Do It Yourself

1. Crown Moulding Installation
   • Hang Crown Moulding
   • Mitre Box
   • Compound miter saw
2. Trim & Baseboard Installation
   • Trip Tips
   • Installing Baseboards – Coped Corners
   • Mitered Corners
3. Joining Handrails
4. Mantle Installation
   • Step One
   • Step Two
   • Step Three
   • Step Four

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Crown Moulding Installation

With crown moulding, the general rule of thumb is that the higher your ceiling, the more crown moulding you should use. For example, with 10-foot or higher ceilings, you might want to use a base mould/crown mould combination. For 8-foot ceilings, you should probably use 3- or 4-inch crown moulding. Remember: if you get confused about what to buy, ask for help.

Hang the first piece of crown moulding

• For the first piece of crown moulding, select a wall that has inside corners to the left and right (if possible, choose a short wall that won’t require two pieces of moulding).
• Measure the length of the wall and cut a piece of crown moulding to size. – Use a 90-degree, or “butt,” cut for the first piece – Because crown moulding is fairly flexible, you can add about 1/16th inch to the length of your first piece to ensure a good tight fit. If the piece appears too long, don’t force it — remeasure and cut again. – If the wall is too long for one piece of moulding, splice in another piece using 45-degree joints, which produce finer joint lines and are less noticeable than butt joints.
• Butt the two ends against the inside corners and nail the crown moulding into place. – Start toward the middle of the moulding and be sure to nail into the wall studs (figure A) . – You can place blocking behind the crown moulding to create a better nailing surface. – For short pieces and on the ends of the crown moulding, drill pilot holes before nailing. This prevents the wood from splitting (figure B). – Don’t hammer the nails all the way into the wood; you could damage the moulding. Leave about 1/4 inch of the nail showing and finish it with a nail set. Cut the next pieces of crown moulding

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Miter Box

• When using a miter box, place the moulding on the saw at the same angle as it will be between the wall and ceiling. Place the mould base flat against the saw base and the side flat against the fence.
• For square corners, cut the joints at 45-degree angles (figure C) . – Pay careful attention to the direction of your cut as well as the position of your crown moulding on the saw.
• For outside corners, use a coping saw to remove the back portion of the mould (figure D) . – Be sure your coping saw has a sharp blade.

Compound Miter Saw

• For inside corners, cut joints at a 45-degree angle.
• For outside corners, set the bevel at 34 degrees and the table at 31.5 degrees (figure E) .
• Place the crown moulding flat on the base of the saw, with the bottom of the crown facing away from the fence.
• Slide the moulding into position and make the cut (figure F) .
• For the other side of the moulding, leave the bevel at 34 degrees and turn the table to the opposite 31.5 degree mark (i.e., if your first cut was on the left, your next cut should be on the right) (figure G) .
• Place the crown moulding flat on the base of the saw, with the bottom facing toward the fence.
• Slide the moulding into position and make the cut.
• After the pieces are cut, nail the remaining crown moulding into place.
• If you don’t plan to extend your crown moulding past an outside corner, you’ll need to create a “return,” which is a small piece of moulding that serves as a corner end piece. A return has an outside corner cut on the side touching the moulding and a 90-degree cut on the side touching the wall. When attaching a return, use wood glue instead of nailing it into place (figure H) .

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Trim & Baseboard Installation

Trim Tips

• Measure around room and round up to calculate how much trim to buy.
• Purchase long lengths to avoid splicing and reduce waste.
• If you must splice try to use trim with similar grain & colour.
• If using a light coloured stain match wood grains.
• Fit outside miters first.
• Inside miters are next.
• Cope joints.
• Against doorframes trim should butt up against it.

Installing Baseboards – Coped Corners

• Cut baseboard pieces to approximate lengths (a little extra on each) and put in place.
• Holding trim against an inside corner mark the length of the other end (the outside corner). Using a steel miter box cut the baseboard (clamp the baseboard down to ensure accuracy).
• Using finishing nails, nail into the wall stud. Counter sink the nails with a nail set so they don’t show.
• On the inside corner (butt the next piece of trim up against the existing trim from second step) you will cope this end to fit against the other piece of trim.
• To cope this joint you need to trace the shape of the trim and cut it out so this piece will fit snugly against the other.
• Place the trim against the wall, at the opposite end of the coped joint mark where the next cut will be, make it a little longer to allow for any fitting or adjustments.
• Bowing the trim slightly (because it is a bit long) fit the trim into place and release. The slightly oversize length will make the coped joint fit snugly against the other trim. Nail in place.
• Using finishing nails, nail into the wall stud. Counter sink the nails with a nail set so they don’t show.
• Against doorframes trim should butt up against it.
• If trim isn’t long enough to cover a whole wall two or more pieces of trim can be spliced together, to do this you must make a scarf joint.
• A scarf joint is an angled cut that is 8 times longer than the height. Cut both pieces on the same angle, fit together, and sand to make sure of a tight fit. Glue together and clamp until dry.

Mitered Corners

• Cut baseboard pieces to approximate lengths (a little extra on each) and put in place.
• Starting on an inside corner cut the end at a 45-degree angle using a steel miter box (clamp the baseboard down to ensure accuracy). On inside corners the 45-degree cuts will expose the end grain; on outside corners the end grain will be towards the wall.
• Holding miter cut trim against the inside corner, mark the length of the other end (the outside corner) and cut on a 45-degree angle.
• Using finishing nails, nail into the wall stud. Counter sink the nails with a nail set so they don’t show.
• Continue throughout room.
• Trim should butt up against doorframes.
• If trim isn’t long enough to cover a whole wall two or more pieces of trim can be spliced together, to do this you must make a scarf joint.
• A scarf joint is an angled cut that is 8 times longer than the height. Cut both pieces on the same angle, fit together, and sand to make sure of a tight fit. Glue together and clamp until dry.

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Joining Handrails

To join any handrail part to a straight rail, as at Section A, use an HW105 hanger bolt. When using an up or down easement, either between straight rail and a handrail part (as in the drawing which shows an H31 up easement with an H4 small symmetrical volute), or between two sections of rail, (e.g. when making a gooseneck), the other face of the easement is simply joined with the two 3” x #12 wood screws as shown.

To insert the bolt, the following tools are required:

• Drill
• 1-1/8” , ½ & ¼ drill bits.
• ½” closed wrench

In the straight rail to be joined, drill a 1-1/8” hole in the recess for the filler strip, 1-1/2” in from the end. Drill as deep as possible but take care not to let the point of the drill come through the rail. (If using a speed bit, it may be necessary to file the point down to a stub.)

Then, with the ½” bit, drill from the center of the joint face in the position shown, through to the hole just drilled. A ¼” hole, 2” deep, is made in the corresponding position on the handrail part. The hanger bolt is screwed into this.

Dry assemble the two parts and check that you can get the washer onto the bolt as shown. When gluing together, align the parts carefully while tightening nut. The 1-1/8” hole will be hidden by the filler strip.

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Mantle Installation Guide

Step One

Line outside of legs up with the outside
of valance. Attach legs to top with 1 1/4″
wood screws.
(See figure #1).

Step Two

Set mantel in place. Make a mark where
the top of the mantel sits and remove
mantel.
(See figure #2).

Step Three

Measure down from your line 2 – 6 ”
(this varies from mantel to mantel, put hangers
together and measure top of mantel to bottom of
hanger).
(See figure #3).

Step Four

Find at least two studs and attach hanger
bar #2 to the wall. If desired you can now
paint your mantel or do it after you finish
installing the mantel. For a permanent install
put–some wood glue on hanger bar #2.
Put mantel in place and let glue dry.
(See figure #4).