you can do it either way, but a cope joint is actually 'eaiser' to achieve a "perfect" fit than 'inside' mitered corners... this of course implies that one is accomplished at the actual coping process. This will mean the excersize of practicing until proficient if you are not! :-) I install crown moulding in new construction at least once every week.. sometimes 3 times a week ( trimming out 3, 3000+ sq/ft homes in a week is alot of work!) and each house has 3-5 rooms of crown.. including 2 story foyers. Some of the little tips I've learned are:
1. do not nail the ends or 'inside' corners of your moulding until you are actually placing the adjoining piece...keep fasteners back 16" or so until rdy to finish nail. This will allow you to move the first piece slightly as you fit the coped end of the second peice so that you can achieve the "perfect" fit. Sometimes you may be forced to nail the end up because of ceiling contours but then only 1 or 2 nails, keeping in mind that you will likely have to adjust the fit as mentioned above. Use a block of wood and hammer on the first peice as you fit the second and tap the crown up toward the ceiling to 'roll' the top of the crown out closing up any slight gap, or tap the top of the crown ( at the ceiling ) back against or toward the wall to roll the bottom of the crown downwards to close any slight gap at the bottom.
2. Whenever possible, run 2 parallel walls of crown ( or any moulding ) and then cope both ends of the piece that runs between them, having added some extra length to the overall measurement (determined only by experience and what materials are used and the construction environment) so that the piece that is coped (on both ends) going inbetween the others, has a bow in it which when it is pushed to the ceiling or wall will push the coped ends outwards and into the adjoining pieces this making the fitted cope joint super tight. It is because of this tip that coped joints are much easier to achieve that "perfect" fit over mitered inside corners. Also keep in mind that as wood contracts and expands, your mitered joints will open whereas a "sprung" coped joint will be less likey to ever open up.
3. Regarding the long lengths and scarf joint...I used to cut my joints at 45 degrees and in the same manner as any outside corner...until I got smart ;-) now I simply stand the crown up flat against the saw fence and cut my joint (as apposed to trying to make a bevel and angle joint as an outside corner) You can pretty much use any angle you prefer, I personally use a preset close to 31 degrees on my chop saw table. There's really no practical reason to increase the amount of difficulty in making such a joint by increasing the surface area that has to be fitted! it's a KISS principle.
And lastly, in both the double coped end installation process I mentioned AND the scarf to coped end situation, you will inevitably have to start nailing at one end and work towards the other..more so in the latter than the former. and if the piece you have to scarf must also be coped on the other end, the amount of bow in it will need to be reduced or the sarf joint may be forced to ovelap too much. However if possible, run the wall with the scarf joint first then cope the other walls coming into it.
GL! |
Member Since
03/30/2003
Total Contributions
9 Posts
|
Moderated by Mark Hammond 
