Cutting and Fitting Crown Molding
Video Demonstration
To help avoid cutting the miter joint the wrong way, establish which way up your crown molding should be fixed to the wall and then mark the back of the crown molding that is to be attached to the wall at frequent intervals with "W/E" (wall edge) (see Fig 3).
You may also find it useful to mark the back face of the crown molding that will be fixed to the ceiling with "C/E" (ceiling edge) (see Fig 3).
This will help you know which face of the crown molding goes to the wall and which face goes to the ceiling. Some crown molding comes pre-marked from the manufacturer.
Test Cut Your Crown Molding
Before cutting your first miter joint, measure the walls and cut your crown molding over-size in length to allow for cutting the miter joints. Remember, when cutting an external miter joint your crown molding needs to be longer than the walls.
Also, you can always cut a little off but you cannot add it back so measure Twice - check - cut once! (this golden rule of miter cutting will save both time and money.
Before proceeding to cut into any long useable lengths of crown molding always use your small 'off cuts' to do some practice miter joint cutting. This will give you more confidence to cut perfect miters on the main lengths of crown molding.
Instructions for Cutting Miter Joints
To help avoid errors remember the following practice when cutting miter joints in crown molding to fit around your room.
- The crown molding that is to go on the right-hand side of the miter joint, when being cut is locate in the left-hand locked workpiece holder with the wall edge to the back and ceiling to the front.
- The crown molding that is to go on the left-hand side of the miter joint, when being cut is locate in the right-hand locked workpiece holder with the wall edge to the back and ceiling to the front.
Directly after having located the pivoting workpiece holders with the aid of the template in the desired position, the red locking screws located in both workpiece holders MUST BE FULLY TIGHTENED.
When correctly set and double-checked you are ready to start cutting your miter joints by placing the crown molding into one of the pivoting workpiece holders ensuring that:
The edge of the crown molding that you have marked "w/e" (wall edge) should go to the back. To remind you, the Guide Piece/Cam Stop has the word 'CEILING' on it and obviously the edge to go to the ceiling should be towards the front.(see Fig 4)
The Guide Piece/Cam Stop with the word 'CEILING' in it is provided to help guide your crown molding to the required inclined angle at which is to be cut. Both pivoting workpiece holders have four pairs of holes into which the guide piece may be located at various distances from the back. This arrangement is used as follows:
You must first establish the distance that your crown molding will be standing out from the wall when fixed. (see Fig 5).
When you have measurement 'X', locate the Guide Piece/Cam Stop (with the word 'ceiling' on it) at measurement 'X' from the back wall of the pivoting workpiece holder.
It may be necessary to use a timber packing strip (not provided) to arrive at measurement 'X' to suit the selected type and size of crown molding (see Fig 6).
Please Note
These TOP TIPS for cutting miter joints are provided as a service from MML (QS) Ltd. The information is intended to help with the cutting and fitting of moldings around the house with the use of the "Magic Mitre" product.
MML (QS) Ltd assumes no liability for omissions, errors or the outcome of any project. The reader and user of the product must always exercise all reasonable caution and follow all applicable codes and regulations and the safety instruction.
