Installing Baseboard

This article takes you through all the details of running baseboard, from cutting inside and outside corners to coping and special details like stair-skirt tie-ins.

Ten Rules for Finish Carpentry

The finish carpenter’s job is to make the doors, windows and cabinets work, and to make the house look good. Finish carpentry is more than interior trim. It includes siding, decking and even roofing–anything the owner will see after moving in. Rough carpenters evolve into finish carpenters by learning how to measure, mark and cut more accurately.

The secret to coping crown molding

Coping crown molding is not thought of as a science, but more as an art. It involves a set of skills and techniques passed from master to apprentice, or less formally, from one guy on the job to another. These crown-coping techniques are based partly on math, partly on common sense, and partly on learning from mistakes. The most-important concept to realize is that every crown profile is designed for a fixed wall and ceiling projection.

Acute angles on the chop saw

Running base around a series of odd angles can be difficult. Try this technique to cut acute angles using a chop saw.

Coping Moldings

Mitering trim joints works, but its not the method most pros prefer. Making an airtight coped joint is easier than you might think — and more durable too. Coped joints do not require perfectly square corners as miter joints do, and coped joints are also less likely to open up after a few seasons of expansion and contraction.

Finger-grip notch for fine-tuning crown molding in place

Using a pry bar to fit the coped end of your molding to the butt end sometimes damages your wall. Here is a better way to fin tune your crown molding in place.

Basic Scribing Techniques

A finish carpenter shares his secrets for fitting trim to uneven, unlevel or unplumb surfaces in this article from the Fine Homebuilding archive. Become a member to learn the techniques for getting trim, wainscoting, and flooring to fit perfectly, even when adjoining surfaces don’t, and other finish carpentry information.
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Upload your photos

Take a look through our gallery to see member photos like this custom-made beamed ceiling, and be sure to share your finish-carpentry photos with the community.
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