How to cut corners of skirting boards

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 a particular style in the interior. In addition, they serve to mask the joints between walls and ceilings, where two different materials are mated. Although not always such elements are 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. For decorative elements to look beautiful, 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 such skirting boards.

Another fairly cheap type of material is polystyrene foam skirting boards. 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.

Using a miter box to cut skirting boards

In carpentry, a special device made of wood, metal or plastic is often used. a miter box. Special cuts are made in it, which allow an even cut at 90º, 45º, and in more complex devices. even at 60º. There are also professional miter boxes equipped with a swivel mechanism. In them, the cutting tool can be installed and fixed at any angle to the workpiece. Before making 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 a piece of plinth 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 to keep it from shifting while 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 skirting board. 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 the joining of the resulting elements. If the cutting was carried out accurately, they will fit snugly together.

Please note that it is recommended to start cutting the inner corner of the skirting board from the front side. Then the cut line will be more accurate and even. As for the wooden elements, then all the flaws on them will need to be cleaned up with a file. “How to properly cut the ceiling plinth in the corners. options and methods for plinths made of different materials”.

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.
• The hacksaw is placed at an angle of 45º and, holding the workpiece with your hand, saw off the corner.
• Similarly, you must 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 skirting board are joined together, checking if everything is done correctly and evenly.

It should be noted that the miter box can help to cut the corner of the ceiling plinth as evenly as possible only if the walls are strictly perpendicular. If they are uneven and the angles are not accurate, this device is unlikely to be useful. “How to properly cut the corner of the ceiling plinth. rules and methods”.

Cutting skirting boards for ceiling decoration

Another type of ceiling plinth is 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 crack.

For working with wooden skirting boards, only a hacksaw with fine teeth is suitable, you can use a metal tool.

Marking on the ceiling for making a corner on the skirting board

There are different ways of how to correctly make a corner on a skirting board. Some are easier to do, others are more difficult. One of these methods is to mark the plinth on the ceiling. True, it is not very convenient to cut the plinth by weight, but this method is not inferior to all others in accuracy. Before cutting the plinth to the ceiling, it is applied to the surface, while all the imperfections and irregularities of the walls, as well as the size of the corners, are immediately taken into account.

Let’s consider in detail how to correctly make the corners on the ceiling plinths using this technique:

• First, two mating plinths must be cut at an angle of 90º;
• One of the blanks is pressed against the wall, and its end is abutted against the opposite wall. Then the outline of the workpiece is drawn on the ceiling.
• At the next stage, they take the second plank and press it with its butt against the wall in the same way. Outline the line.
• At the intersection of the lines obtained, a point is set, along which further trimming of the baseboards will be carried out.
• Then each of the strips is alternately applied to the ceiling again and the cutting point is transferred to the blanks.
• From this point to the corner of the plinth, a diagonal cutting line is drawn.

Using the obtained fishing lines, cut off unnecessary sections of the baseboards, then join the mating segments, checking the correctness and completeness of the fit. “How to cut a corner of a ceiling plinth. simple and correct ways”.

It should be noted that this method is more often used for internal corners.

Applying a miter box template

To cut the plinth in the corner to the ceiling as evenly as possible, you can use a paper, cardboard or wooden template instead of a regular miter box. Two parallel mowing lines are applied to it, then a central point is found and any necessary angle is laid from it with the help of a protractor. Before you cut the corner of the ceiling plinth without a miter box, you should double-check the size of the inner or outer corners between the walls of the room, using the same protractor.

The principle of cutting corners using a template is similar to using a standard miter box. In this case, the workpiece must be pressed against the parallel mowing line and, setting the hacksaw at the desired angle, saw off the workpiece.

How to make a miter box yourself

Often the only way to cut the corner of the ceiling plinth evenly is to use special tools so that the tool does not move to the side during the cutting process. In this case, you can make a miter box yourself.

Option 1. A box in the shape of the letter P is made of three boards. The required corners are marked on the walls of the box and the slots are cut out in the appropriate places. The result is a complete adaptation.

Option 2. Sometimes it is quite difficult to make the corners of the skirting boards on the ceiling as even as possible, especially if you have to keep the workpiece by weight. In this case, you can use a homemade device. Take two boards and knock them down in the shape of a corner. Then, on a sheet of paper or cardboard, they draw a mowing line with the desired angles, apply a template to the corner. Then the plinth is pressed, a template is placed under the cutting site and the corner is sawn off along the lines.

Option 3. If you are still in doubt about how to properly cut the corner of the skirting board, almost any household item, the shape of which allows you to form a corner, can help with this. It can be a chair or a table, just set against the wall.

To understand how to properly cut the ceiling plinth, you should also familiarize yourself with the rule for measuring blanks. So, to complete the inner corner, the length begins to measure right from the beginning of the corner. But to determine the outer corner, it should be borne in mind that it will be issued into the space of the room by the amount of the width of the product.

There is no need to rush and fix the workpieces before the mating skirting boards have been made in the corner. In order not to redo the work, you must first make sure that the mating surfaces are tightly adjacent to each other and to the ceiling. Small flaws can be corrected with a file, a thin nail file or a knife, depending on the material of the products.

If cutting off the skirting boards in the corners did not work out perfectly, small gaps can be simply putty. In general, the process of trimming skirting boards in the corners is not at all difficult. However, for training, you can take a few small pieces of the baseboard and practice on them.

How to cut the corner of a baguette correctly. Using a laser level

In modern conditions, many home craftsmen already have in their instrumental “arsenal”, which are excellent for checking the straightness of the angle, and marking the baguette when forming both internal and external corners.

How this is done is described step by step in the following instruction table.

Illustration Brief description of the operation to be performed

	First, you need to accurately position the laser level itself. For this, the same distance, for example, 500 mm, is laid from the corner along the lines of the floor and wall joint. The marked points are connected by a diagonal line. After that, they find and outline its middle. The laser level is installed on the floor, turned on, and then placed so that the vertical plane specified by it (its projection in the form of a line) passes through the middle marked on the diagonal and coincides with the corner of the room. The beam should pass vertically along the mowing line of the corner. this will at the same time show how evenly the corner of the room is formed. In fact, a plane is set that cuts the corner of the room exactly in the center. It is in this plane that the joint of the skirting boards should be located.
	In this case, the level should be located so that the projection of this plane is also displayed on the ceiling. You can fix the resulting bisecting line with pencil marks. But even better. do not remove the device, since it will help to more accurately display the desired cutting line and on the plinth attached to the place of future fastening. Probably, it is clear that the next step is to install one baguette at the installation site. The plank must be resting with the end side against the wall. The beam from the laser builder, passing along the surface of the plinth, and even along all its embossed protrusions, will accurately show the cut line.
	After that, along the mowing line of the beam, with the help of a pencil or a thin marker, the cutting line is outlined.
	Using a knife, a corner is cut along the intended mowing line. in this case it is impossible to make a mistake. Then, in the same way, the mowing line of the cut is marked and the second plinth is cut.
	Now that both parts for forming the corner are ready, they need to be connected to each other at the place of future fixing. If the joint is neat, then you can mount the baguette with glue. If a small gap has formed between the planks, then the ends of the plinth must be corrected with a knife.
	When installing the ceiling plinth, the strips that form the corner are first glued, and the flat trims are fixed last.
	If, when carrying out the approximate alignment of the corner side of the baguette, its other end will find on the already fixed segment of the plinth, you should immediately mark the required length in order to cut off its excess. In this case, the straight edge is trimmed just at right angles.
	To correctly cut the baguette for the outer corner, it is also necessary to start marking from the floor using a laser level. There is a slight difference in the primary build here. At first, mowing lines are simply drawn along the ruler, which are a continuation of the walls. Then an equal distance is laid on them from the corner, these points are connected by a diagonal, on which the center is determined. The beam is directed through this mark to the protruding angle, also with the projection of this plane on the surface of the ceiling.
	Further, segments of the baguette are alternately applied to the wall and the protruding corner so that the beam passes through them. Marking is carried out along the mowing line of the projection, and then the end part of the skirting board is cut. After that, it is necessary to try on both segments at the installation site, aligning the sections. If necessary, the ends of the strips are adjusted. If everything is fine, proceed to fixing the fillets on the surface.

Different materials and their features

• . The most durable material in comparison with the other two, listed below, the advantages of which are in hardness, impact resistance and the ability to withstand certain mechanical loads. Nevertheless, wooden skirting boards (also called fillets) glued to the ceiling are also relatively easy to process. they can be cut (a hacksaw is used for this), varnished. Wood will add warmth to the interior. Of the minuses, you can name a higher cost than foam. However, wooden fillets also retain their appearance longer than foam fillets.

Styrofoam. Perhaps this material is the most fragile. it is unstable to mechanical damage, scratches and even minor impacts. Of the advantages. light weight, the ability to paint in various colors and ease of processing (it can be cut with a clerical knife. however, very carefully).

Expanded polystyrene. This material can be considered a type of foam, however, its strength characteristics are slightly higher (extruded polystyrene foam is denser than foam). With regard to processing. expanded polystyrene is just as easy to cut with an ordinary sharp knife, and also has a low weight, and this is an important factor when considering the load on the walls.

Draw a miter box

Another cropping option is according to the drawn markup. The markings are drawn according to the principle of a miter box. two parallel mowing lines are drawn, and the corners are marked between them. Also, you can transfer the values ​​from the goniometer to such a marking. it will be clearer to cut the baguettes. In this case, you must not forget to put the plinth in the desired position when cutting.

Of course, these methods, at first, will not give an ideal result. the junction will have to be adjusted, but this is done very simply. But over time, the hand will be packed, and the cuts will become much smoother.

Marking on the wall

This method is useful when there is no protractor. You only need a pencil for marking.

• bring one panel to the corner, draw a line with a pencil on the upper border of the plinth on the ceiling;
• make the same markings for the second plinth;
• the corner on the wall and the intersection of the lines on the ceiling are guidelines for cutting. To mark the cutting line, you need to attach the plinth to the wall and connect the resulting points.

After that, the curbs can be cut.

Popular materials

How to cut the corners of the ceiling plinth correctly. How to cut a corner with a miter box

Internal elements

How to neatly cut the innermost corner that is on the skirting board? After completing the markup, work according to the following algorithm:

• Place the bar in the bottom of the miter box so as to repeat the position on the surface.
• Press the plinth against the far wall of the miter box.
• Holding the product, clamp it with your free hand.
• Place the hacksaw at a 45 ° angle into the recess and cut.
• Trim an adjacent element in a similar manner.

On a note! The inner corner made of PVC or expanded polystyrene can be processed with a stationery knife or a hacksaw for metal.

Wood

Wooden ceiling skirting boards differ from analogues. Wood has a fairly large weight, which affects the mass of products from it. As a result, the skirting boards turn out to be quite dense, very resistant to mechanical damage and hard, which allows you not to be afraid of accidental deformation during installation or cutting.

To trim a fillet made of wood, it is best to use a fine-toothed hacksaw designed specifically for delicate work with this material. However, a good option would be a high-quality sheet for metal.

Polyurethane

Polyurethane skirting boards are the most expensive products. The high cost is due to a large number of advantages, among which are excellent resistance to moisture, high mechanical strength, reliability and elasticity. For most situations, this option will be optimal.

However, there are exceptions. polyurethane does not withstand temperature extremes. If you place such skirting boards in the kitchen near the stove, then over time, the polyurethane will deform and crack. Cutting of such fillets is performed with a special knife, and no complications arise in the process of work.

Styrofoam

Styrofoam fillets are one of the cheapest options. However, the advantage in the form of low cost is offset by a large number of disadvantages. In particular, the foam itself is a rather brittle and soft material that is very easy to break. Even if you just squeeze such a product in your hand, it can deform.

Due to the low strength, it is very difficult to process foam skirting boards. If there is little experience in cutting such parts, then most of them in the process of work will become unusable, so all the benefits from the cheapness of the skirting boards will be leveled. A hacksaw or a well-sharpened knife is usually used to cut foam fillets.

Features of cutting different materials

The following materials are used for the manufacture of ceiling plinths:

• Styrofoam;
• Wood;
• Expanded polystyrene;
• Polyurethane.

Each option has a number of characteristics, so they need to be considered separately.

The need to trim skirting boards

Installation of ceiling plinths (also called fillets) must be carried out using the correct technology. However, there are no difficulties in it. the vast majority of fillets are mounted with glue. It is enough just to properly coat the product and hold it in the right place for a while.

But with how to properly cut the ceiling plinth in the corners, questions arise. When arranging a ceiling, there is always a need to process corners. but their value can have both a standard value (for example, a right angle) or a certain deviation. The latter case is possible if the room has a complex shape, or if during the repair it was not possible to align it.

The fillets should fit perfectly evenly, regardless of the corners of the room. In addition, skirting boards often have to be cut at the outer corners. To carry out such work correctly, you need to stock up on the right tools and figure out how to cut the corners of the ceiling plinth at home.

How to properly cut the ceiling plinth in the corners. options and methods for plinths made of different materials

Ceiling skirting boards are special parts designed to visually separate walls from the ceiling, as well as to mask the joint between them. Such skirting boards are used almost everywhere and complement the interior of the room well. Installation of skirting boards is quite simple, but it has a number of nuances. for example, to connect individual parts, you need to cut them off correctly. How to properly cut the ceiling plinth will be discussed in this article.

Cutting skirting boards for ceilings without miter box

You also need to figure out how to glue the ceiling plinth without a miter box. this tool is far from always available. One of these methods involves marking the skirting boards on the ceiling. Perhaps the only drawback of this method is the fact that it is not very convenient to keep the bar motionless while applying the markings. Otherwise, the method is quite reliable. the measurement accuracy is higher, since when the plinth is applied to the place, all errors become noticeable.

Another method is associated with corner trimming of the plinth. The edges of the two joining workpieces are cut at right angles. One of the planks is applied directly to the corner, after which a fishing line is applied to the ceiling along the contour of the plinth. The same operation is repeated with the opposite skirting board.

The point at which two separate mowing lines intersect is the point where the skirting board will need to be cut. The workpieces are again applied to their places in turn, the cut mowing line is marked on them. A straight line is drawn from the mark to the opposite edge of the part. The skirting boards are cut in accordance with the markings applied to them and are joined in place. This method is an excellent answer to the question of how to connect the corners of the ceiling plinth without a miter box, especially when it comes to internal corners.

Outside corner cutting

In the case of external corners, the cutting technology will look like this:

• For greater accuracy, it will be better to start with the inner corners, and only then proceed to the outer corners. If this is not done, then the length of the plinth in the end may simply not be enough.
• The part is applied to the ceiling, and marks are made on it in the right places. Then the plinth is placed in the miter box, held with the left hand near the near wall and cut off at the desired angle using a hacksaw.
• The opposite plank is laid near the near wall of the miter box, but is already held by the right hand. The hacksaw is at a 45-degree angle and the workpiece can be cut off. Finished planks need to be docked with each other to make sure that the cut is correct.

Cutting skirting boards with a miter box is only suitable if the walls and ceiling are at right angles to each other. If there are any irregularities, it would be better to use another method.

Types of ceiling plinths

Today there is a huge range of skirting boards on the market. Here are the materials from which they are made:

• polystyrene;
• polyurethane;
• wood;
• gypsum;
• Styrofoam.

A wide variety of skirting boards allows everyone to choose the right one. Ceiling skirting boards are narrow and wide, the simplest and decorated with exquisite patterns and reliefs. So do not neglect this construction find, because the ceiling plinth will give a completely finished look to your renovation and decorate any room.

Since the installation of a ceiling plinth is not difficult, many people prefer not to spend extra money on skilled workers, but to fix them on their own. How to cut and attach the ceiling plinth correctly? Let’s consider this issue further.

How to cut the corners of a ceiling plinth?

No matter how expensive repairs you start, you will hardly be able to avoid irregularities on the border of the wall and ceiling. In order to hide them, use a ceiling plinth.

How to cut the corners of a ceiling plinth?

Since the average person does not have many specialized construction tools in his arsenal, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the recommendations on how to cut the corner of the ceiling plinth using simple tools. To do this, you will need:

• Miter box.
• Saw for metal.
• Sharp knife.

The miter box is a tray with special slots at different angles. Such a tool is a necessary thing in the household, moreover, it is inexpensive. To trim the corners of the skirting board, you just need to take a miter box with angles of 90 and 45 degrees.

To cut the corner of the ceiling plinth, follow these steps:

• we apply the plinth to the ceiling and measure;
• we lay the plinth on the bottom of the miter box so that its lower part is pressed against the wall of the tool;
• carefully cut the plinth with a metal saw along the slot of the tray, where the angle of 45 degrees is indicated. Do not press hard so as not to damage the skirting board;
• similarly, the adjacent plinth is cut along another 45-degree slot;
• attach two skirting boards to the place where they are glued and, if necessary, remove minor irregularities with a sharp knife.

As you can see, there is nothing difficult in this operation. But how do you cut off the corner of your skirting board if you don’t have a miter box? There is an exit. You need to proceed as follows:

• cut the skirting board at a 90 degree angle and attach to the corner on the ceiling;
• draw a line on the ceiling at the edge of the plinth;
• on the opposite wall, do the same with the adjacent skirting board;
• the point of intersection of two plinths on the ceiling is alternately transferred to the plinths, mark with a pencil;
• we draw a straight line from the marked point on the plinth to its sharp opposite edge. this will be the cut line;
• cut the plinth very carefully with a sharp knife.

If in this case you cannot make the cut even, draw a mowing line with an intersection of 45 degrees on a sheet or board and attach a plinth to them so that the line drawn on it corresponds to the indicated angle. It is better if someone helps you in this case and fixes the ceiling plinth on such a homemade miter box so that you can cut the edges evenly.

It happens that the unevenness of the walls does not allow the skirting board to be glued evenly, even after it has been perfectly cut. In this case, you need to determine the degree of trimming individually. This is why it is so convenient to use a homemade painted miter box.

To avoid ruining your skirting board, practice doing it in small pieces before trimming it. Thus, you can “fill your hand” and make a cut more confidently every time.

The first way is with a miter box

Professional miter box with rotary hacksaw

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 for cutting wood pieces at 90 ° and 45 ° angles. There are types of such a device for professional work, with a rotary 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 on them is slightly different.

If necessary, you can make a miter box with your own hands. To do this, you will need three trims from plywood or boards of the same size. First, they are applied in the form of an inverted letter “P” and the corners are marked. Then, according to the marking, slots are cut out for a hacksaw almost to the very bottom, and the boards are twisted.

Method two. no additional tools

For the inner corner, you can use the simplest way of perfect joining. by marking on the ceiling. Another example of how to cut a corner nice and even.

• Apply a fillet to the ceiling, firmly pressing its even edge into a corner.
• Draw a line along the long side of the plinth on the ceiling.

How to Install Baseboard / Skirting Boards. SECRET REVEALED!

• The same action is done with the adjacent part on the other side.

• Mark the point of intersection of lines.

The end result is an even 45 ° angle when you draw the line from the point of intersection to the edge of the part. Note that the above marking method works only at perfectly flat corners.

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 bar also needs to 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 an ordinary knife until a perfect fit.

Checking the smooth docking

All the nuances are well described in the video:

How to cut the corner of a skirting board evenly

A beautiful and neat edging of the ceiling hides the joints between the coatings and is an additional element of the room’s decor. But in order for the ceiling plinth to look really beautiful, you need to be able to qualitatively join its corner joints.
How to cut the corners of the ceiling plinth evenly can be found in our article.
Related article: how to properly glue the ceiling plinth with glue and putty.

Inner corner

• Making the right 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.

other methods

With a good eye and accuracy of hand action, you can use a homemade template that resembles an imitation of a miter box. To do this, take a thin board or thick plywood and draw a layout in the form of a horizontal rectangle. Using a protractor, mark 45 ° on the right and left sides of the rectangle. Draw mowing lines connecting opposite edges. You can now cut off the ceiling plinth using this layout. The actions are simple and similar to the description above in the first option. Only the ceiling parts should not be inserted, but placed on the drawing and the hacksaw should be combined with the layout of the layout.

Special accessories for docking