Cut Baseboard Molding with a Coping Saw
The baseboard molding is going up pretty quickly. I got about half done last Saturday. There is a bit of back and forth, cutting the board to the exact length. Maybe one day I’ll purchase a better miter saw (with a laser guide). I cut all the outside corners at 45°. But I’m using a coping saw to cut all the inside corners.
Cope Cutting Baseboard Inside Corners
Cope cutting the inside corners takes a little more time. I’m using a coping saw to precision cut the inside corners so they match up appropriately. What’s the benefit? This is the best way to eliminate gaps between adjacent pieces of baseboard especially if the corner isn’t square. Plus, if ever the baseboards move (expand, contract, shift for some reason), these corners will hide gaps more effectively.
Necessary Tools
For cope cutting baseboard, you’ll need a few tools: a miter saw, coping saw, sand paper and/or a wood file. Make sure your coping saw has a thin, fine-toothed blade. Amazon sells a Stanley Coping Saw with 3 Extra Blades included for $6.49.
How to Cut Baseboard with a Coping Saw
The directions are pretty straightforward but this technique takes a little skill. Practice a few corners before you begin your project.
Step 1: Lay your first piece of baseboard in the inside corner. This piece should be cut square (0°) and fit snug against the perpendicular wall.
Step 2: Take your next piece of baseboard and make a 45° bevel cut with a miter saw. This reveals the profile of your baseboard.
Step 3: With a coping saw, cut along the profile. Slightly angle the blade so as to cut away more from the backside of the baseboard. Angling the blade will create a point ensuring the baseboard face fits tightly against the adjacent piece.
Step 4: Try out the piece. Note any places that need to be sanded or filed down further. Make any necessary adjustments.
Cope Cutting Tips
There are a few things to keep in mind.
- Make sure you account for the 45° bevel when you measure the length. You don’t want to go through coping one end to find the other is too short.
- If you are right-handed, I suggest moving around the room counter-clockwise (lefties move clockwise). This will orient you more comfortably when using the coping saw.
- Some profiles will be difficult to follow with just one cut. Make several cuts rather than trying to twist the coping blade.
What do you think? Any tips you want to pass along? Ever use a coping saw?
Comments & Conversation on this Article...
6 Responses to Cut Baseboard Molding with a Coping Saw
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September 24th, 2008 10:38 am
There’s a nifty foot attachment for some jig saws called a Collins Coping Foot that makes coping a breeze.
http://www.collinstool.com/collins_coping_foot.htm
September 24th, 2008 10:05 pm
@Steve, That is a nice attachment. It still takes some skill and practice, but the foot can make coping faster in the long run. Did you use the foot on your paneling?
September 24th, 2008 10:19 pm
Hi Ethan,
I used the Collins Foot on a restaurant bar I built a few years ago, mainly because the crown and baseboard my partner bought cheap were pine and of questionable seasoning. I assumed there was gonna be “shrinkage” (tip o’ the hat to Seinfeld) so I didn’t want to take any chances with inside miters.
It took a little while to get the technique. What seemed to work best was cradling the molding in an upside down miter box and clamping it in place. That way you can use both hands to control the saw (a Bosch barrel saw in this case).
I’ve done no coped joints on my house renovation. With kiln-dried oak over hundred year-old framing, this problem is pretty rare. The miters have thankfully remained tight.
September 24th, 2008 10:24 pm
If that is 6″ board, it is the same kind I have been installing throughout my house. Good stuff and easy to work with.
I have a really nice Dewalt dual-bevel, compound, sliding mitre saw. Possibly the most expensive powertool I own. I use it for all my trim work. On baseboards, my usual tactic is:
1) measure the length required two or three times
2) And 1/4″ – 1/8″ to the measurement, meaning I know I will have to cut it again.
3) I generally cut it at least one to three more times, maybe a kerf-width per cut.
Yeah, it is more work but it hasn’t failed me yet. I’m allergic to manually coping angles. Just too much work and too easy to get it wrong. Burns me every time if I do it with a coping saw. So I stick with the monster mitre saw.
-Jon
September 24th, 2008 10:29 pm
Jon,
That’s pretty much my technique as well. I wrote a blog thing about it:
http://www.brooklynrowhouse.com/mitering
June 25th, 2009 9:33 pm
I enjoyed reading about coping. It is a clever method that I did with my Dad when I was young. It is slower and not for a speed freak, but important to note is that it may yield much better results in homes with bad walls and non-90 degree corners (e.g.; 92 degree corner) In bad corners (say, a 92 degree inside corner) if you use a regular chop saw set at 45 degrees, your joint will have an open gap and you will scratch your head, cut a new piece, and the same thing will happen!! In this case, you needed to be aware of the bad corner, and needed to have set your saw at 46 degrees for each cut, not 45 degrees! To my point, if you use a coping technique, this will not happen. Hope this is helpful. Any comments?