Ceiling plinth performs not only a decorative function, visually separating the walls from the ceiling, but can also hide the joints of various finishing materials of the ceiling and walls. Not every interior design involves the use of a skirting board, but more often than not, the overall appearance of the room seems incomplete without it. There is nothing difficult in fixing this element - fillets - almost all types of skirting boards are attached with glue. But the question of how to properly cut the ceiling plinth in the corners of the premises can confuse many. Indeed, even in the simplest room there are internal corners, where the plinths of the ceiling plinth must be precisely and beautifully docked. And in a more complex configuration of the room, you will also have to dock the skirting boards, performing the outer corner. In this article, we will look at various options for how to cut a ceiling plinth with and without tools at hand.
First you need to figure out how to cut the ceiling plinth, the answer to it depends on the material from which the fillet is made. At the moment, we sell ceiling skirting boards made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), expanded polystyrene (polystyrene), polyurethane and wood.
PVC ceiling skirting boards are the cheapest. Dents and creases are easily formed on them, which cannot be repaired, so the product must be thrown away. Also their disadvantage is electrostaticity - the ability to attract dust. You can cut them with a sharp construction knife or a hacksaw.
Styrofoam ceiling skirting boards are also cheap. This material is very fragile, it easily crumbles during processing, therefore, it is necessary to cut the expanded polystyrene with a sharp knife or a hacksaw on metal, without making too strong pressing forces.
Extruded Styrofoam ceiling skirting boards slightly more expensive than expanded polystyrene, denser and more difficult to cut. However, they crumble less, making them easier and more comfortable to work with. They are cut with a construction knife and a hacksaw for metal.
Polyurethane ceiling skirting boards are the most expensive at the moment. They are durable, elastic and moisture resistant, can be easily cut with a construction knife and do not crumble. The disadvantage of polyurethane skirting boards is their dependence on temperature changes. For example, over a gas stove, a polyurethane skirting board will permanently deform and crackle slightly. If you try to process or cut such a plinth, it can bend or deform in other ways.
Wooden ceiling plinths are dense, heavy products that can only be cut with a hacksaw, preferably with small, frequent teeth. You can also use a cloth for metal.
Before proceeding to the enumeration of the ways of how to properly cut the ceiling plinth, I would like to note that there is a possibility not to cut the plinth with great precision. Available for sale special corner pieces into which the edges of the skirting board are inserted. In this case, it is enough to cut the plinth strip at an angle of 90 °, and the corner element will hide all the flaws. But this method is not always used, since the dimensions of the corner elements are slightly larger than the skirting boards themselves, so the corners in the room will stand out against the general background. Sometimes it can look bulky. However, if the design of the room allows the use of corner pieces for ceiling skirting boards, it makes sense to use them. Further instructions will be useful to those who nevertheless decided to accurately cut the skirting boards at a given angle.
The miter box is a simple carpentry tool that allows you to cut the workpiece at the desired angle. Most often it is a plastic, wood or metal tray with vertical slots for cutting at an angle of 90 ° and 45 °. There are also more complex miter box designs - for cutting at angles of 90, 60 and 45 degrees. For more professional work, a miter box with a swivel mechanism is used, where the hacksaw can be fixed at any angle to the workpiece.
How to cut a skirting board with a miter box - inner corner:
- We apply the plinth to the ceiling, measure the required length.
- Then we install the plinth strip in the miter box so that the position coincides with the position of the plinth on the ceiling.
- The plinth strip must be pressed against the far wall of the miter box.
- We hold the plinth with our left hand.
- We choose such a position of the hacksaw when the angle is 45 degrees and the handle of the hacksaw is as close as possible to the left hand.
- We cut the workpiece without making excessive pressure on the saw.
- The next step is to trim the plinth striker. We also install it to the far wall of the miter box.
- Press and hold with your right hand.
- We choose such a position for the hacksaw when the angle is 45 degrees and the handle of the hacksaw approaches the right hand.
- We cut off the skirting board.
Next, we join the trimmed plinths and check the cutting accuracy. For a more accurate orientation, they also say that in order to complete the inner corner, it is necessary to start cutting from the front of the plinth. Wooden skirting boards will most likely need to be filed after trimming.
How to cut a skirting board with a miter box - outside corner:
- In order not to be mistaken with the dimensions, it is better to start by marking the inner corner, and then cut out the outer corner. Otherwise, a situation is possible when the planks may not be enough in length.
- It is necessary to attach the plank to the ceiling and outline the dimensions.
- Install the plinth strip and press it against the nearest wall.
- We hold it with the left hand and choose a position for the hacksaw at an angle of 45 degrees, when the handle approaches the left hand.
- We cut off the workpiece.
- We install the striker to the nearest wall, hold it with the right hand.
- We set the hacksaw at a 45 degree angle when the handle comes close to the right hand.
- Cut off the workpiece and join the corner.
Trimming the workpiece with a miter box is only suitable if the angle between the walls is even - 90 degrees. If the accuracy is poor, you will have to use other methods.
How to trim the corner of a ceiling plinth using ceiling markings
Marking the skirting board on the ceiling also allows you to cut the corner evenly and accurately. The only drawback of this method is that it is difficult and inconvenient to keep the plinth strip suspended during the cutting process. Otherwise, it is possible to mark the angle for cutting in this way even more accurately than in other ways. Applying the plinth to the installation site, all wall flaws and deviations in the size of the corner are immediately taken into account.
Cutting the corner of the skirting board:
- The first step is to cut two workpieces at an angle of 90 degrees.
- Then we first apply one plank, resting its end against the perpendicular wall. We draw a line on the ceiling, outlining the contour of the plinth.
- We remove this bar and apply a striker, also resting its butt against the wall. We outline the line.
- The point of intersection of the marked lines will be the mark at which the skirting board needs to be cut.
- Again, we apply each bar in turn and mark the cutting point on them.
- Draw a line from this point to the other edge of the plinth.
We cut off the skirting boards along the outlined lines, join them and apply them to the installation site. Please note that this method is easier to cut inside corners.
Something resembling a miter box can be done by applying the required cut angles to paper, cardboard or wood. You need to draw two parallel lines, determine the center, and then set aside the necessary corners using a protractor. The advantage of this method is that you can postpone any angle, including more than 90 degrees. Of course, before cutting the corners of the ceiling plinth, you must first check the angle between the walls using a corner and measure it with a protractor.
The technique for cutting a ceiling plinth using a painted miter box is exactly the same as using the miter box itself. We press the plinth plank to one of the parallel lines, then set the hacksaw at the desired angle, which is already outlined, and cut it off.
DIY impromptu miter box
Making a miter box with your own hands is also not difficult.
Method 1. You will need three wooden planks or boards, which must be put together in a U-shaped box. Then the necessary angles are marked on the walls of the box, and a cut is made with a hacksaw. As a result, you should get a wooden miter box, in which the grooves are cut.
Method 2. A combination of an impromptu miter box and a template with marked lines. For the convenience of cutting, it is necessary to build something in which it will be convenient to hold the plinth strip, since it is difficult to keep it suspended. It is enough to put together a corner from two wooden planks or boards. On paper, you need to draw lines with angles for cutting at 45 degrees or at any other. Then we apply the baseboard blank to the corner, press it with our hand, as described in the technology for using the miter box, move the piece of paper with the template under the edge where we are going to cut it, and cut it off. In the process of cutting, we focus on the line drawn on the paper.
Method 3. As an impromptu miter box, you can use anything you want, anything - that we form a corner. For example, a table pushed against a wall.
Important! Pay attention to the rule of making measurements for trimming the ceiling plinth. To mark the inner corner, you need to measure the length directly from the corner itself. To outline the outer corner, it is necessary to be guided by the fact that the plinth will protrude into the depth of the room by a distance equal to its width.
You should not fix the plinths of the ceiling plinths before you cut the striker and try on their location. Only after the two strikers are perfectly aligned in the corner, you can start attaching them to the ceiling. Minor imperfections can be finished with a file or a nail file in the case of wooden and polyurethane skirting boards. To fit foam products, you will have to wield a sharp knife.
If suddenly, even after adjusting the skirting boards, a small gap remains between them, do not despair, it can be repaired with a putty. Cutting the ceiling plinth yourself is not difficult. But in order not to spoil many products, it is better to pre-practice on small blanks.
The quality of the ceiling finish greatly affects the appearance of the room. Therefore, they try to do everything perfectly, or very close to it. The finishing touch to the design is the ceiling plinth. They give the finish a complete and holistic look. The strips themselves are mounted on flat surfaces simply: on a special white glue, but problems arise with the design of the corners. Without knowing how to make the corner of the skirting board correctly, a lot of material deteriorates. We will tell you about how and what to cut it in the corners.
What is it made of and what is it called
The very first skirting boards on the ceiling were made of plaster. They were cast in special molds and then installed on the ceiling with mortar. Such figured decorations were called fillets. Today you can rarely see them: they are expensive, and outwardly they are almost indistinguishable from the cheaper options. And the name is almost lost.
The most popular ceiling skirting boards today are made of polyurethane or polystyrene. They are inexpensive, look great, easy to install, have a wide range of profiles and patterns. The width can be from 5 mm to 250 mm. They are used in almost any room, decorated in any style. Exception - Wooden products are most often used here - the style dictates its own terms.
There is also a similar plastic finish. It is mainly installed in bathrooms. But even in damp rooms, you can safely mount polyurethane strips - they are not afraid of dampness.
You need to cut the ceiling plinth in the corners of any material in one of the ways described below. The only exception is plastic skirting boards: you can arrange such a corner only using ready-made corners.
How and how to cut
Working with skirting boards made from different materials means using different cutting tools. When working with a wooden skirting board, it is more convenient to work with a saw on wood. All others, including plastic ones, made of polystyrene and other polymers, are better cut with a blade for metal. The result is a smoother cut, less burr. Saws are usually used when working with a miter box.
When working with polystyrene skirting boards without special devices, they cut them with a good office knife. Its blade is quite thin and even, the cut is smooth, not wrinkled. If you use a saw with polyurethane or polystyrene, do not press hard: you can wrinkle.
In general, in order to get used to the tool and material a little, take a piece and practice on it: cut, saw, trim. So there will be fewer problems when working.
How to get the correct angle
Most of the problems when working with skirting boards arise in the design of corners. Since the surface of the products is complex, it will not be possible to simply cut off at the desired angle: it is also necessary to cut it so that they dock and, preferably, without large gaps. There are actually several ways to make the corner of your skirting board perfect (or nearly so).
Using a miter box
If the corners and walls in the room are even, you can use a special carpentry tool - a miter box. This is an upside-down U-shaped chute with lines for cutting at 90 ° and 45 °. The part in which you need to make a gash is laid inside, a saw is inserted into the guides. The part is held in place and cut at the desired angle.
In the case of skirting boards, not everything is so simple: they must simultaneously adhere to two surfaces, therefore they must be pressed against one or the other wall of the miter box. When working with ceilings, they are pressed against the side closest to you.
The sequence of actions when finishing the outer corner, you need to make a gash at an angle of 45 degrees. Place the miter box in front of you. Trying on how the plinth will be located, determining which part of it will be attached to the ceiling. In order not to get confused and cut off the ceiling plinth correctly, put the strip that will be located on the right on the right, the one on the left on the left.
Press the part that is on the ceiling to the bottom of the miter box. The other side is closer to you and raised. Lean it on the wall of the device so that it does not stagger when cutting. That is, the front part of the skirting board turns out to be turned away from you. Do the cutting direction as shown in the photo below. By folding the two cut pieces together, you get a protruding outer or outer corner.
How to make the outer corner of a skirting board using a chair
First put the sawn-off parts in place "dry", without applying glue. If the geometry of the corner is not so perfect, you can tweak it a little with a knife. It is easier to cover small errors with a special putty.
The situation is very similar with the inner corner of the skirting board. First you try on which side will be on the ceiling, press this part to the bottom of the miter box, lean the second part on the wall closest to you and make cuts as shown in the photo below.
And again, first try on without applying glue, if necessary, slightly adjust. Then apply a thin bead of glue to both surfaces that will adhere to the wall or ceiling.
Your own version of how to use the miter box correctly is shown in the video.
How to make a corner of a skirting board without a miter box
Few people in apartments or houses have angles of exactly 90 °. Small deviations are easily corrected after fitting. But not always. Then you have to mark everything "in place" - under the ceiling.
You will need a finely contoured pencil (hard - it is not so visible on the ceiling, but leaves quite clear marks near), a small piece of plinth, a ruler and a good stationery knife if you work with polyurethane (polystyrene) baguettes or a metal saw to work with the rest of the materials.
Apply the plinth to the corner, draw along the outer edge with a pencil. Apply to the other side of the corner, also mark. You have a cross on the ceiling, the center of which marks the place where the plinths of the ceiling plinth should converge (look at the photo). Having installed a piece of plinth in the corner, which will be glued there and resting it with its end on the wall, transfer the mark to it.
How to make corners on skirting boards without using special tools
Now take a ruler and connect the edge of the skirting board with the marked mark. If you just put the plinth on the table and cut it along the line, the two parts in the corner will still not add up: the inner part will interfere. It can be trimmed later by trying on the ceiling. The second way is to set the piece to be cut on the table with the piece that will be on the ceiling. And cut along the line, but holding the knife at an angle of about 45 °. It will still need to be corrected, but much less (and less likely to make a mistake).
Repeat the same operation with the second bar. Put it against the desired wall, rest the butt against the adjoining wall, mark the place where the cross is drawn, draw a line and then cut it off. Correction Carried out "dry" without applying glue.
You repeat exactly the same steps for the outer (protruding) corner. Now you know another way to make a corner of a ceiling plinth, and without a scaffold or other special devices.
With decorative corners
There is one more, simpler way. For skirting boards made of polyurethane or polystyrene, use ready-made, factory decorative corners. They are installed in a corner, strips are glued to them closely. It is very easy to cut them if necessary: by a few millimeters with an ordinary clerical knife.
How to join in corners
If the installation of the first corner is completed, we can assume that you have already learned almost everything. "Almost", because you still need to learn how to join the corners and cut the planks to length. When some part is already glued and there is a small distance to the corner, how not to be mistaken with the length? The answer is simple: leave some stock.
At first, you can cut a piece 10-15 cm longer: it will be possible to redo it several times if something does not work out right away. Then you make a corner in the way described above, try it on dry, adjust everything so that the result suits you. Only then can you attach the already cut strip to the corner and mark the place to which it can be shortened. The trim should be exactly 90 °. It is not necessary to use a miter box. Just try to place the knife (hacksaw) perpendicular to the surface.
Styrofoam ceiling skirting boards are a great way to decorate the joints of walls and ceilings, regardless of the choice of finishing materials. How to properly cut ceiling plinths in the corners of the room? How and on what to glue it to the walls and ceiling? Let's figure it out.
Corner joining is the main problem in the skirting board gluing.
How the skirting board fits in the corners
In general, there are only two main scenarios.
Decorative corners
Special decorative corners are used - external and internal.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the method?
- This method of docking is as simple as possible. The corner is glued to the wall; adjacent plinth strips are glued to it and to the adjacent section of the wall... No hassle with a fit.
Yes, the plinth is cut to length here too; however, cutting at right angles is not difficult. It is enough to put the plinth on the corner of the table and cut it off exactly along its edge (see).
Tip: The best tool for cutting skirting boards is a clerical knife. He, unlike all types of hacksaws, does not crumble material.
- However, alas, corners that are suitable in width and pattern are often very problematic to find. Simply due to the limited range of products of one manufacturer from a particular seller (see).
- In addition, the corners only allow the skirting board to be joined at right angles. In rooms with complex shapes, angles are often not equal to 90 degrees..
Decorative corners are the simplest solution. But it will not always help out.
Trimming planks
This method of joining is more versatile: no additional materials are required besides the plinth; docking is possible at an arbitrary angle. The essence of the method is reduced to the point of cutting the plinth strips in the corners so that the gap between them is absent or at least minimal.
With a knife in hand
So how do you cut your skirting boards properly?
Scenario 1: Right Angle
Let's start with a simpler case. How to cut ceiling plinths so that they fit at right angles?
Obviously, a seam will look best if the seam splits the corner exactly in half. Thus, we need to cut each of the planks that we connect at an angle of exactly 45 degrees (see).
The best tool for this operation is a miter box. This simplest joinery is a tray, the walls of which are cut at several fixed angles. Including the one we need.
- We put the plinth in the miter box in such a way that the areas for the sticker are flat against its bottom and wall.
- We cut it off using the slot we need as a guide.
If the miter box is not at hand, it is easy to make it yourself, using smooth planks or strips of thick plywood as material. The slots in the walls are marked with a square or protractor.
The miter box is a tool that is easy to make yourself.
Scenario 2: an arbitrary angle or right angle in the absence of a miter box
How to cut the plinth correctly in this case? The miter box will not help in the case of an oblique or obtuse angle; and often there is no point in buying or making this instrument for the sake of a small room.
Take an internal corner fit as a reference. Of the tools, we only need a pencil and the same clerical knife. The edge of the table will serve as a support for us when trimming the edge of the skirting board.
Then again, one by one, we apply both plinths to the ceiling and mark the intersection point on them.
All that remains to be done is to correctly draw from the outer bottom corner to the inner top line and cut the plinth along it. The easiest way to do this is by placing the plinth on the edge of the table and aligning both cut points with the edge. Then strictly vertically cut the bar along the edge of the table.
Sticker
The operation itself is extremely simple; however, as elsewhere, there are a number of subtleties.
Tip: acrylic putty will at the same time hide the gaps between the plinths and the wall, gaps in the corners and other flaws.
- It is optimal to glue the skirting board not over the wallpaper, but on the plastered surface. The plaster is primed with a primer: this way the plinth will hold much more reliably..
- When using synthetic universal bites, the main problem is that the skirting board slips or falls before the glue hardens.
The solution can be very simple. After applying glue to the edges of the skirting board, press it into place and tear it off immediately. After waiting for about a minute, press again, this time completely. The thickened glue will hold the foam securely.
- Be sure to glue the skirting boards together.
- The ceiling plinth can be used with a stretch ceiling; however, in this case, it is only glued to the wall. There is a minimum gap between the top edge and the canvas. In this case, the joints of the plinth in the corners should be additionally reinforced with match pins.
- The displacement of the plinth from the ceiling surface by a dozen centimeters will allow you to lay LED strips into it, providing the ceiling with hidden lighting.
Conclusion
If some points of how to cut the ceiling plinth remained unclear for you, a useful video at the end of the article may be able to answer your questions. Good luck in the repair!
Any renovation work is always completed with finishing. In rare cases, the interior of the room does without a ceiling plinth, its presence helps to hide the joints of the finishing materials used for wall and ceiling surfaces, in addition, do not forget about the decorative function of this element. It is not difficult to arrange the perimeter of the room by simply fixing it in a straight line. It is much more difficult to cut it correctly in the corners without spoiling the material and spending a minimum of time and money.
Peculiarities
The ceiling plinth, like any other element of the interior, has its own characteristics, therefore, before purchasing it in a hardware store, you need to understand the materials from which this element is made and what difficulties you will have to face during work.
Previously, the ceiling plinth had a different name - fillet. Translated from German means "notch" or "groove". The material for the manufacture of this decorative element was gypsum, which was poured into a prepared mold. The cured gypsum element was fixed to the ceiling surface with mortar. Today, gypsum ceiling plinth is very rare, its cost is high, and it is much more difficult to install it in comparison with modern counterparts.
Ceiling elements are now available in several types of materials in numerous configurations. They are cheaper than gypsum ones, but they look no worse. The cheapest copies are made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC). This material is subject to deformation with insignificant mechanical stress, the formation of irreparable dents or creases leads to a complete replacement of the element. In addition, all manufactured PVC skirting boards are electrostatic, dust accumulates very quickly on them.
Ceiling plinths made of polyurethane and polystyrene are among the most demanded products. They gained their popularity due to their reasonable price, wide range of profile patterns, a variety of sizes (their width varies within 5–250 mm), as well as resistance to moisture. Polyurethane ceiling elements can be found in the design of many rooms, they look great in any interior. But, there are also disadvantages, the material does not tolerate temperature changes, is prone to cracking, especially if installed over a kitchen stove.
The classic version of the ceiling plinth is a wood product. Wooden elements, unlike the listed types, are not installed on glue; self-tapping screws are used to fix them. Plinths made of this material are used to decorate wooden houses or premises, the style of which is dictated by the use of wooden elements.
Required tools
Installing a skirting board means trimming the excess length and adjusting it in the corners. In order to do a pruning, you need tools. The choice of this or that type of tool depends on the material from which the skirting board is made.
When working with wood and plastic, use an electric miter saw. Cutting with this tool is accurate, fast and effortless, you just need to set the desired parameters and correctly lay the skirting board. It will not be difficult to choose the appropriate tool, since manufacturers produce this tool in a wide price range.
But, with wood and plastic, you can cope with another well-known carpentry tool - a miter box paired with a hacksaw. This tool is in the form of a tray, made of either wood, plastic or metal. In the two parallel sidewalls of the miter box, there are slots for the saw, for easy cutting of the plinth at the desired angle. In a simple tool modification, the ceiling element can be cut at an angle of 45 or 90 degrees, and in a more complex version, the plinth can be cut at an angle of 60 degrees.
A miter box and a hacksaw are cheaper than a miter saw, but they also have their drawback - this is the risk of damage to the material, especially if the quality of the purchased material is poor. In addition, the miter box is more suitable for rooms with smooth walls and corners.
For a smoother cut without the risk of damage to the material and without delamination of the structure, a jigsaw is suitable. It is easy to operate this tool, with its help you can set any direction and make the most accurate cuts. For materials lighter in weight and with a less strong structure, you can use an ordinary construction knife, the main thing is to pick up a specimen with a sharp blade.
How to cut?
There are two main questions facing the installation of a ceiling plinth. How to properly cut a skirting board without gaps and with perfect fit in the corners, and what tools should you use to end up with a beautifully positioned ceiling element? In order to understand these issues, it is necessary to study all the methods and tools used in trimming the skirting board. Almost all methods and tools can be used to adjust skirting boards in both internal and external corners.
Outside corner
For the outer corner, the skirting board is trimmed at an angle of 45 degrees. First you need to check the evenness of the outer corner. If the wall surfaces are in contact with each other at exactly 90 degrees, you can use a miter box to trim the skirting board. In order to properly trim the outer corner planks, both sides of the skirting board must be positioned correctly.
First, you need to outline the length of both halves, and only then trim them at an angle of 45 degrees. In order not to change the position of the saw and not to get confused with the location of the halves of the plinth, it is necessary to correctly position them in the miter box. The left half is laid face up, with the part adjacent to the ceiling being closer to the center, and the other side adjacent to the wall pressed against the slotted sidewall. With the right half, everything is different: it must be laid face down in the miter box, and the location of the adjacent parts to the ceiling and wall will be the same here.
The bar placed in the miter box for a smooth cut must be pressed against the sidewall, placing it as close as possible to the slot. Holding the workpiece with your left hand, you need to carefully make a cut and set it aside. The second half of the skirting board should be cut in the same way, remembering to turn it face down.
In the absence of a miter box, you can make a draft of it on paper or cardboard. First, we draw a rectangle, inside which we draw two more parallel lines on the longer sides. On each side, inside the lines, using a protractor, set the desired angle in different directions. Preparation and subsequent cutting of workpieces occurs in the same way as using the tool itself.
This method is good in that you can postpone the angle not strictly 45 or 90 degrees, but a little more or less, because the surfaces of the walls in the corners are not always directed towards each other at an angle of 90 degrees, there are errors. Therefore, for a more accurate cut on the miter box depicted on paper, you can draw any angle using a protractor. The degree of the angle is first checked using a protractor, the resulting value is divided by 2. The resulting number will be the exact degree for the correct undercut.
If desired, you can build a miter box with your own hands. The easiest way is to make a tool out of wood, you just need to take three planks and put together them in the shape of the letter P. Then make marks on the side parts at different degrees, use a hacksaw to make slots. You can also make a miter box from two planks, having previously made slots in them, or use a drawing with the desired angles on paper to accurately determine the slope.
You can even use a table as an improvised tool. The main thing is that he has angles along which he could navigate.
In order to properly cut the outer corners, you can do without any auxiliary tools and drawings on paper, you just need to design the future corner on the spot.
The outer corner skirting board always protrudes into the room by an amount equal to its width, therefore, to determine the exact cut, it is necessary to make marks on the right and left half of the skirting board. You need to set aside the width on the side adjacent to the wall. Then, from the resulting point, draw a line to the upper corner of the half. The resulting triangle needs to be cut out and the halves joined in place for preview.
Interior
The same methods and tools can be used to join the halves of the skirting board in the inner corner. The location of the halves in the miter box when cutting for the inner corner is identical to the location of the parts used for joining the outer corner. But, you do not need to turn the right half of the plinth for a cut, but only change the slope of the cut (use a different cut). In any case, on the left side of the skirting board, the line will be inclined to the left of the corner point located on the side adjacent to the wall, and on the right side of the skirting board, the line will be inclined to the right of the similarly located point.
For perfectly flat corner surfaces, you can use a regular square instead of a miter box. To do this, you need to press half of the plinth to the inner corner of the ruler and cut off the unnecessary part at an angle of 45 degrees. It is not difficult to do this, since the side of the ruler and part of the plinth form a total of 90 degrees, the notch line divides this angle in half, which means that part of the plinth will be cut at an angle of 45 degrees.
For wooden and plastic skirting boards, making an incision in place will not work, you can only apply a marking on the surface of the skirting board, and then cut the cut along the mark using a hacksaw or saw.
In order to properly cut and then join the halves of the skirting board for the inner corner, you need to measure in place with a simple pencil. The right workpiece must be applied to the corner from the corresponding side until it stops. Draw a line on the ceiling surface along the half and remove the workpiece to the side. We do the same with the other half.
At the intersection of the two lines, a point has formed with which you need to make marks on each half of the skirting board. To put a point, you need to attach a half to the docking place. From the resulting point, you need to draw a line to the bottom corner of the half, as a result, you get a small triangle, which you need to cut off.
The halves cut in this way must be adjusted to each other; with inaccurately cut edges, the cuts can be leveled with a knife if the material of manufacture is foam.
To eliminate minor blemishes on the cut of wooden or polyurethane skirting boards, you will have to use a file. Only after complete coincidence of the cuts can you start fixing the halves.
Sometimes you can't get the perfect fit, but there is always a way out. To eliminate cracks, you can use a putty. The choice of filler depends on the material of the skirting board. In order to eliminate inaccuracies in trimming the skirting boards, you need to practice using small pieces of the skirting board or cut the planks slightly longer than the intended size. Such a margin will make it possible to make a new undercut in case it was made with the wrong slope or the material at the cut was deformed.
All photos from the article
When someone first tackles the preparation of corners, most often they have to spoil more than one meter of material. Alas, even the acquired miter box does not always help with this, when the walls in the room are connected at an arbitrary, and not at a right angle.
Then you have to rely on your own eye or make a special template. Today you will learn how to make ceiling molding corners with and without a tool.
Tip: instead of the saw attached to the miter box, it is better to use a regular metal hacksaw. Its cut is more accurate and smoother, which is very important in this process.
Before starting work
Choosing the right width of the baguette is the key to a beautiful interior. The method in which you do it also plays an important role in the sawing process. We would like to give you a couple of recommendations that will help you achieve your plan.
So, how to choose the width of the material and how to trim the ceiling plinth in the corners:
- the prepared surface of the walls is not a standard of evenness, use slats of smaller width, as they are more flexible and can cover the maximum number of defects... Accordingly, on the contrary, the more ideal the surface, the greater the width of the molding, but keep in mind - mount a narrow molding in rooms with low ceilings so as not to reduce them visually;
- always apply the left side of the corner to the miter box while sawing on the left, the right side - on the right... In addition, this should be the side of the tool closest to you, the far side for the floor moldings. Please don't be confused.
Below we will deal with the task in more detail, where you will learn how to cut the corners of the ceiling plinth correctly and with the highest quality.
External
There is one nuance of this process that you should never forget about. We always look at the ceiling fillet from below, therefore, when the plank is placed in the miter box (to the wall closest to you), it must be turned over.
The upper part of the molding will then be at the bottom, and the lower, respectively, at the top. Thus, there will be no gaps between the planes of the corner parts when they are connected.
The process instruction will be like this:
- Take a measuring instrument such as a tape measure and a pencil. Start at the inside corner so you don't miss the outside corner. It may happen that the length of the baguette is not enough and you have to make a lot of joints;
- Attach the molding to the ceiling surface and mark the dimensions;
- Prepare a miter box and a hacksaw for metal. Press the baguette to the side of the tool closest to you;
- Hold the fillet with your hand and select the position of the hacksaw at which the appropriate joint angle will be set. These can be standard parameters - 45, 90, or 135˚, or arbitrary, for which it is necessary to move the miter box to the selected degree;
- Cut the workpiece with a hacksaw;
- Install the opposite bar to the near wall of the tool and fix it by hand;
- Set the selected degree on the miter box and cut the workpiece with a hacksaw for metal;
- Join the resulting plinths.
Advice: if the walls are connected to each other at right angles, only in this case the miter box will help you in your work, otherwise you will have to do it yourself.
Interior
There is a professional miter box, which has a swivel platform and can be moved apart to obtain arbitrary angles, as well as for home use, where special opportunities are limited. Usually, it is enough to use the second option for repairs.
So, the basic principle is that the ceiling strips are cut off at the tool wall closest to you, we hope you have not forgotten.
The process in this case looks like this:
- Measure the required length of the baguette by attaching it to the ceiling surface;
- Place the molding strip in the miter box, while its position should fully correspond to the location of the baguette on the ceiling;
- Press the bar against the near wall of the tool;
- Choose the appropriate cutting degree, most often it is 45. Make sure that the handle of the hacksaw is as close as possible to the hand holding the bar to make the cut as accurately as possible;
- Cut off the workpiece, but do not apply excessive force to the hacksaw;
- Prepare and cut the opposite baguette strip, not forgetting that it should be pressed against the near wall of the miter box;
- Choose the appropriate cutting angle for it, leaving a minimum distance between the hacksaw handle and the hand holding the molding;
- Cut off the edge of the plank.
It remains to check the correctness of the joining of the segments, and, if everything meets the expectations, install them in place.
Tip: start cutting from the front of the molding, then you can orient it as accurately as possible in place. After cutting, process the corners of the wooden molding and file with a file.
How to make corners of a ceiling molding without a miter box
Having decided to make a frame on the ceiling for the first time, a beginner does not see any problem in this, but in vain. We advise you to immediately take into account in the costs a certain amount of material that will simply have to be thrown away.
Alas, at what angle to cut the ceiling plinth depends only on the connection of the walls to each other. Not everyone corresponds to a straight line, for which it is enough to simply cut off the strips under 45˚. Often there are parameters corresponding to 85 or 95 degrees, but this is already a problem for novice finishers.
If you are the owner of an apartment built in the last century, this was generally considered the norm. The fact is that when you simply cut off the strips for 45˚ and install on the ceiling, there will be gaps between them, which then have to be sealed with sealant or putty. We will try to help you solve this problem with minimal costs, since the price of not every molding is cheap.
So, how to properly cut the corners of the ceiling plinth for the inner corner:
| Training | Prepare the tool that you need for work. If the skirting board is made of:
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| Markup |
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| Parting | Use a sharp knife or metal hacksaw to cut off the edge of the molding. |
| Examination | Take the two resulting baguettes and attach them to the corner. There should be no gap between them, otherwise carry out the surface correction with a knife. |
Remember when creating:
- inner corner - the lower part protrudes above the upper one;
- outer - top over bottom.