How to properly cut the ceiling plinth with your own hands Adjusting the lengths of the ceiling plinth for different room shapes. Finishing of sharp and obtuse corners of the room. Rounded skirting board.
How to properly cut a ceiling plinth with your own hands
Sometimes those who make repairs ask themselves the question What is the name of the ceiling plinth? This material has many names. This is a fillet, a baguette, a cornice, and a frieze. Regardless of the name, the installation technology is not much different. The ceiling plinth is not only a decorative element that visually separates the walls and the ceiling, it also has the ability to hide the joints of the ceiling and wall finishing materials.
- Features of cutting the ceiling plinth
- Choosing a tool for trimming skirting boards
- Cutting off the ceiling plinth with a miter box
- Interior corner finishing
- Working with outside corners
- Finishing sharp and obtuse corners
Finishing sharp and obtuse corners
Right angles in a room are not always the case. In new buildings, the walls are sharp or blunt. As a consequence, a tool such as a miter box will not help you trim skirting boards. How to properly cut the ceiling plinth in such a situation? It is very simple, it is enough to adjust such angles.
Place the curtain rod against the left wall, fully pressing it against the ceiling, as if you are going to glue it. How to cut a ceiling plinth? The action plan is as follows:
- Take a pencil and mark a line along the top edge. Do a similar procedure, only position the plinth on the opposite side.
- Look at the ceiling and find the intersection of the two lines. Next, you need to take two skirting boards and attach on both sides of the corner. Then put a mark on them, which was formed due to the intersection of the lines.
- Connect it to the opposite corner of the piece of material.
- Place the curtain rod on a perfectly flat surface, press it against it with the required side. Next, use a construction knife to cut the plinth along the existing fishing line, while keeping it in an upright position.
- The steps for trimming the outer corners are carried out in the same way.
Interior corner finishing
A standard room has the same corners. Therefore, pasting should be started precisely from the corners. Before you cut the baguette, you need to decide which side will join the ceiling and wall. This is determined depending on the relief and material. If the product is asymmetrical, then it must be attached to the wall with a wide shelf.
How to cut corners on skirting boards correctly? When trimming the left corner, you need to set the baguette in the miter box. The longest part should be on your left, and place the area you are about to cut into the tool with a 45-degree approach to the right slot. Press the part of the cornice that you plan to glue to the wall to the side wall of the tool, which is closer to you, and the one that you will glue to the ceiling to the bottom. While the material is in this position, cut the corner with a special knife through the existing slot.
How to cut the skirting board on the right side? To do this, put it in the miter box on the right side and attach it to the left slot at 45 degrees. When you have cut the corners of both sides of the cornice, attach them to the intended place, only without glue, in order to make sure that they converge. If any irregularities are found, then they can be trimmed using construction scissors. When everything fits together, then the trim can be glued.
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 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.
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.
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 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 using a miter box
The miter box is a simple carpentry tool that allows you to cut the workpiece at the desired angle. Most often it is a plastic, wood or metal tray with vertical slots for cutting at an angle of 90 and 45. There are also more complex miter boxes for cutting at 90, 60 and 45 degrees. For more professional work, a miter box with a swivel mechanism is used, where the hacksaw can be fixed at any angle to the workpiece.
How to cut a ceiling plinth with a miter box:
- We apply the plinth to the ceiling, measure the required length.
- Then we install the plinth plinth in the miter box so that the position coincides with the position of the plinth on the ceiling.
- The plinth strip should be pressed against the far wall of the miter box.
- We hold the plinth with your left hand.
- We choose such a position of the hacksaw when the angle is 45 degrees and the handle of the hacksaw is as close as possible to the left hand.
- We cut the workpiece without making excessive pressure on the saw.
- The next step is to trim the plinth striker. We also install it to the far wall of the miter box.
- Press and hold with your right hand.
- We choose such a position for the hacksaw when the angle is 45 degrees and the handle of the hacksaw approaches the right hand.
- Cut off the skirting board.
Next, we join the trimmed plinths and check the cutting accuracy. For a more accurate orientation, they also say that to complete the inner corner, it is necessary to start cutting from the front of the skirting board. Wooden skirting boards will most likely need to be filed after trimming.
How to cut a ceiling plinth with a miter box outside corner:
- In order not to be mistaken with the dimensions, it is better to start by marking the inner corner, and then cut out the outer corner. Otherwise, a situation is possible when the planks may not be enough in length.
- It is necessary to attach the plank to the ceiling and outline the dimensions.
- Install the plinth strip and press it against the nearest wall.
- Hold it with your left hand and choose a position for the hacksaw at an angle of 45 degrees, when the handle approaches the left hand.
- We cut off the workpiece.
- We install the striker to the nearest wall, hold it with the right hand.
- We set the hacksaw at a 45 degree angle when the handle approaches the right hand.
- We cut off the workpiece and join the corner.
Trimming the workpiece with a miter box is only suitable if the angle between the walls is even 90 degrees. If the accuracy is poor, you will have to use other methods.
Outside corner
- Measure the length of the plinth from the nearest wall to the outer corner, leave the fishing line on the wrong side with a pencil, indicating the desired length. It should be noted that the edge (its upper part) should protrude slightly outward.
- The plinth is moved to the miter box and cut off.
- The adjacent strip must also be measured with a margin and cut off in a mirror image to the first part.
Trying on the ceiling plinth: the joining of the parts should be perfectly flat. If the result is not achieved and there are irregularities at the joints, you can trim the edges with a regular knife to a perfect fit.
Checking the smooth docking
All the nuances are well described:
Inner corner
- We make the correct measurements.
- We install the plinth strip in the miter box so that this position exactly coincides with the placement on the ceiling.
- The plinth should be firmly pressed against the opposite wall of the miter box. Hold and press with your free hand.
- We put a hacksaw at an angle of 45 in a special hole and cut off the part.
- The adjacent part must be cut in the same way, only in a mirror image, as shown in the photo.
The first way with a miter box
The miter box usually looks like a tray with vertical holes for a hacksaw. It can be made of wood, metal or plastic. This tool represents the oldest and simplest carpenter’s tool, designed for cutting wooden parts at an angle of 90 and 45. There are types of such a device for professional work, with a swivel mechanism, in which the cutting tool can be rotated and fixed in any position.
How to cut a ceiling plinth correctly
Ceiling corners are divided into internal and external, the method of joining them is slightly different.