This is a tutorial on how to cut baseboards without using a mitre saw. It’s not the most efficient way, but it works and you can do this with any miter box or circular saw.
You’ll need some scrap wood for practice. I used 1x4s because they’re cheap and easy to find at Home Depot.
If you don’t have them, use whatever size lumber that will work best for your project.
Step One: Measure Your Project Size
Measure out the length of each side of your project.
Mark these measurements onto one end of your board.
Then measure from those marks down to where you want the bottom edge of your trim piece to be.
This measurement should equal half the width of your baseboard functions.
In other words, if your baseboard profile was 24″ wide, then your top mark would be 12″.
The second line would go halfway between the first two lines.
That means your bottom corner would be 6″, which equals 3/8ths of an inch away from the ends of the boards.
Step Two: Make Your Cutting Lines
Now we are going to make our cutting lines.
Using your tape measure as a guide, draw straight lines across both sides of your board.
These lines should run parallel to the edges of your baseboard measurement.
Use a pencil so you won’t erase anything later. Now take your square and lay it along the centerline of your board.
Draw another line perpendicular to the first line. Repeat until all four corners are marked off.
Step Three: Square Up Your Boards
Once you’ve got your cuts made, now comes the fun part – squaring up your pieces.
Take your 2×2 and place it against the inside face of your board.
Line up the long edge of the block with the outside edge of your board.
Place the short edge of the block against the opposite wall. With the help of your tape measure, align the blocks so that their faces are perfectly flush with the walls.
Adjust the position of the blocks until they feel right.
When you get it perfect, move the blocks back about ¼”-½”. Do this for every corner.
Step Four: Sand Down Your Edges
Once you’ve squared things up, sand down the rough edges of your boards.
Don’t worry too much about getting rid of the little nicks here and there.
They aren’t noticeable once you paint them anyway.
Step Five: Paint Your Trim Pieces
Paint your trim pieces before installing them into your room. Let dry completely before moving forward.
Step Six: Install Your Trims
Install your trims by driving screws through the standard wood screw holes in the backs of the trim pieces.
Be sure to countersink the heads of the type of wood screws slightly.
Once installed, give your new look a test drive.
Does it fit well? Is it level? Are the corners tight enough?
If not, adjust accordingly.
What is the easiest way to cut baseboard corners?
Baseboards are an integral part of any home.
They provide a clean and finished look to the room.
However, if you want to save yourself some time and effort, there are ways to cut corners without sacrificing quality.
Cutting baseboards is a simple process that requires only a few tools.
- The first step is to measure the length of the standard baseboard angles.
- Next, use a straightedge to mark where the corner should be.
- Then, using a circular saw, cut along the line.
- Finally, sand the edges smooth.
This method will give you perfectly square corners every time.
Another option would be to buy pre-cut decorative baseboard fashion types.
These can often be found on clearance racks at big box stores such as Home Depot.
You’ll need to decide whether you’d rather have professional installation or do-it-yourself work.
Either way, these pre-made pieces are easy to install.
Just follow the instructions included with each kit.
How do you miter a corner without a miter saw?
Standard power miter saws are an essential tool in every home improvement project.
They allow you to cut genuine wood at precise angle bracket, making it easier to fit together pieces of wood.
However, if you don’t own a types of miter saw, you might find yourself wondering how to miter a corner without one.
There are several ways to accomplish this daunting task, but none of them are ideal.
Here are three methods that you can use to miter corners without a compound miter saw.
Method 1 – Use a Circular Saw
A circular saw is probably the most common way to miter a corner.
It works great when you have access to a power source like electricity or gas.
You simply set the blade on its lowest setting and rotate the handle around 360 degrees while pushing the workpiece toward the blade.
The result will be a 90 degree angle. If you want more than just a 90 degree angle, you need to raise the blade higher.
This method takes some practice because you must make sure that the blade teeth doesn’t slip out from under you as you turn the handle.
Also, keep in mind that using a circular saw requires a lot of space.
In other words, you may need to clear a path between two obstacles such as furniture or cabinets.
Method 2 – Use a Chisel & Hammer
Another option is to use a chisel and hammer.
- Simply put, you start off by marking where you want each end of the piece to meet.
- Then, take a straightedge and draw lines across both ends of the piece.
- Next, lay the piece flat on top of another piece of wood and strike the chisel along the line drawn on the first piece.
- Repeat this process for all four sides of the piece.
- Once complete, remove the marks and smooth over any imperfections with a file.
- Finally, attach the second piece to the first piece so that the edge meets perfectly flush.
Method 3 – Use a Router Table
The final option involves using a router table.
- First, mark the location of the cuts onto the board.
- Make sure that these markings are centered on the face of the board.
- Now, place the board against the fence of the router table and clamp it securely in position.
- Using a popular jigsaw, carefully cut away the excess material.
- When finished, sand down the edges until they are even.
You should now have a perfect mitered baseboard corner!
How to Straight and Miter Cut?
Straight and miter cuts are two of the most common types of cuts used in carpentry.
They are also among the easiest to cut.
However, there are a few things you should keep in mind if you want to get the best straight and miter guide cuts possible.
If you’re looking to learn how to straight and miter cut ordinary wood, then you’ve come to the right place.
Straight cutting:
1) Mark the center point of the desired length.
2) Draw a perpendicular line through the middle of the marked spot.
3) Measure the width of the boards being used.
4) Place the boards side-by-side, matching up their centers.
5) Clamp the boards tightly together.
6) Using a hand plane, shave the level surface of the boards until they are parallel.
7) Remove clamps and repeat steps 4–6 until your entire project has been completed.
Miter Cutting:
1) Start by measuring the distance from the outside edge of the boards to the inside pinnacle edge of the boards.
2) Make a pencil line mark about half an inch past the outermost edge of the boards.
3) With a sharp knife, score the paper lightly near the pencil mark.
4) Flip the boards over and measure for measurement again.
5) Repeat step 1–4 twice more.
6) Now, flip one of the boards back over and align the inner edge of the boards with the scored shadow lines.
7) Hold them firmly together and slide a bench block underneath the joint.
8) Lay a long strip of scrap plywood directly below the joint.
9) Slide a wide belt sander into the gap created by the blocks.
10) Slowly move the belt sander toward the bottom of the joint while holding the boards tight together.
11) Continue moving the belt sander slowly downward until the boards come apart at the correct degrees angle.
12) Once done, clean up the area around the coped joints with a fine-grit sanding sponge.
13) Sand the whole thing down with progressively finer grits of sandpaper until the clean finish looks good.
All in all, this is probably the fastest way to make straight and miter cuts.
It’s not as accurate or precise as some other methods but for quick jobs like making picture frames, it works great.
