Crown Moulding Cope Or Miter Joints?

loneframer

That's when I cope, there again, I havn't seen a stain grade trim package in 15 years or more, that died in the 80s around here, even most of the cabinetry is painted with a glaze wiped finish now. Actually, I'd probably cope stain grade too, unless it was furniture.

Sooner Pesek

Actually I ship all our crown to this dance hall in Minnesota and some bearded guy grinds on it for a while, then he sends it back to me.


OK, I cope with a coping saw-haven't had the chance to try the grinder method.

Cheers boys,
Roger

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"SKILLED Carpenters aren't CHEAP , CHEAP Carpenters aren't SKILLED " --- saw this on a t-shirt a while back ---

OW! My thumb

Dont know if anyone mentioned this or not, but I prefer coping.

Handymanservice

Damn, I hate it when I miss something like that.

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Scribbles

Bass, I have had a grinder in my truck for the last 15 years, and I have never thought of using it for that. My complements man, I think I am done buying blades for my coping saw, and you have the perfect back cut.

eisert

Hey Basswod- what kind of wheel are you using on your grinder for your copes? I've never seen/heard of that before and would like to try it out next week. Thanks!

basswood

There is a brief text with the video with some info...

I just use two 36 grit sanding disks, back to back (with no backing). They tend to "potato chip" and have to be pressed together with their cambers in opposition, so that when the arbor nut is tightened down they flatten each other out. Otherwise you get an annoying wobble or worse (they can even hit the guard and detonate).

I takes some practice, but can work great. For just one or two copes, I still use a coping saw.

Regards,

Basswood

nailman

Why would you think I that I am a Troll?

basswood

Mitering crown is for outside corners, furniture and cabinets.

It is simply the best practice to cope inside corners on crown installed at the wall/ceiling. Mitered inside corner joints very often fail and open up. Coping done well looks as good as perfect miters and is a more forgiving joint.

All the inside corners in this picture of 6-1/2" crown are coped and were perfectly tight joints without caulk.

I also use copes to hold one end of the crown, working solo, and install the crown in reverse order (if you can visualize that). Works great.

I was just razzing you with the troll label... but coping is really the way to go.

Regards,

Bass

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nailman

I also use copes to hold one end of the crown, working solo, and install the crown in reverse order (if you can visualize that). Works great.

I got to try that, Hanging crown Thur. by myself and it really sucked.

basswood

I make sure the cope is just right with a short scrap of crown, but don't nail the last 2-3' of crown before the corner. Pull the scrap and pull the coped end down and slip the end of the next piece of crown in, push the corner together and tack in place with one nail or push that corner together with a "3-rd Hand" (by Fastcap) and walk the plank to the other end and check that cope with a scrap... if all is good nail off all but the last 2-3' of that piece and repeat.

I do lots of stuff in my own unique way... might not work for everyone.

All the best,

Bass

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basswood

What?!--Do I look like the coping fairy?

Sooner Pesek

Ummmmmmm........................

__________________
"SKILLED Carpenters aren't CHEAP , CHEAP Carpenters aren't SKILLED " --- saw this on a t-shirt a while back ---

willworkforbeer

Miter if its stain grade, use test pieces for every joint. I still dont understand why anyone would cope, you cant glue the joint for one thing. I'm sure someone will be along shortly to enlighten me

willworkforbeer

An excellent point

basswood

Coped joints can be cut a skosh long and sprung into place tightly for a perfect fit. These joints are much less likely to ever open up. If they do open all you see is a tiny shadow line of the coped piece against the piece that runs behind it and butts against the wall.

However, both sides of the joint pull back equally When an inside miter shrinks, revealing a open miter at least twice the size of the coped joint shrinking under the same conditions. With stain-grade there is no caulk to handle this wood movement and the unfinished wood of the miter cuts shows. For these reasons there is more justification for coping stain-grade than painted crown. Inside miters will often result in call backs... coped joints will not.

I'll leave it at that for now.

willworkforbeer

I worked for this company http://hollywoodwoodwork.com/ for a while and we did glued mitered inside corners,

basswood

OK... I couldn't just leave it at that.

Coped Joints are:

1) More forgiving of angular variation

2) Less likely to open up

3) If they do open they are less noticeable because...

A) the gaps are smaller,

B) the other piece runs behind the cope and,

C) no unstained wood is revealed in the gap (as in miters).

basswood

See post above. You are arguing against the laws of physics, wood science and optics.

That's all.

willworkforbeer

Maybe youre using mdf products hmm? No seriously for absolute high-end airtight joints nothing beats a perfect glued mitre.