Installing quarter round moulding in a laundry room that has a wood ceiling and bead board walls. The trim will be at the ceiling line as well as the wall corners. I can cope the trim along the ceiling where just two pieces abut, but how do you cope the vertical wall trim where it joins the two ceiling pieces? Also, how do you treat the bottom end of the corner trim where it meets the top of the base?
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell’em “Certainly, I can!” Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
The craftsman formerly known as elCid
Edited 3/6/2004 12:05:24 AM ET by Ed Hilton
Replies
Just cope it both ways. It takes some thought, but you can figure it out.
Dang it Dan, at least let the ink get dry before you post a reply!
Ok, when I cope, I cut an inside miter then use a rotozip to cut to the line. Would you cut a double inside miter then do the trimming?
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
The craftsman formerly known as elCid
Just think how you would do it if only one of the other pieces was already in place. Cope it for that scenario, then think what you'd do if it was the OTHER piece already in place and cope it for that, imagining that you hadn't made the first cope yet. Doesn't work for all profiles, but works fine for most basic corner moldings.
The trick is seeing the joint in these two ways and not getting confused.
I'd use a coping saw.
at the intersection of the T..make a "V" cut in the cieling pc. on the verticle leg cut an arrowhead to slip in the "V"..spring in the pointy pc.
View Image
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
When you get the corner to base detail done, would you post a pic?Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
That is always a ratty looking intersection of trim, isn't it?
I am visualizing a 3/4" inside corner coming down to a what I call a regular base molding, 3" colonial or oval.
How about installing a 1"x1"x3-1/2" block in the corner. The base will fit nicely with square cuts and the inside corner would just sit on top, also nicely, I think.
Perhaps a small chamfered edge on the corner block would be better.
Just a thought, what do you think?View Image
Bee, I hate the detail (not the block you mention). Rather spend the time fitting the wall finish so there's no corner trim. I.S. , qtr rnd, doesn't make much difference. I always hate to hear that "we'll just put some trim there". Trim ideally is not to cover, but to enhance IMO.Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Trim ideally is not to cover, but to enhance IMO.
Maybe, but window/door casings seem more designed to hide, then enhance. The more elaborate they get, the more function follows form, but I find nothing enhancing about painted ranch casework, and (imo) it's primary function is to hide the gap between window/door and rough opening. That it does enhance the opening may be by pure chance, or part of the design, but it's original function was to hide. On the flip side, I've seen McMansions that have had off-the-shelf moldings piled on to give the illusion of craftmanship, but I'm not impressed with that, either.
I never met a tool I didn't like!
I remembered a published trick somewhere wherein a jig was made to use a forstner bit in a drill press. Pretty neat, but I only had about 5 joints so I didn't think it justified making the jig.
If I understand the T-joint someone mentioned, that would work well if it was in one plane...a vertical trim piece in the middle of a wall meeting the wall-ceiling trim. But since I'm working in a corner with three planes, I can't see how the T would work.
What I did was lay the corner trim against the fence of my miter saw, and stood up a short piece against the fence to simulate the ceiling piece, marked the profile by hand, then did the opposite side, and trimmed it with a rotozip. The resulting end looks kinda like a spear point, and works reasonably well.
For the quarter round to base (or chair rail) intersection, I cut a 45* bevel on the trim, leaving a flat that matches the size of the top of the base. Looks ok.
I also discovered that, when coping with a rotozip, if the bit catches the end of the trim just wrong, it will jump over the trim and land on your knuckle, instantly removing a nice chunk of skin.
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
The craftsman formerly known as elCid
Edited 3/7/2004 9:28:25 PM ET by Ed Hilton
Ouch! Post pictures when you can. Of the trim, not the finger...
I never met a tool I didn't like!
Yeah, the V notch approach might be better, though I can't quite visualize it. The one problem with my double-cope trick (aside from noodling it out) is that it doesn't "spring" into place but lays on top of the other two pieces.
Ed,
I think you could just make a double bevel (think hip/vally intersection at the ridge) and cope away.
You might even be able to cut a regular cope, remove waste with coping saw, then cut your second bevel. You might even be able to use a 3/4" bit in a drill press to make the cope. Prop the trim up at a 45° angle and remove the waste with the bit, then cut your second bevel.
On the other hand, maybe I have no clue what I'm talking about...
Jon Blakemore