Why does nobody talk about how tricky it is to cut trim for odd angles?

I tried to put up new crown molding in my dining room. Measuring the angles seemed simple enough with a miter saw. But every time I cut a piece, it either left a gap or was too long. I must have wasted a full sheet of molding trying to get it right. The corners in my house are not perfect ninety degrees, which no one tells you. I ended up with a pile of scrap wood and a big headache. It took me three tries to finally get a decent fit. Now I know why pros charge so much for trim work, but I still want to do it myself next time with more patience.

3 comments

3 Comments

margaretc234d ago

Ugh, measuring angles is the worst part, right?

the_linda4d ago

Measuring angles gets a bad rap, but it's really not that terrible. With a good protractor or digital gauge, you can be very accurate. The real trouble starts when your wood is warped or your walls aren't square. Trying to fit a perfect angle onto a crooked surface is what causes frustration. So the measuring part is often the most controlled step in the whole process.

mary3464d ago

Actually, I've found the measuring isn't the hard part, it's transferring that angle to the saw. If your saw isn't set exactly to your measurement, the cut will be off. That little difference is what causes all the gaps.