Here is another tip that might help speed up crown installation. When working copes normally you have to commit to a length before it is coped. The measurement from wall to wall is from ‘square’ cut to miter which is removed during the cope, meaning the piece has to be cut to length before it is coped. An old carpy taught me to cut the miter on a piece. and cope leaviing a quarter inch of the miter on the bottom of the piece to hook your tape onto.
Pull the length off of this little piece of the miter cut that is left behind. He taught me also to use a 10-degree back cut on the square side (helpful where the mud is left proud above the measuring line). This allows a cut man to start with only a map of left and right hand copes. He can start to cut while a helper lays out. Both can measure. Finishing the back cut and cope from here is very easy. This method allows the cut man to get ahead without finished lengths. And also allows for re-copes on those thin ones that the blade slices through. It also solves that “Man, I wish I could redo that one” problem.

Edited 6/19/2005 6:55 pm ET by quicksilver