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Baseboard coped edge

12122 Views 67 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  kreg McMahon
Yeah. I have worked my way around the room with baseboard. Now I am at a bit of a dilema. I am not sure how to layout this wall. Here is a picture of it. I wanna know where the coped sides should be. Can I have a coped edge on the same piece that is a 45 mitre or should I straight cut that to the wall?

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I think it would be fine to cope one end of a piece and miter the other end for the outside corner. Cut your coped end and get it fitting nice, then cut your miter. Sneak up on the miter cut and take tiny cuts until it fits right...No place for a tape measure!

Doing it the other way you're looking at coping both ends of the piece at the top of the drawing (or a scarf joint in the middle)...Not fun.

Don't forget to glue those outside corners!
Just for future reference always place your copes along the line your eye will travel upon entering the room. In the example you have above you would cope the corners on the left and right walls.
On the back wall should I do that piece first and just straight cut both ends?
Another thing those 45's for the outside walls are not really 45's. They are more than that because the wall is off I am guessing cause of the corner bead. Now the chop saw I have can go 2 degree's past 45 however when I place the piece of baseboard standing up against the guide the 10" blade doesn't cut all the way through. This wouldnt be a problem if the baseboard didn't have a profile on it. It is hard to cut the rest of that with a backsaw to make it clean. If only my chop saw would go past the 45 on the tilt. Any help on this would be nice. Thanks.
Soxfan33,

You are correct that the back wall will have "butt" cuts (90's) both ends. The two side walls will each have a cope and an outside corner.

Regarding your saw delema - there are lots of guys with 9 fingers who could tell you how to do it on your chop saw! You have two options:

1. If you have lots of cuts to make greater than 45 degrees - rent a saw. Many go to 50 - 55 degrees.

2. If you only have a few of these cuts to make - use your back saw, with a file and sanding block (remember the only place the joint is seen is on the very outside (where the two tips meet).

Good luck!

Paul
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dont stand the base up; place a pc of 3/4" UNDER the base on the flat and then cut it.
ARIoo1 Man you stole my super secret NOW I gotta confiscate your coping saw!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :yes::laughing:
On the back wall should I do that piece first and just straight cut both ends?
Another thing those 45's for the outside walls are not really 45's. They are more than that because the wall is off I am guessing cause of the corner bead.

Yes to the back wall question. For the outside miter use a protractor to find the angle. Take that number and subtract it from 90. Divide by 2. That will give you the angle of the cut. Hold the trim in place and mark for an accurate measurement. Leave the line when you make the cut and fine tune as necessary.
dont stand the base up; place a pc of 3/4" UNDER the base on the flat and then cut it.
ARIoo1 Man you stole my super secret NOW I gotta confiscate your coping saw!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :yes::laughing:
:no::no::no: You can't have my miter saw either !!!:laughing:
Mine is BIGGER than yours anyway ROFLMFAO:laughing:
the back wall should be "cope to cope", meaning both ends are coped...the only way it makes sense...the cope cuts put pressure on the adjoining flat/butt cuts ... the left and right (interior) cuts are "butt/square/flat"... the reason to cope :wink: to put pressure on the joint :yes:
the back wall should be "cope to cope", meaning both ends are coped...the only way it makes sense...the cope cuts put pressure on the adjoining flat/butt cuts ... the left and right (interior) cuts are "butt/square/flat"... the reason to cope :wink: to put pressure on the joint :yes:


The reason you cope the side walls is when the wood expands and contracts over time any cracks will be less obvious.
So...you would cope the left and right pieces into the back piece? Just wanna be sure.

Jay
Jay: follow the bouncing ball ROFLOL the back or farthest pc IS STRAIGHT PC :}:} You then cope the sides INTO that pc.
Now this is the most difficult part, super secret, complicated part.
make your cope cuts as good as you can, leave the pcs long, butt them into the back pc and SMACK THE END with a hammer to drive that coped end tighter, then mark the mitered ends right along the corner they are on, NO RULERS NEEDED.DO NOT NAIL THEM YET, the opposing sides of the mitered corners repeat the process, cope em whack em, scribe em, then put em together and all should br nice and tight then nail the beaches :yes::laughing: I will send the invoice for "Trim School" :wink::whistling2:
Jay: follow the bouncing ball ROFLOL the back or farthest pc IS STRAIGHT PC :}:} You then cope the sides INTO that pc.
Now this is the most difficult part, super secret, complicated part.
make your cope cuts as good as you can, leave the pcs long, butt them into the back pc and SMACK THE END with a hammer to drive that coped end tighter, then mark the mitered ends right along the corner they are on, NO RULERS NEEDED.DO NOT NAIL THEM YET, the opposing sides of the mitered corners repeat the process, cope em whack em, scribe em, then put em together and all should br nice and tight then nail the beaches :yes::laughing: I will send the invoice for "Trim School" :wink::whistling2:
Don't forget to send me my half!:laughing::drink:
ARI001: eNCLOSED PLEASE FIND 57 BAZILLION DOLLARS IN CASH PER OUR CONTRACT FOR CONSULTING FEES IN THE "ADVANCED TRIM SCHOOL CLASS 07/2009.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPERIOR KNOWLEDGE AND ASSISTANCE IN THIS ENDEAVOR
One more question on this subject. I have a closet to do in the same room. I got a little or maybe no issue but I will ask anyway. I will have one back pc with butt cuts on both sides and then the right and left pc's will both be coped to the butt cuts. Now there is a 1" gap between the colonial on the door trim. Should I even bother to put a 1" pc in there. The baseboard is a 1/2" thick so there would be a 1/2" space between the colonial door trim and the baseboard. I can't see putting a 1/2" pc of baseboard that is coped. There was a little piece previously when there were square 3" baseboard but with the profile of this baseboard should I do it or not?
OK there will be an additional fee for this NEW question; :laughing:

Yes. Is the answer. Same method as the previous question. the space in a closet is no different than one in a room just that normally the closet is smaller:) To do the returns simply cope the end of an oversized pc, fit per instructions and glue it instead of nailing :thumbup::yes:
Guess I will have to get some liquid nails LOL
Dumb question but do I just glue the back of the small piece and put it to the wall or should I glue all 3 sides of it?
There are no dumb questions, only smart ass answers from a nutcracker ROFLMAO
I just use good ole Tbond II works fine. "liquid Nails" LOL good one.
However in reality glue like that is too thick, will not allow you to get it tight to wall. IF you can find it the best is Titebond "molding" glue. That is not the exact name but close enuf for you to recognize it when you see it, it is made just for moldings etc, heavier body and quick grab and tack. It is kinda hard to find but Blowes and Home Dumpo usually has it.

Just for you thweetie I went into shop and the correct name is "TITEBOND WOOD MOLDING GLUE"
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