How to Cut Crown Molding Like the Pros: Your DIYer Guide

Adding crown molding is a great way to add texture and character to any room in your house.

Unfortunately, paying someone to install it can get pricey. Are you wanted to add an elevated look without having to fork out the money? Going the DIY route can be a great option.

Learning how to cut crown molding isn’t easy, but the payoff will be worth it. The installation is tedious, but taking tips from the pros can help make the process easier.

The process will be well worth it because you will be able to add custom finishes to your home for a fraction of the price.

Keep reading to learn how to cut crown molding like the pros.

Why Install Crown Molding?

Things like renovated kitchens and bathrooms, covered patios, and pools are obvious ways to increase the value you of your home.

It might surprise you that crown molding does the same thing. It gives the impression of high-end finishes and immediately elevates the look of your home.

If you are interested in other ways to boost the value of your home, learn more here.

Important Vocabulary

Before getting started, it’s important to understand a few key vocabulary words.

Spring Angle – angle between the back of the molding and the wall

Bevel – an angled cut to the edge of the wood.

You adjust this angle by tilting the saw blade.

Miter – an angled cut on the face of the wood.

You adjust this angle by swinging the saw arm.

Coping – describes cutting the trim so that it fits against the face of another piece of trim.

Coping is useful because you can cut one piece of trim to a square, and then cope another piece to fit perfectly up against the square piece.

Invest in the Right Tools

DIY projects are great for saving money. However, you have to go into them with the right mindset. Avoid thinking that DIY will allow you to do everything as cheap as possible.

It’s important that you still invest in the correct tools and materials for the project. The price of the tools can seem a little steep but just remember that it’s still less expensive than paying for the labor of a professional.

There is a reason the pros use the tools that they do, so don’t shortcut this step! Purchasing the correct tools will make the process a lot easier for you, and help you to get the highest quality work possible.

Some important tools to invest in before starting are a miter saw, coping saw, finish nailer, stud finder, wood rasp, tape measure, and level.

Prepping the Area

There are a few steps you can take beforehand to make installation as easy as possible.

Trim is normally secured by nailing it into the studs below and joists above. If you decide to install it this way, it can be time-consuming because you have to find all of the studs beforehand.

Stud finding can be time-consuming and tricky. An easy way to avoid this headache is by installing a piece of backer board on the wall before you start.

As you go to install your trim, you can nail directly into the backer. You can avoid having to search for and mark the studs all together, and secure the trim in any place you like.

Saw Tips

Choose a miter saw that has a 10- or 12-inch blade. A collection dust bag and a stand are also useful for quick clean-up and easy cuts.

Use clamps to help keep your trim in place as your cutting. This will ensure your cuts are clean and prevent mistakes.

To find the right bevel and miter angles, you can find charts online, or sometimes your saw will even come with one.

Cutting Vertically Nested vs. Laying Flat

There are two ways to cut wood crown molding. You can either cut it vertically or laying it flat.

When you cut it vertically, you avoid having to make any bevel cuts. When cutting vertically nested, make sure to rest the bottom of the molding against the fence against the table.

When you cut laying flat, you have to measure the spring angle. This will help you accurately adjust both the miter and bevel angles. This means you have to test cut every corner and be very meticulous about your angles.

This is when those miter and bevel angle charts will come in handy. When cutting flat, keep the flat side down against the surface of the table.

Corners

For inside corners, use a coped joint to connect pieces of crown molding. Coped joints are extremely helpful because inside corners are rarely 90 degrees.

A coped joint is where the piece of trim is cut out to fit the curves of the other piece. This helps for tricky corners and keeps the corner looking tight and clean.

Outside corners also rarely meet at 90 degrees. If you were to cut both pieces to 45 degrees, they would rarely fit together perfectly.

Make sure to carefully measure out the angles beforehand. You can do this by using two pieces of scrap wood.

Hold them up to the corner you are cutting for. Intersect them by laying one on top of the other. Trace both edged of the bottom board onto the top board. Then connect the two lines with a diagonal line.

Adjust the angle of your saw to this angle and cut both pieces to this angle, then test them on the corner. If they don’t match perfectly, adjust accordingly.