the molding flat on the saw table with the completed side facing up. The top section of the molding must ideally be against the saw’s fence. To slice a right-hand piece for an outside edge, move the molding to the right end of the blade. With one hand, hold the mold and start making the cut.
- To slice the left-hand piece for an inside corner, move the molding towards the left side of the blade. Switch on the saw and start cutting.
For Cutting Left, Outside and Right Inside Corners
- Place the molding so that the top edge is held up against the saw fence and the bottom edge seems to be against your torso. On the saw table, the molding must be faceup and level.
- Adjust the miter angle to 31.6 degree by rotating the saw clockwise. If you haven’t previously done so, tilt the saw to the left and then adjust the bevel angle to 33.9 °. To slice the left-hand piece for an outside edge, move the molding to the right side of the blade. Switch on the saw and start cutting.
- To cut the right-hand piece for an inside edge, move the molding to the left side of the blade. Switch on the saw and start cutting.
What Blade is Best for Cutting Crown Molding?
The best blade sizes to cut crown molding are 10” and 12” blades and in most cases, a 10” blade will be sufficient to make an accurate cut. If you need to cut through thicker materials you may need to use a 12” blade because the blade may only cut the object up to half its diameter.
When Should You Not Use Crown Molding?
There are a few situations where you should avoid using crown molding. On a vaulted or cathedral ceiling, a crown molding will not fit well or improve the aesthetic appeal. Because crown molding requires a specific start and stop point they need to go around the upper perimeter of a room where they meet up again.
What are the Angle Settings for Crown Molding?
There are two common angle settings to consider:
- The miter angle should be set to 31.6º, and on many saws, this is a specially marked setting.
- The bevel angle should be set to 33.9º, and again, this is a commonly marked setting on most modern saws.
Do you Need a Coping Saw for Crown Molding?
No, you can use a coping saw if you prefer, but the best way to cut crown molding angles precisely is with a miter saw. When you’ve measured the angles, you can adjust the saw to cut at any angle you need.
Should modern homes have crown molding?
This is a hard question to answer because every person has their own style preferences. A contemporary beautiful home is likely to have clean lines, a neutral color palette, and subtle furnishings. But, the ceiling is likely to be 10’6” or higher, which is certainly high enough for a crown molding finish. A simple profile is likely to work better in a modern home over crown molding with a complex profile.
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I’m Thomas Steven with more than 12 years of experience in woodworking. It has always been my passion to become a successful woodworker. I have completed hundreds of successful projects. This blog is a way of sharing my woodworking experiences and what tools get the best results. I write about woodworking while being an associate with Amazon and I earn a little commission from every qualifying purchase.