The final part of the renovation, and the one I fear the most, trim and baseboards need to be installed!
I would like tips on essential tools for measuring angles and cutting, anything you can suggest will be gratefully received. I'm a total beginner at this, so don't assume I already know anything
They are white "ordinary smooth" 12x56 or 12x69 baseboards and trim.
-Tools
-Techniques
-Tips
Thank you in advance
Regards,
Martin
I would like tips on essential tools for measuring angles and cutting, anything you can suggest will be gratefully received. I'm a total beginner at this, so don't assume I already know anything
They are white "ordinary smooth" 12x56 or 12x69 baseboards and trim.
-Tools
-Techniques
-Tips
Thank you in advance
Regards,
Martin
Patience
Patience
Patience
A high-quality miter saw that can be angled in two dimensions, i.e. a brand saw that is stable. Last time I rented from Cramo, but make sure you get a saw with a good blade if you rent it.
On the doors, I mark a line where I want the molding to go. Not a big line, just a simple mark with the pencil.
The simple version that many carpenters use when it needs to be cheap,
Saw the top rail straight and nail it up.
Then saw the vertical frames straight and nail them up. They should pass over the top rail so that the end grain isn't visible.
Personally, I don't think it's so nice without mitering at 45 degrees like this:
I start with the top rail that I saw to size and cautiously nail up with two brads.
Setting on the miter saw: nominal 45 degrees
So far so good, now to the tricky part.
I usually take a scrap piece and saw it at 45 degrees and test. Then I adjust the miter saw 1 degree at a time until I get the right angle for a fit with minimal gap.
Now it's just a matter of measuring properly and cutting the first vertical frame, cut it a few mm too long and test fit. You'll know when you can clamp the molding, otherwise, you shave it down a bit more with the miter saw.
Now, not everything needs to be perfectly straight, the frames themselves are often a bit bent, but this can be easily fixed by pulling the frame when nailing it up.
When sawing the vertical frames incorrectly, you can reuse them as top rails (I know from experience).
Anyone else with good advice?
I don't think it's possible to measure the angles at all. I prefer to test with some scrap pieces until I get the right setting on the saw.
Edit: With precision and patience, you can skip latex in the joints. I've only used it when I had a subpar miter saw in one of my first projects.
Edit2: I usually nail the outer corners between the vertical and horizontal corners with the smallest size nail. You can glue, but I usually don't bother.
Patience
Patience
A high-quality miter saw that can be angled in two dimensions, i.e. a brand saw that is stable. Last time I rented from Cramo, but make sure you get a saw with a good blade if you rent it.
On the doors, I mark a line where I want the molding to go. Not a big line, just a simple mark with the pencil.
The simple version that many carpenters use when it needs to be cheap,
Saw the top rail straight and nail it up.
Then saw the vertical frames straight and nail them up. They should pass over the top rail so that the end grain isn't visible.
Personally, I don't think it's so nice without mitering at 45 degrees like this:
I start with the top rail that I saw to size and cautiously nail up with two brads.
Setting on the miter saw: nominal 45 degrees
So far so good, now to the tricky part.
I usually take a scrap piece and saw it at 45 degrees and test. Then I adjust the miter saw 1 degree at a time until I get the right angle for a fit with minimal gap.
Now it's just a matter of measuring properly and cutting the first vertical frame, cut it a few mm too long and test fit. You'll know when you can clamp the molding, otherwise, you shave it down a bit more with the miter saw.
Now, not everything needs to be perfectly straight, the frames themselves are often a bit bent, but this can be easily fixed by pulling the frame when nailing it up.
When sawing the vertical frames incorrectly, you can reuse them as top rails (I know from experience).
Anyone else with good advice?
I don't think it's possible to measure the angles at all. I prefer to test with some scrap pieces until I get the right setting on the saw.
Edit: With precision and patience, you can skip latex in the joints. I've only used it when I had a subpar miter saw in one of my first projects.
Edit2: I usually nail the outer corners between the vertical and horizontal corners with the smallest size nail. You can glue, but I usually don't bother.
Last edited:
Returning to floor and ceiling moldings.
The principle is the same as for door casings.
Here, you can also take the simple method with straight cuts, especially for inner corners and floor moldings.
But we will use the method for 45 degrees.
We start with the length of the molding, I usually cut the molding a bit longer than what fits between two inner corners. This way, roughly measuring between thumb and forefinger, it ends up with the molding bulging 5-10cm in the middle, if you have a 4m wall. If you feel like you can push the molding in, it's not too long.
The first molding is cut 45 degrees nominally at both ends and placed.
Then I take a scrap piece and look for which angles to set on the saw. I usually start with 45 degrees and vary by one degree at a time until the fit is good. For floor and ceiling moldings, you often need to adjust both miter angles on the saw.
With the correct angle, I cut the next molding and with 45 degrees nominally at the other end.
The last molding is a bit tricky, as it needs the "right" angle on both ends.
On outer corners, I usually nail the moldings together with small brads. Some also glue the moldings together.
The principle is the same as for door casings.
Here, you can also take the simple method with straight cuts, especially for inner corners and floor moldings.
But we will use the method for 45 degrees.
We start with the length of the molding, I usually cut the molding a bit longer than what fits between two inner corners. This way, roughly measuring between thumb and forefinger, it ends up with the molding bulging 5-10cm in the middle, if you have a 4m wall. If you feel like you can push the molding in, it's not too long.
The first molding is cut 45 degrees nominally at both ends and placed.
Then I take a scrap piece and look for which angles to set on the saw. I usually start with 45 degrees and vary by one degree at a time until the fit is good. For floor and ceiling moldings, you often need to adjust both miter angles on the saw.
With the correct angle, I cut the next molding and with 45 degrees nominally at the other end.
The last molding is a bit tricky, as it needs the "right" angle on both ends.
On outer corners, I usually nail the moldings together with small brads. Some also glue the moldings together.
1. If you have recently bought the moldings, let them stand inside the house (the warmth) for at least a week. If you put up "fresh" moldings, they will shrink, and it won't matter how careful you have been—you will likely have quite a few ugly gaps where you've mitered. If you haven't bought all the moldings, go ahead and buy the rest now.
2. No tools in the world will help if you have crooked/bent/tilting/non-right-angle walls, etc. It's very frustrating not to get a perfect joint, but if you don't have good conditions, don't waste any time unnecessarily. Gaps can be fixed with latex caulk.
3. If you feel like it, you can put some paint on the cut ends so there isn't a big contrast between the bare wood and the white paint. Even if you have a perfect joint, the wood shows through, but a little white paint makes it less noticeable.
4. Install all door trims first—it's easier to just think about and measure the baseboards afterward. To get nice joints around doors, it's not enough to miter the trim at 45 degrees—unless you've had a robot install the door frames 100% perfectly square. What I did was first cut/miter the top piece to the correct "width". Then I cut the side pieces slightly longer than they were supposed to be and temporarily mounted them with clamps, then took the top piece and laid it "over" the side pieces to trace the miter of each side of the top piece. Then cut each side piece along the marking and hopefully have a perfect counterpart to the angle of the top piece.
5. If you're going to nail, try to find the studs before you start so you know where the nails should go. Otherwise, you'll easily end up with some unnecessary nail holes. If you don't know where the studs are, use a small magnet to trace the screws in the drywall and mark with a pencil. To hide the nail heads, you can use various methods; I used a small punch and latex caulk, which works but isn't perfect.
6. Don't get hung up on details; not even you will notice them when everything is finished. I comfort myself by thinking: "It's good enough until the first painting, then it'll be fine."
Good luck!
2. No tools in the world will help if you have crooked/bent/tilting/non-right-angle walls, etc. It's very frustrating not to get a perfect joint, but if you don't have good conditions, don't waste any time unnecessarily. Gaps can be fixed with latex caulk.
3. If you feel like it, you can put some paint on the cut ends so there isn't a big contrast between the bare wood and the white paint. Even if you have a perfect joint, the wood shows through, but a little white paint makes it less noticeable.
4. Install all door trims first—it's easier to just think about and measure the baseboards afterward. To get nice joints around doors, it's not enough to miter the trim at 45 degrees—unless you've had a robot install the door frames 100% perfectly square. What I did was first cut/miter the top piece to the correct "width". Then I cut the side pieces slightly longer than they were supposed to be and temporarily mounted them with clamps, then took the top piece and laid it "over" the side pieces to trace the miter of each side of the top piece. Then cut each side piece along the marking and hopefully have a perfect counterpart to the angle of the top piece.
5. If you're going to nail, try to find the studs before you start so you know where the nails should go. Otherwise, you'll easily end up with some unnecessary nail holes. If you don't know where the studs are, use a small magnet to trace the screws in the drywall and mark with a pencil. To hide the nail heads, you can use various methods; I used a small punch and latex caulk, which works but isn't perfect.
6. Don't get hung up on details; not even you will notice them when everything is finished. I comfort myself by thinking: "It's good enough until the first painting, then it'll be fine."
Good luck!
http://www.cramo.se/upload/Sverige/Dokument/Produkter/Prislista%202009%20Svensk.pdf
I think you need 8331320, it states 75kr/day (+VAT). Then you don't need to store the mess. But you have to crawl on your knees. However, if you need to cut long moldings, you must have a long support, otherwise the molding will bend and it won't be straight.
Edit:
Remember that there are more rental companies
I think you need 8331320, it states 75kr/day (+VAT). Then you don't need to store the mess. But you have to crawl on your knees. However, if you need to cut long moldings, you must have a long support, otherwise the molding will bend and it won't be straight.
Edit:
Remember that there are more rental companies
Last edited:
Speaking of installing all the door casings first,
That's where I usually start as well, but I don't usually fasten the lower meter of the door casing until I have installed the baseboards. It's easier to squeeze it together.
That's where I usually start as well, but I don't usually fasten the lower meter of the door casing until I have installed the baseboards. It's easier to squeeze it together.
Not all door trims that you purchase are cut straight. Before you start using a strip, make sure to cut it straight at 90 degrees on the end that will be against the floor.
I occasionally get annoyed at the door trim to my laundry room that sits crooked against the floor...
But it’s not worth redoing.
It took several months before I noticed it.
I occasionally get annoyed at the door trim to my laundry room that sits crooked against the floor...
But it’s not worth redoing.
It took several months before I noticed it.
Want to contribute with a link to a clip on Youtube that describes how to deal with moldings in inner corners.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aeAVe3fEtw&feature=related
Not an America home style show clip, but a guy simply showing how it's done.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aeAVe3fEtw&feature=related
Not an America home style show clip, but a guy simply showing how it's done.
Coping crown moldings is a good method, but no one does it today since everything has to be done so quickly.strevert said: