The quality of the ceiling finish greatly influences appearance premises. That’s why they try to do everything perfectly, or very close to it. The finishing touch to the design is ceiling plinth. They give the finish a finished and holistic look. The planks themselves are easy to install on flat surfaces: using special glue white, but problems arise with the design of corners. Without knowing how to make the corner of a ceiling plinth correctly, a lot of material is spoiled. We’ll tell you how and with what to cut it in the corners.
What is it made of and what is it called?
The very first plinths on the ceiling were made of plaster. They were cast in special molds, then installed on the ceiling using mortar. Such figured decorations were called fillets. Today you can rarely see them: they are expensive, but in appearance they are almost no different from cheaper options. And this name is almost lost.
The most popular ceiling plinths today are made of polyurethane or polystyrene. They are inexpensive, look great, are easy to install, and have a wide range of profiles and patterns. The width can be from 5 mm to 250 mm. They are used in almost any room, decorated in any style. Exception - Most often used here wooden crafts— style dictates its conditions.
There is also a similar plastic finish. It is mainly installed in bathrooms. But even in damp rooms you can safely install polyurethane strips - they are not afraid of dampness.
You need to cut ceiling plinths in corners from any material using one of the methods described below. The only exception is plastic skirting boards: You can create such a corner only using ready-made corners.
What and how to cut
Working with skirting boards from different materials implies the use different instruments for cutting. When working with wooden ceiling plinths, it is more convenient to use a wood saw. All others, including plastic, foam and other polymers, are better cut with a metal blade. This results in a smoother cut and less burr. Saws are usually used when working with a miter box.
When working with foam baseboards without special devices cut them with a good stationery knife. Its blade is quite thin and even, the cut is smooth and not wrinkled. If you work with polyurethane or polystyrene with a saw, do not press hard: you can dent it.
In general, to get a little used to the tool and material, take a piece and practice on it: cutting, sawing, trimming. This way there will be fewer problems during work.
How to get the right angle
The most problems when working with ceiling skirting boards arise when decorating the corners. Since the surface of the products is complex, simply cutting at the desired angle will not work: it is also necessary to trim so that they fit together and, preferably, without large gaps. In fact, there are several ways to make the corner of the ceiling plinth ideal (or almost).
Using a miter box
If the corners and walls in the room are smooth, you can use a special carpentry tool- miter box. This is a gutter in the shape of an inverted letter “P”, in which lines are marked for cutting at an angle of 90° and 45°. The part to be cut is placed inside, and a saw is inserted into the guides. The part is held in place and cut at the required angle.
In the case of baseboards, not everything is so simple: they must simultaneously adhere to two surfaces, so they need to be pressed against one or the other wall of the miter box. When working with ceiling ones, they are pressed against the side closest to you.
The sequence of actions when finishing the outer corner is to make a cut at an angle of 45 degrees. Place the miter box in front of you. You try on how the plinth will be positioned, determining which part of it will be attached to the ceiling. In order not to get confused and to cut the ceiling plinth correctly, place the plank that will be located on the right on the right, and the one on the left on the left.
Press the part that ends up on the ceiling to the bottom of the miter box. The second side is closer to you and raised. You rest it on the wall of the device so that it does not wobble when cutting. That is, front part the baseboard turns out to be turned away from you. Make the cutting direction as shown in the photo below. By putting the two cut pieces together, you get a protruding corner - an outer or outer corner.
How to make an outer corner of a ceiling plinth using a chair
First place the sawn parts in place “dry”, without applying glue. If the geometry of the corner turns out to be not so ideal, you can correct it a little with a knife. It is easier to cover up small errors with special putty.
WITH internal corner For ceiling plinths the situation is very similar. First, try on which side will be on the ceiling, press this part to the bottom of the miter box, rest the second part on the wall closest to you and make cuts as shown in the photo below.
And again, first try it on without applying glue, and if necessary, adjust it slightly. Then apply a thin bead of glue to both surfaces that will be attached to the wall or ceiling.
Your version of how to use a miter box correctly is shown in the video.
How to make a corner of a ceiling plinth without a miter box
Few apartments or houses have angles exactly 90°. Small deviations can be easily corrected after trying on. But not always. Then you have to mark everything “in place” - under the ceiling.
You will need a finely outlined pencil (hard - it is not so visible on the ceiling, but leaves fairly clear marks up close), a small piece of plinth, a ruler and a good stationery knife, if you work with baguettes made of polyurethane (polystyrene) or a metal saw to work with other materials.
Place the plinth against the corner and draw along the outer edge with a pencil. Apply to the other side of the corner and also mark. You have a cross on the ceiling, the center of which marks the place where the ceiling plinth strips should meet (look at the photo). Having placed a piece of plinth in the corner that will be glued there and resting its end against the wall, transfer the mark to it.
How to make corners on ceiling plinths without using special tools
Now take a ruler and connect the edge of the baseboard with the marked mark. If you simply put the plinth on the table and cut it along the line, the two parts in the corner will still not fit together: the inner part will get in the way. It can be trimmed later by trying it on the ceiling. The second way is to install the piece that needs to be cut on the table with the part that will be on the ceiling. And cut along the line, but holding the knife at an angle of about 45°. You will still need to make adjustments, but much less (and less likely to make mistakes).
Repeat the same operation with the second bar. You attach it to the right wall, rest the end against the adjacent wall, mark the place where the cross is drawn, draw a line and then cut it off. Adjustment is carried out “dry” without applying glue.
You repeat exactly the same steps for the outer (protruding) corner. Now you know another way to make a corner of a ceiling plinth, without a chisel or other special devices.
Using decorative corners
There is another, easiest way. For skirting boards made of polyurethane or polystyrene, use ready-made, factory-made decorative corners. They are installed in a corner, and the strips are glued tightly to them. Trimming them if necessary is very simple: a few millimeters with an ordinary stationery knife.
How to join in corners
If the installation of the first corner is completed, you can assume that you have already learned how to do almost everything. “Almost”, because you still need to learn how to connect the corners and cut the planks to length. When some part has already been glued and there is a small distance left to the corner, how can you not make a mistake with the length? The answer is simple: leave a reserve.
At first, you can cut a piece 10-15 cm longer: you will have the opportunity to redo it several times if something doesn’t work out right away. Then you make an angle in the manner described above, try it on dry, adjust everything so that the result suits you. Only after this can you place the already cut strip in the corner and mark the place to which it can be shortened. You need to cut exactly 90°. It is not necessary to use a miter box. Just try to place the knife (hacksaw) perpendicular to the surface.
Often during repairs you may encounter a situation where it is necessary to saw off a piece from a part at an angle of strictly 45 degrees. Typically, this is needed to connect two parts at a right angle, 90 degrees, such as: door trim, baseboards, pieces of furniture and much more. An experienced craftsman, professionally engaged in repair work, can often do without special devices, and is able to cut the required part evenly and clearly by eye. But if you are a novice repairman, and you have a desire to do the job as efficiently as possible, without damaging expensive parts, then you simply need to purchase a special device that allows you to saw off material at a given angle without any special tricks.
To work, you need to have: a miter box, a hacksaw, a protractor with a pencil, a piece of wood, a screwdriver with screws or a clamp.
Using a ready-made miter box
The most common miter box is a U-shaped profile with slits on the sides, allowing you to use a hacksaw to make cuts at angles of 45, 60 and 90 degrees, respectively. It is enough to use it once and you will no longer have the question of how to cut at an angle of 45 degrees. There are miter boxes that are more complexly designed, allowing you to independently set the angle required for cutting, and also, using a rotating design, set the hacksaw blade in the best position. The best option for a novice repairman would be to purchase ready-made tools at any hardware store. The miter box can be made of wood, plastic or metal. But you can make it yourself from scrap material, any boards or plywood, about 20 millimeters thick.
Making your own miter box
- 1. First you need to assemble the box of the future tool. To do this, it is necessary to drill holes in its side walls for future fastening with screws and, having smeared the ends of the parts with glue, connect them in such a way that both walls are strictly perpendicular to the bottom and parallel to each other, after which we fix them with screws.
- 2. Using a protractor, mark a 45-degree angle with a pencil; if necessary, add additional lines for the grooves. The most important part is the cuts; they are best done with the same hacksaw blade that you will use to cut the products. It is necessary to saw while holding the blade, avoiding strong pressure on the tool; first saw through one side, then the other.
- 3. Let's start processing the material. Using a clamp or screws, we attach the miter box to work surface. At the site of the future cut, we make a mark on the plinth or board. How to cut at an angle of 45 degrees becomes clear if you press it firmly against the side wall and align the mark with the slot on the template. We insert the hacksaw into the groove and cut the workpiece, while the work of the blade is limited to cuts, which allows you to make the cut as evenly and accurately as possible.
- 4. Before sawing the baseboard, you need to make sure that the corner of the room is really straight and, if this is not the case, you need to adjust the cutting angle of the workpiece. To do this, measure the internal angle of the joint between the walls, and divide the result by two. If you do not have a professional rotary miter box capable of changing the cutting angle to the required value, then to achieve the result you need to cut additional grooves at the desired angle in a homemade miter box. This way you can cut the baseboard for the most accurate alignment.
Now you know how to cut a workpiece at an angle of 45 degrees. Perhaps it's time to move from theory to practical action... Stay tuned!
Skirting is an integral element necessary to decorate a room and give it a complete and neat look. It can be made from various materials, but plastic skirting boards are especially popular now. It is easy to install, but even in this process there are some subtleties that are important to know about. How to cut a plastic skirting board correctly so that it can be neatly joined in the corners?
Previously, skirting boards were made primarily of wood and were considered specifically wooden products. But now in hardware stores you can find decorative elements that are made from metal, plastic and other materials.
Wooden plinth is a classic. It is a natural product, as it is made from solid wood. This type is distinguished by its high strength and durability - skirting boards installed back in Soviet times still serve faithfully in some apartments and houses. Now they are made mainly from pine wood, but there are also products from walnut, oak, ash and other species. However, due to this, the cost of the products increases - not everyone can afford such skirting boards.
Because of this, veneered skirting boards have appeared on the market - their prices are an order of magnitude lower. However, in appearance they are practically no different from products made from expensive wood. The fact is that their upper part, which plays a decorative role, is made of a thin layer of expensive wood. Without certain knowledge and experience, it is almost impossible to distinguish a veneered plinth from an ordinary wooden one.
On a note! To cut skirting boards - wooden and veneered - use a regular wood saw.
Plastic skirting boards, that is, made of PVC, are especially popular now. It has partially displaced conventional wooden products from the market, as it has a number of advantages:
- looks beautiful and neat - can imitate products made from natural wood;
- easy to install, flexible and very easy to cut;
- can serve as a cable channel for laying wires;
- is not afraid of exposure to water, and also does not rot, mold does not grow on it;
- inexpensive compared to wooden or veneered products.
Plastic plinth is made of polyvinyl chloride, which is passed through special molds under high pressure. After the mass hardens, a neat plastic product is obtained.
On a note! Some manufacturers decorate the edges of plastic skirting boards with rubber. This measure helps the product not to slide on walls and floors during installation and to adhere tightly to surfaces.
Plastic skirting boards come in several types - for example, those used for carpet(have a special shape in the form of the letter G, fix the material) or for linoleum. There are also universal products that can be installed on any type of flooring. They can also be classified depending on their hardness.
Table. Types of plastic skirting boards depending on hardness.
| View | Description |
|---|---|
| The shape resembles ordinary wooden skirting boards and can be installed both near the floor and under the ceiling. The product is based on ordinary polyvinyl chloride, due to which the skirting boards have all the qualities inherent in this substance - strength, rigidity, various colors and moderate flexibility. However, if there is strong pressure on the fracture, the product can easily break. |
| This type of skirting boards in appearance resembles a flexible tape that is laid along the wall without the need for cutting, which makes installation much easier than in the case of rigid skirting boards. They are also made of PVC, but due to their modest appearance, they are not as popular as regular hard ones. Their main advantage is the ability to use them in rooms with uneven walls, and the products are glued with a special polyurethane-based glue or putty. |
How to trim skirting board corners correctly
Since hard plastic skirting boards are increasingly being used during renovations, these are what we will be talking about. Their installation inevitably involves the need to cut and form beautiful joints in the corners. The overall quality of the entire work and the appearance of the room where the renovation is being carried out will depend on how the plinth is joined.
Methods for cutting plastic skirting boards
Cutting skirting boards is a seemingly simple, but responsible task. If the corners are cut incorrectly, they will not fit together correctly and all the work will go down the drain, since the product will no longer have a beautiful appearance - there will be gaps between two sections of the plinth and decorative inserts (corners, joining elements, etc.).
Most often, conventional cutting is used for cutting skirting boards. hacksaw for metal, which has fine teeth. However, it is not suitable for thin skirting boards, since the product will simply tear under the influence of this tool.
Sometimes the plinth is cut and metal scissors. But the method also has its drawbacks, because the product can wrinkle under the pressure of the blades. Less often, but still used, the grinder is also used. However, the cutting line after it may be sloppy, since the tool often “tears” the soft plastic. This method is especially often unsuccessful for beginners in the world of repairs who do not yet know how to fully control the work. So the grinder can be classified as a rather specific method.
On a note! To cut thin baseboards, you can use a sharp knife or a utility knife. But such work requires some skill, so it is recommended to first practice on scraps of old plastic plinth.
The most important thing in the plinth cutting procedure is compliance with the required geometry. The procedure is never performed “by eye”; accuracy of measurements and accuracy are important here. Therefore, there are other methods for cutting skirting boards.
Stencil cutting
The method is recommended for cutting products intended for installation in non-standard shaped rooms with angles different from the standard mark of 90 degrees. Stencils of the desired angle can be made from paper or thin cardboard. First, strips are cut from the rough material, which have exactly the same width as the plinth. Next, they are applied to the corner and fixed, after which they are cut to the shape of the corner. Then, using the resulting stencils, the plinth itself is cut at the required angle.
Cutting floor plinths using a miter box
To properly trim the plinth, a special device was invented, which was called miter box. It is a small block with a recess for the plinth and with gaps located at different angles - for a cutting tool.
Using a miter box you can get neat and even cuts. The plinth is fixed inside the product, then the angle and cutting direction required in a particular case is selected.
On a note! If it is necessary to form a beautiful corner using a miter box, then one piece of plinth is cut at one angle, and the second - in a mirror image.
When working with a miter box, it is important to ensure that the edges of the plinth protrude a short distance beyond the edges of the selected slot. If the cutting tool has a larger width than the plinth itself, then it is recommended to securely fix the product inside the miter box before cutting. Otherwise, the plinth may move inside, the cut angle will constantly change, which is why it (the cut) will turn out incorrect and incorrect.
Important! During cutting, the pressure on the baseboard should be moderate. Otherwise it may break.
Using a ruler and pencil without a miter box
If you don’t have a miter box on hand and don’t want to make stencils, then you can try applying the necessary markings to the baseboard using a pencil. In the case of forming an internal corner, the width of the product is measured with a ruler, then the resulting value is deposited on the end part of the plinth, and a pencil line is drawn from its corner to this marked point, along which the cut will be made. The second plinth, which will form an angle together with the first, is simply cut along the first one attached to it.
Important! If the installation of skirting boards is carried out in a room with complex geometry, then all corners will have to be carefully measured to avoid mistakes.
Experienced craftsmen recommend starting the installation of the baseboard from the inner corner. At the junction of two walls, which form the internal corner, the cut on the baseboards will be equal to 45 degrees (in a room with correct and precise geometry). It is recommended to cut using a miter box - this is the only way to achieve a perfectly even cut.
Advice! If necessary, you can slightly adjust the plinths to each other using a sander or rasp, slightly “removing” their edges.
In general, in any case, the cut edges of plastic skirting boards should be sanded - this way you will be able to get rid of sharp edges and it will be easier to work with. And cutting of skirting boards with cable channels is carried out only after disassembling the product - the decorative strip, designed to hide the wires and places where the skirting board is attached, is cut separately.
It is recommended that immediately before installing the plinth, cut the pieces to the required length and shape the corners, so as not to be distracted by this procedure while assembling the plinth. You should not neglect the use of additional elements - plugs, corners and other products for the plinth. With their help, it will be possible to give the finished work a finished and harmonious look.
Advice! If the corners where the plinth is laid and joined are uneven, then you can even trim decorative caps and other elements if necessary.
How to cut plastic floor plinths
If the angle in the room where it is planned to finish the joints of walls and floors with skirting boards is 90 degrees, which happens extremely rarely, then the cuts of the skirting boards should each have an angle of 45 degrees. This type of cut is the easiest to make, especially using a miter box. It is enough to insert the plinth into the miter box, then select a groove of 45 degrees and make a cut.
However, such 90-degree angles in rooms are extremely rare; they usually differ by several values in one direction or another. And in some rooms the corners may even be larger. Then cutting is done differently: markings are drawn on the floor with a pencil, where the border of the plinth location is drawn on one side and the other of the corner - you get a small rhombus. The diagonal of this rhombus will be the very cutting line of the product. Next, a plinth is applied to the markings, on which markings are made in accordance with the diagonal of the diamond. If you draw a straight line from this mark to the corner of the plinth, you get the very desired cutting line.
The outer corners of the skirting boards are formed a little differently, or rather, in a room with ideal geometry, you can also cut the products at an angle of 45 degrees (but in a different direction) and after joining, close the edges with a cap. Non-standard corners are cut like this: one of the plinths is applied to one of the walls, its boundaries are marked with a pencil. The same procedure is carried out with another product - again there is a rhombus on the floor, the diagonal of which will become a guideline for cutting the products.
Instructions for cutting skirting boards
Let's look at how to trim a plinth using a miter box and a hacksaw.
Step 1. After all the measurements have been taken, the plinth is placed in the inside of the miter box and pressed against one of its walls.
Step 2. Using a hacksaw, the plinth is trimmed. The cutting (sawing) tool is inserted into the selected groove and a cut is made.
However, sometimes it is enough to cut plastic skirting boards at a right angle - now a large number of various additional products for them have appeared on sale. For example, there are corners that will allow you to hide even cuts and decorate everything beautifully. For your attention - instructions for installing plastic skirting boards.
How to fix the baseboard? The answer is here!
In general, all existing methods for attaching skirting boards can be divided into two categories - installation by fastening to the floor and installation to walls. You will have to choose depending on the type of baseboard and the design features of the living space. Read more in .
Step 1. All measurements are taken and the required length for the plinth sections is determined. These values are deposited on two products from which the corners will be formed.
Step 2. Skirting boards are cut using a miter box and any cutting tool and applied to the walls - this is necessary to ensure that the products are cut correctly and have the required length.
Step 3. If everything is done correctly, the baseboards are screwed to the wall using self-tapping screws and dowels. But before that, plugs or corners are put on their ends.
Step 4. At the outer corners of the plinths, they are connected to each other with special plastic devices.
Step 5. The plinth is installed in its designated place and screwed to the wall with self-tapping screws.
Step 7 The cable channel with laid wires is closed with a decorative plug.
Step 8 External corners are closed with special corner plugs, which are simply placed on the edges of the baseboards forming the corner.
Video - How to cut skirting boards
Video - Secrets of installing plastic skirting boards
The ceiling plinth not only performs a decorative function, visually separating the walls from the ceiling, but can also hide the joints of various finishing materials of the ceiling and walls. Not every interior design involves the use of ceiling plinths, but most often the overall appearance of the room seems incomplete without it. There is nothing complicated in attaching this element - fillets - almost all types of skirting boards are attached with glue. But the question of how to properly trim ceiling plinths in the corners of rooms can confuse many. After all, even in the simplest room there are internal corners where the ceiling plinth strips must be joined precisely and beautifully. And in a more complex configuration of the room, you will also have to join the skirting boards, making the outer corner. In this article we will look at various options on how to cut a ceiling plinth with and without available tools.
First, you need to figure out the question of how to cut the ceiling plinth; the answer to it depends on the material from which the fillet is made. At the moment, ceiling plinths made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), expanded polystyrene (foam), polyurethane and wood are sold.
PVC ceiling skirting boards are the cheapest. They easily form dents and creases that cannot be removed, so the product has to be thrown away. Also, their disadvantage is electrostaticity - the ability to attract dust. You can cut them with a sharp construction knife or hacksaw.
Ceiling plinths made of polystyrene foam are also considered cheap. This material is very fragile and easily crumbles during processing, so it is necessary to cut polystyrene foam with a sharp knife or a hacksaw, without applying too much pressure.
Ceiling plinths made of extruded polystyrene foam A little more expensive than polystyrene foam, they are denser and more difficult to cut. However, they crumble less, so they are easier and more convenient to work with. Cut with a construction knife and a hacksaw for metal.
Ceiling plinths made of polyurethane are the most expensive at the moment. They are durable, elastic and moisture-resistant, easy to cut with a construction knife and do not crumble. The disadvantage of polyurethane skirting boards is their dependence on temperature changes. For example, above a gas stove, the polyurethane baseboard will acquire residual deformations and begin to crack slightly. If you try to process or cut such a skirting board, it may bend or deform in other ways.
Wooden ceiling plinths They are dense, heavy products that can only be cut with a hacksaw, preferably with small, frequent teeth. You can also use a metal blade.
Before moving on to listing the ways to correctly cut a ceiling plinth, I would like to note that it is possible not to cut the plinth with particular precision. Available for sale special corner elements, into which the edges of the plinth are inserted. In this case, it is enough to cut the plinth strip at an angle of 90 °, and the corner element will hide all the flaws. But this method is not always used, since the dimensions of the corner elements are slightly larger than the baseboards themselves, so the corners in the room will stand out against the general background. Sometimes it can look clumsy. However, if the design of the room allows the use of corner elements for ceiling plinths, it makes sense to use them. Further instructions will be useful for those who still decide to precisely cut the baseboards to a given angle.
A miter box is a simple carpentry tool that allows you to cut the workpiece at the required angle. Most often it is a tray made of plastic, wood or metal with vertical slots for cutting at an angle of 90° and 45°. There are also more complex miter box designs - for cutting at angles of 90, 60 and 45 degrees. For more professional work, a miter box with a rotating mechanism is used, where the hacksaw can be fixed at any angle to the workpiece.
How to cut ceiling plinth using a miter box - inner corner:
- We apply the plinth to the ceiling and measure the required length.
- Then we install the plinth strip in the miter box so that the position coincides with the position of the plinth on the ceiling.
- The plinth strip should be pressed against the far wall of the miter box.
- We hold the plinth with our left hand.
- We choose the position of the hacksaw when the angle is 45 degrees and at the same time the handle of the hacksaw is as close as possible to the left hand.
- We cut the workpiece without putting excessive pressure on the saw.
- The next step is cutting the baseboard striker. We also install it to the far wall of the miter box.
- Press and hold with your right hand.
- We choose a position for the hacksaw when the angle is 45 degrees and the handle of the hacksaw approaches the right hand.
- Cut off the baseboard.
Next, we join the cut plinth strips and check the cutting accuracy. For more accurate orientation, they also say that to make an internal corner, you need to start cutting from the front part of the plinth. After cutting, wooden skirting boards will most likely have to be adjusted with a file.
How to cut a ceiling plinth using a miter box - outer corner:
- In order not to make a mistake with the dimensions, it is better to start by marking the inner corner, and then cut out the outer corner. Otherwise, there may be a situation where the bar may not be long enough.
- It is necessary to attach the plank to the ceiling and outline the dimensions.
- We install the ceiling plinth strip and press it against the nearest wall.
- We hold with our left hand and select a position for the hacksaw at an angle of 45 degrees, when the handle approaches the left hand.
- We cut off the workpiece.
- We install the counter plate to the nearest wall and hold it with our right hand.
- We install the hacksaw at an angle of 45 degrees, when the handle approaches the right hand.
- We cut off the workpiece and join the corner.
Trimming the workpiece using a miter box is only suitable if the angle between the walls is even - 90 degrees. If the accuracy leaves much to be desired, you will have to use other methods.
How to cut the corner of a ceiling plinth using markings on the ceiling
Marking the plinth on the ceiling also allows you to cut the corner smoothly and accurately. The only drawback of this method is that it is difficult and inconvenient to hold the plinth strip suspended during the cutting process. Otherwise, you can mark the angle for cutting in this way even more accurately than in other ways. When applying the plinth to the installation site, all flaws in the walls and deviations in the size of the angle are immediately taken into account.
Cutting the corner of the ceiling plinth:
- First of all, two blanks need to be cut at an angle of 90 degrees.
- Then we first apply one plank, resting its end against a perpendicular wall. We draw a line on the ceiling outlining the contour of the plinth.
- We remove this plank and attach a counter plank, also resting its end against the wall. We draw a line.
- The intersection point of the outlined lines will be the mark at which it is necessary to cut the baseboard.
- Again we apply each strip one by one and mark the cutting point on them.
- Draw a line from this point to the other edge of the plinth.
We cut the skirting boards along the marked lines, join them and apply them to the installation site. Please note that using this method it is more convenient to cut internal corners.
Something resembling a miter box can be made by applying the required cutting angles to paper, cardboard or wood. You need to draw two parallel lines, determine the center, and then mark the necessary angles using a protractor. The advantage of this method is that you can set any angle, including more than 90 degrees. Of course, before cutting the corners of the ceiling plinth, you must first check the angle between the walls using a corner and measure it with a protractor.
The technique for cutting a ceiling plinth using a painted miter box is exactly the same as using the miter box itself. We press the plinth strip against one of the parallel lines, then set the hacksaw at the desired angle, which has already been outlined, and cut it off.
Makeshift miter box tray with your own hands
Making a miter box with your own hands is also not difficult.
Method 1. You will need three wooden planks or boards, which must be knocked together into a U-shaped box. Then the necessary angles are marked on the walls of the box, and the cut is made with a hacksaw. The result should be a wooden miter box with grooves cut out in it.
Method 2. A combination of a makeshift miter box and a template with outlined lines. For ease of cutting, it is necessary to build something that will conveniently hold the ceiling plinth strip, since it is difficult to hold it suspended. It is enough to put together a corner from two wooden planks or boards. On paper you need to draw lines with angles for cutting at 45 degrees or any other. Then we apply the plinth blank to the corner, press it with our hand, as described in the technology for using a miter box, move the paper with the template under the edge where we are going to make the cut, and cut it off. During the cutting process, we focus on the line drawn on the paper.
Method 3. You can use anything as an improvised miter box, anything that forms a corner. For example, a table pushed against the wall.
Important! Please note the rule for taking measurements for cutting ceiling plinths. To mark an internal corner, you need to measure the length directly from the corner itself. To mark the outer corner, you need to be aware that the baseboard will protrude into the room at a distance equal to its width.
You should not fix the ceiling plinth strips before you have cut the counter strip and tried out their location. Only after the two strikers meet perfectly in the corner can you begin to attach them to the ceiling. Small flaws can be corrected with a file or nail file in the case of wooden and polyurethane skirting boards. To adjust the foam products, you will have to use a sharp knife.
If suddenly, even after adjusting the baseboards, a small gap remains between them, do not despair, it can be repaired with putty. Cutting the ceiling plinth yourself is not difficult. But in order not to spoil a lot of products, it is better to first practice on small pieces.