How To Cut Crown Molding With A Compound Miter Saw

If you want to know how to cut crown molding, you must have a high-quality saw with a bevel that swings on either side. But if you are equipped with a compound miter saw, it can be a walk in the park when you need to cut crown molding.

We will be discussing how you can go about crown molding in this article. Before that, It’s necessary to know about the angles first.

The Angles

Besides having a good compound miter saw, make sure you have a miter saw stand and also you must have proper knowledge about the angles. Suppose you are making a basic crown molding cut, you will need a limited adjustment on your saw if the fence and table are used as the wall and ceiling.

But if the crown molding is cut on a flat with a compound/cordless miter saw, then you will need to determine the angle accordingly. Here is a look at each angle and how you can cut them using the compound miter saw;

Corner Angle

The corner angle is an important aspect to consider when you are cutting crown molding. It is impossible to ignore the corner angle. If it happens that the corner angle is off, the joinery will not fit appropriately. Nevertheless, it is important to keep in mind that not all corner angles are 90 degrees. In this case, you can use a protractor to measure the corner angle accurately.

Spring Angle

This is simply the angle at which the crown molding shoots up from the wall and towards the ceiling. To get the proper measurements, you can use a protractor by inserting it between the crown molding and the wall. Do this until it is fixed. Ideally, the spring angle should be 38 or 45 degrees.

Miter and Bevel Angles

Knowing the exact corner angle and spring angle will let you determine the miter and bevel angles for your saw. To determine these two angles, you can either use an angle finder or a crown molding miter with the help of a bevel angle chart.

Out of the two, the angle finder is the easiest. But you must ensure that you follow the instructions in the user manual to understand the necessary steps to take. It also allows you to understand the abbreviations used when displaying angles.

Step By Step Guideline On How To Cut Crown Molding

Now that you understand the angles and know how you can measure them, it would be fair to get the right guide for making the cuts. you can use a better saw stand for this.

Step One: Set the Right Miter and Bevel Angle

The rule of the land, whenever you are using any type of saw, is to wear the proper safety gear. In this case, you will need to wear a dust mask and protective goggles. When you know you have the right safety gear, you will have to check the present angles on the saw. The aim here is to check that the angles set on the saw can cut 90-degree corner angles.

In most cases, the compound miter saw will come with preset angles for crown molding. But if the one you have doesn’t have the proper crown molding angle, you’ll need to adjust that. To do this, simply rotate the saw counterclockwise and adjust the miter angle to 31.6 degrees. After that, tilt the saw to the left and adjust the bevel angle to 33.9 degrees.

Step Two:Cut a Right-Hand Piece For an Outside Corner

When the bevel and miter angles are set accordingly, you’ll now have to proceed to make the cuts. At this point, take the molding and place it flat on the saw table so that the finished side faces up. On the other hand, the top edge of the molding, which touches the ceiling when it’s installed, must be placed against the fence of the saw.

From here, you can slide the molding to the right side of the blade to make the cut. Keep in mind that you are making a right-hand cut for an outside corner. Ensure that you hold the molding firmly with one hand as you make the cut.

Step Three: Cut the Left-Hand Piece for an Inside Corner

At this point, you simply have to cut the left-hand piece for an inside corner on the molding. Do this by sliding the molding to the left side of the blade.

Keep in mind that when cutting the crown molding on either left or right-hand, the process remains the same. The most important thing to remember is that the bevel and miter angle must be set accurately on the saw.

Tips to help you When Making Crown Molding Cuts

As you cut the crown molding with the compound miter saw, it is important to keep some tips in mind. Here is what you need to know;

• Make sure you set the miter and bevel angles according to the crown molding requirements. It is important to know that different crown moldings require varied miter saw angles.
• Always wear protective goggles and a dust mask when operating the saw.
• If the compound miter saw makes a lot of noise, ensure that you wear some earmuffs or earplugs.
• Start by making cuts on scrap pieces if you are not good with the compound miter saw. You can use this as a way of practicing.Always ensure that you read the user instructions before operating the machine.
• Never leave the compound miter saw near edges of a table.
• Always use the right blade on the saw.
• In terms of metal cutting there is different rules and different saw 

Final Verdict

The best way of getting the most of compound miter saw brands like Dewalt, bosch, Hitachi is to use the proper bevel and miter angles and following the necessary user instructions. If you have never used the saw before, make sure you understand it fully before turning it on. Above all, ensure that the table or platform that the saw is placed is strong and stable enough.

Above all, follow all the safety precautions whenever you are working with the compound miter saw. Don’t forget to seek professional help whenever the machine fails to work completely.