Cut the inner corner of the ceiling plinth Ceilings The ceiling plinth not only performs 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.
Ceilings
The 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 attaching this fillet element, 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 (foam), polyurethane and wood.
PVC ceiling skirting boards are the cheapest. They are easily dents and creases that 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 crumbles easily 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.
Ceiling skirting boards made of extruded polystyrene foam are slightly more expensive than polystyrene foam, they are 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, 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 begin to crackle slightly. If you try to process or cut such a plinth, it may bend or deform in other ways.
Wooden ceiling skirting boards are dense, heavy pieces that can only be cut with a hacksaw, preferably with fine, dense 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 baseboards 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 come in handy for those who nevertheless decided to accurately cut the skirting boards at a given angle.
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 straight and precisely. The only drawback of this method is that it is difficult and inconvenient to keep the plinth strip suspended during the cutting process. Otherwise, you can mark the cutting angle in this way even more accurately than in other ways. Applying the plinth to the installation site, all wall flaws and deviations in the angle size are immediately taken into account.
Cutting the corner of the skirting board:
- The first step is to cut two workpieces at a 90 degree angle.
- 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 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.
- We draw the 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. Note that this method makes it easier to cut inside corners.
How to trim a ceiling plinth using a miter box template
Something resembling a miter box can be done by applying the required cut angles to paper, cardboard or wood. Draw two parallel mowing lines, locate the center, and then set the required angles 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 with 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.
How to cut a corner of a ceiling plinth proven methods and techniques
Ceiling skirting boards are very often used for decorating rooms. They give the ceiling a complete look, allow you to convey this or that style in the interior. In addition, they serve to mask the joints between walls and ceiling, where two different materials are mated. Although these elements are not always present in the premises, they make the interior more complete. In the material below, we will tell you in detail how to cut the corner of the ceiling plinth, since in such places the joining of individual elements is often a problem for inexperienced builders.
If the room has a simple shape, then only the inner corners will need to be cut. But in rooms of a more complex configuration, with columns, partitions and niches, there will also be external corners. To make the decorative elements look beautiful, the trimming must be done correctly and accurately, otherwise the appearance of the ceiling will be spoiled.
To trim the ceiling plinth in the corners as best as possible, you can use quality and sharp tools or other means. The type of tool that will be used to cut skirting boards depends on the type of material used to make them. So, ceiling plinths are made of PVC, foam, polyurethane and wood.
The cheapest option is PVC skirting boards. They are soft, so it is easy to leave dents and creases on them, which cannot be fixed in any way. In addition, this material has the ability to attract dust. A hacksaw or a sharp knife is suitable for cutting these skirting boards.
Another fairly cheap type of material is expanded polystyrene baseboards. They crumble easily, so only a sharp knife or a metal hacksaw should be used to trim the corners of the ceiling plinth. Movements should be soft, without pressure.
Cutting skirting boards for ceiling decoration
Another type of ceiling plinth made of extruded polystyrene foam. They are much denser than ordinary foam products (therefore they do not crumble), they are a little more expensive, but they are also somewhat more difficult to cut. For work, you can use the same knife or hacksaw for metal.
The most expensive skirting boards are made of polyurethane. These are elastic, strong and moisture resistant products that are very easy to cut with a construction knife. True, they cannot be used in all rooms, since polyurethane is sensitive to high temperatures, it deforms, begins to crack or cracks.
For working with wooden skirting boards, only a hacksaw with fine teeth is suitable, you can use a metal tool.
Using a miter box to cut skirting boards
In carpentry, a special device made of wood, metal or plastic miter box is often used. Special cuts are made in it, which allow an even cut at 90º, 45º, and in more complex devices also at 60º. There are also professional miter boxes equipped with a rotating mechanism. In them, the cutting tool can be installed and fixed at any angle to the workpiece. Before you can make a ceiling plinth in the corners, you need to understand the details.
To cut the inner corner of a ceiling plinth using a miter box, you must:
- First, the skirting board must be attached to the ceiling surface and mark the length.
- Now the piece of skirting board is placed in the miter box in the same position as it should be placed on the ceiling.
- The plinth is tightly pressed against the back wall of the miter box.
- Hold the work piece with one hand so that it does not move during cutting.
- The hacksaw is set at an angle of 45º to the workpiece.
- Cut the plinth, controlling the degree of pressure of the hacksaw, so as not to damage the product.
- Then proceed to cutting the counter piece of the plinth. It is also applied to the far wall of the miter box.
- The workpiece is pressed and held by hand so that it does not move.
- The hacksaw is installed at an angle of 45º to the workpiece so that the direction of the cut is opposite to the first element of the plinth.
- Cut off the corner of the plinth.
After trimming the ceiling plinths in the corners, they proceed to joining the resulting elements. If the cutting has been done accurately, they will fit snugly together.
Let’s take a look at how to cut the outer corner of a ceiling plinth using a miter box:
- It is best to start marking and measuring the ceiling plinth from the inner corner, and only after completing it, start cutting the outer corner. Otherwise, the plank may be short, not enough to fill the entire length of the ceiling.
- The plinth is applied to the ceiling and its length is marked.
- Then the workpiece is placed in a miter box and pressed against the front wall.
- Place the hacksaw at an angle of 45º and, holding the workpiece with your hand, saw off the corner.
- Likewise, cut off the opposite part of the outer corner.
- The workpiece is pressed against the front of the miter box.
- The hacksaw is placed at an angle of 45º to the plinth and the workpiece is sawn off.
At the end of the work, the pieces of the plinth are joined together, checking if everything is done correctly and evenly.
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 so that they dock and preferably without large gaps. There are actually several ways to make the corner of your skirting board perfect (or almost).
How to make a corner of a ceiling plinth without a miter box
Few people in apartments or houses have angles exactly at 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 thinly contoured pencil (hard it is not so visible on the ceiling, but leaves quite clear marks near), a small piece of baseboard, a ruler and a good stationery knife if you work with polyurethane (polystyrene) baguettes or a metal saw to work with the rest 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 got 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 to the marked mark. If you just put the plinth on the table and cut off along the mowing line, the two parts in the corner will still not fold: the inner part will interfere. It can be trimmed later by trying on the ceiling. The second way is to place the piece to be cut on the table with the piece that will be on the ceiling. And cut along the mowing line, but holding the knife at an angle of about 45. You will still need to adjust, but much less (and less chance of error).
Repeat the same operation with the second bar. Put it against the desired wall, rest the butt against the adjacent wall, mark the place where the cross is drawn, draw the 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 scissor 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 simple to cut them if necessary: by a few millimeters with an ordinary clerical knife.
Examples of finished fillet corners