Door trims are made of natural wood, laminated MDF board or plastic. Each material has its own advantages and disadvantages; you should select a specific type of platbands taking into account the specific installation location, the general interior of the room and your own preferences. They differ slightly in price, but the difference is not so significant that it has a decisive influence during the choice.
There are several ways to attach the platband depending on the angle of the connection.
Joining with cutting ends at an angle of 45°
The most common and most universal method. Allows you to completely hide the spots, looks beautiful.
Joining with cutting ends at an angle of 90°
A very simple method, it has two options: the open ends of the cut are located vertically or the visible ends of the cut are located horizontally.
Joining with cutting of ends at 90°, elongated horizontal casing with imitation lintel
It is rarely used and only for creating exclusive interiors.
Fixation of platbands can be carried out with special thin nails with or without a reduced head diameter. Professionals work with a pneumatic gun, but it’s not worth buying one for one bath. The length of the nails is within two centimeters.
The second method of attaching platbands is using liquid glue. From the point of view of builders, both methods are equivalent; each can be used with the same quality of installation of platbands. A small advantage of using glue is that there are completely no visible fixation points. But the heads of the nails can also be recessed a little and painted over with a construction marker of the appropriate color.
Cutting platbands
It is better to cut moldings with a special electric miter saw. The saw table is installed at different angles, the cut is perfectly smooth, there are no chips or roughness. Such a saw is relatively inexpensive, and will always come in handy during the construction of a bathhouse. If necessary, it can be detached from the metal table and used as portable tool– very convenient at any construction site.
Electric miter saw – photo
Important. When trimming trims, check the serviceability of the tool.
The saw must be sharp and smooth, even the slightest beating of the bearings of the electric saw is excluded. Press firmly side faces molding to the thrust surfaces of fixtures or tools, the presence of even the slightest gaps will create big problems for you during installation.
Don't want to buy it? Then you should buy a factory-made miter box or make it yourself. The miter box allows you to trim moldings at an angle of 90°, 45° or 30°.
You should not buy a Chinese low-quality miter box. They make it from recycled polyethylene, and during cooling it shrinks greatly, and the position of the thrust planes changes. We advise you to check the device before starting work. Saw off several pieces in different positions, join them together with cuts and check the corners.
Let us consider in more detail the installation methods for both plastic and wooden or MDF platbands.
Installation of wooden or MDF trims with the ends cut at an angle of 45°
Step 1. Preparing the surface of the doorway and trim
Using a construction knife, carefully cut off the protruding polyurethane foam; do not damage the door frame during cutting. You need to be especially careful when working around the visible corners of the box covered with self-adhesive polyethylene film.
Check the position of the plane of the wall and the box. Take a straight strip and check the position of the wall and frame around the entire perimeter of the doorway. If there are problems, you will have to solve them during the installation of the platbands. We will describe how this is done below. The ends of the lower part of the platbands must be cut off - during transportation or long-term storage they could get damaged.
For one door you will need four long and two short trims. You need to saw off with a length margin of 3÷4 centimeters.
Step 2. Mark the position of the trims
The door frame has rounded corners, right angle only from the side of the extension. We recommend installing the platbands in such a way that the rounding does not close. From the side of the extension, accordingly, the corners of the platband must exactly coincide with the corners of the extension.
The platband should not interfere with opening and closing the door
Important point! Platband should not interfere with work door hinges and "answer" door lock. Attach platbands to door frame and use a thin pencil to mark the top of the box. They will be located 2÷3 millimeters above the joining angle of the door frame. These marks indicate the height of the long vertical trims and the width of the short horizontal trims at the lower corners of the joint.
On the extension side, we recommend placing marks on the trim 1÷2 millimeters below the corner, this will allow them to completely cover uneven or damaged surfaces of the extensions. If the extensions are in good condition, then you can install the platbands flush to them.
We do the markings slowly
Step 3. Attach vertical trim to the marks and make marks on them at a certain height
Step 4. Cut the vertical trims at an angle of 45°
Do not give a large feed of the cutting tool; the cut should be as smooth and clean as possible. When cutting, take into account the width of the cut; in some saws it can be up to three millimeters. Step back from the mark you made by the width of the cut.
Step 5. Start nailing the prepared trims
First two vertical ones, and then a horizontal one.
The heads of the nails can be recessed a little and sealed with acrylic sealant to match the color. The same sealant can be used to seal cracks around the entire perimeter installed platbands and the door frame and in the corner upper places where the cuts join.
Important. The use of sealant to seal cracks indicates a low qualification of the performer. If you have little experience, then it is better to practice a little with cuts than to eliminate the defect later. Nail the first trims on the inconspicuous side of the doors, get a little practice.
Problems may also arise due to the fault of the bathhouse builders; let’s look at some of them and how to eliminate them. Most often, the plane of the wall does not lie on the same line with the plane of the door frame. The door frame is either too recessed or, on the contrary, protrudes too much, or is generally made at a slope. In this regard, the platbands cannot fit tightly to the doorway; large gaps appear in the corners of the joint, regardless of the precision with which the cuts are made.
There are several ways to solve such rather unpleasant problems.
Aligning the plane of the platband with the wall
The first way. The simplest, but, unfortunately, not always applicable. With its help, you can correct the non-parallelism of the planes of the wall and frame within 2÷3 millimeters. How is this done?
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| Step 1. | Place the trim in the intended place, press it tightly against the box. It will move a little away from the plane of the wall, estimate the width of the gap between it and the wall. If it is within 2÷3 mm, then the gap at the joint is removed without the need for construction work. |
| Step 2. | Place a pad the same thickness as the size of the gap on the work table of the saw or miter box. The lining should be narrow, not the entire width of the casing, just a few millimeters; it should only slightly raise one side of it during filing. |
| Step 3. | Press the platband tightly to the work table in this position, the lower plane of the platband on the stop side should rise slightly above the table. Carefully cut the end in position. The cut end should have a 45° angle to the axis and be slightly inclined towards the surface. Now, in the “broken” position, the joint of the two platbands at the joints will be tight, and there will be no need to seal the cracks with acrylic sealant. |
The second way. Due to violations of manufacturing technology, wooden platbands may have uneven surfaces or warping. Of course, ideally their quality should be checked at the time of purchase. If the defect is discovered already during the installation of the platbands, then the warping is easily eliminated. Place the vertical and horizontal trims so that the cuts lie evenly. Drive a nail into the end, it will fix them in correct position and not allow it to move.
- The door frame is too recessed into the wall. You'll have to chisel the wall - the work is dusty, noisy and dirty. Place the trim against the box and draw a line on the wall. Using a grinder with a diamond blade or a saw (depending on the wall material), cut a line along the wall. And then you need to choose a niche for the platband. This can be done with a grinder, chisel, etc. Constantly check the depth of the groove. If in some places the niche is too deep, fill the recess with plaster or cement mortar and immediately place the platband in the desired depth position for a few seconds, this will help you make a niche more accurately. So you need to go around the entire door around the perimeter.
- If you have a casing from natural wood and has a decent thickness, you can remove its back side a little with a plane. Work very carefully, do not rush, it will be impossible to correct the mistake.
Video - How to attach platband without nails
Video - Do-it-yourself installation of platbands on interior doors
Installation of platbands with cutting ends at an angle of 90°
Cutting the ends of the casing at an angle is rare; such a door does not look very nice. Only completely inexperienced masters can do this. It is better to make open ends of the cuts on top of the vertical trims; in this place the cut end is hardly noticeable.
The cuts must be sanded with fine sandpaper. Sanding should be done carefully so as not to damage the laminate on the front surface of the casing. The cut areas should be painted over with carpenter's markers to match the main color. All other operations, except for the angle of the ends, do not differ from those described above.
When attaching the platbands with liquid glue, you should keep them in the desired position for several minutes. Carefully monitor the accuracy of the connection at the joints. Unevenness on the wall or problems with the quality of the platbands can widen the gap. To prevent this from happening, first fix the corner of the joint with a nail or place pads under it, taking into account the size of the gap between the platband and the wall. Only after this can you press the platband to the entire surface and wait for the liquid glue to cool.
Nail the first nail in the middle of the casing; this will allow you to rotate it slightly for a tight connection at the corners of the cut. Only after the corners on all sides of the door are positioned correctly can you drive in nails to secure them. The distance between the nails is approximately 15÷20 centimeters. You need to check the distance by lightly tapping the platband. You will immediately find out in which places the platband does not fit tightly; drive additional nails into them.
If during driving the nail does not reach the end and becomes bent, do not pull it out. Gently pinch the remaining part with pliers and rotate it left/right until it breaks off. Why shouldn't you pull it out? The nail could not be hammered in for a “valid” reason beyond your control, which means that the second one will not fully fit into this place. It is much better to immediately hammer a new one next to it, fewer holes will be in platbands.
You can increase the tightness of the platbands across the entire width using polyurethane foam. Apply it with reverse side platbands in a thin strip along the entire length from the side of the wall, give three to four minutes for partial drying. Otherwise, the foam will not stick to the surface. Next, arrive the platbands in the recommended way. After complete drying polyurethane foam Carefully cut off the visible part; the gap can be sealed with sealant. Although, if you don’t overdo it with foam, it shouldn’t protrude. During pressing, the ability of the foam to increase volume is significantly reduced.
In conclusion we will give practical advice for working with an air pistol. It is designed in such a way that there are holes on the side for air exhaust. The piston is constantly lubricated with machine oil; during the exhaust of air, its smallest particles come out. When the studs need to be driven into the end of the platbands, an oily stain from the escaping air always forms on the white wall. Be sure to place clean paper between the gun and the wall.
If you have platbands white– do not lubricate nails with oil, the oil will leave a stain at the entry point of the nail.
Video - Installation of MDF or wooden trims
Video - Errors when installing trims and interior door trims
Installation of plastic platbands
In some cases, plastic platbands are difficult to distinguish from natural ones; in terms of their performance indicators, they satisfy most owners. You can choose any color scheme, thickness and width. The kit includes connecting elements for corner cutting, mounting and front profiles.
How to install them?
Step 1. Mark the mounting profile
The mounting profile is plastic product with special protrusions-latches for the front profile. There is no need to mark the mounting profile very precisely; it subsequently closes and becomes invisible. The cuts in the corners of the platbands can be a few millimeters apart; the gap does not play a critical role. The distance is taken as described in the above section on MDF installation and wooden platbands.
Step 2. Cut the mounting profile blanks
You will need four long vertical ones and two short horizontal ones. You need to cut at an angle of 45°. You can use an electric miter saw, a device for cutting at an angle (miter box), or an ordinary grinder with a thin metal disc. The mounting profile can be 5÷10 millimeters shorter than the front one. This makes it easier to take measurements.
Step 3. Fix the mounting profile to the wall
Self-tapping screws are used for fastening.
Very important. The mounting part of the platband cannot always fit onto the box, especially a thin Chinese one, and installing it on the wall requires the ideal quality of the latter. Best option– the walls are made of plasterboard, sheet plywood or OSB boards. Plaster is the worst option. If the quality of the plastering “wants better,” then you will have to use a spatula to trim the strip near the door frame. Otherwise, the profile will bend in a wave-like manner during attraction, and this is unacceptable.
The mounting profile is fixed with self-tapping screws in special mounting locations. If you need to screw in screws more often, no problem. Drill a small entry hole in the plastic and screw in the screws. This is what some masters advise. We advise you not to drill any special holes; the self-tapping screw screws in just fine. You need to start by fastening the center of the profile; screws are screwed in at the edges only after checking the position and correcting errors.
Step 4. Take the dimensions of the front profile taking into account the thickness of the connecting elements of the corner cuts
In most cases, their thickness does not exceed two to three millimeters. But there is much more, it all depends on the manufacturer of the platbands. Dimensions are taken from the floor to the corner of the box.
Step 5. Saw off two vertical trims at an angle, secure them in the mounting profile
One of the advantages of plastic platbands is that the front profile can be moved in the installation room and in this way its position can be precisely adjusted. It is advisable to install only vertical trims at first.
Step 6. Insert connecting profiles into the sawed-off ends of the front vertical trims
File one end of the horizontal face profile and insert it into the mounting profile. In this position, measure the place for sawing off the second end. Immediately keep in mind the thickness of the connecting profile.
Step 7. Saw off the face profile at a 45° angle and insert it into place
Electrical, telephone or Internet cables can be installed in the hidden cavities of plastic trims. Thanks to the corner fittings, the joints are always very neat; there is no need to use sealant to eliminate cracks.
It is better not to install plastic trim on walls covered with clapboard. If you really want it, then you need to prepare for it ahead of time. Before installing the door frame, a wooden strip approximately 0.5÷1.0 cm thick should be nailed around the perimeter of the doorway. It must be nailed carefully into the convex places of the lining profile. Make sure that the slats do not bend in a wave-like manner. When installing the door frame, you need to align it with the level of the slats. On the opposite side of the door frame, the alignment is done by adding.
We do not recommend purchasing factory-made boxes for a bathhouse; they are not very durable and can completely lose their properties during prolonged contact with water. load-bearing capacity. In addition, the factory boxes are very narrow, in most cases it is necessary to install additional strips. It is much more profitable to purchase only in the store door leaves, making them yourself is difficult. And you can make the boxes yourself, and you will immediately select the desired width, making them stronger and more durable.
Video - Do-it-yourself installation of plastic trims
They can significantly decorate the interior of a room; they can be made from either natural wood (the most expensive option) or plastic or MDF. Plastic decorative trims have a full set of additional elements that simplify the installation process. With wooden ones you will have to tinker.
Decorative trims - photo
Their installation begins with cutting down the upper corners. When taking dimensions, you need to keep in mind not only the position of the platband in relation to the door frame, but also the combination of patterns. Some trims have special technological places to facilitate the combination of patterns, and some need to be selected very carefully. Especially many problems can arise during the joining of the top and side trims. If you have little experience performing such complex work, - better not take it. Don't waste your time and money in vain.
Video - Installation of decorative trims
Platbands play a decorative role, giving the doorway a finished look. The planks differ in the material of manufacture, shape, color, as well as the method of fastening. Installation of interior door frames is carried out after finishing the walls, but before laying the floor plinth.
To correctly install platbands on interior doors, you first need to select the appropriate elements. First of all, pay attention to the material of manufacture:
- Products made from natural wood are considered universal. The strips can be painted to match the color of the doors. Fasten wooden elements nails without heads. If the walls are well aligned with the door frame, the platbands are placed on an adhesive composition - “liquid nails”.
- Laminated planks of MDF appearance remind natural wood. Decorative elements match the color of the door. The platbands are secured with adhesive or nails without heads, without first drilling through holes.
- PVC cashing is more suitable plastic doors. The planks are glued or mounted on the mounting profile.
- There are also aluminum and steel cash registers, but they are usually installed on entrance doors.
Most planks are given a standard flat, rounded or shaped form.
By fastening method Cashing can be invoice or telescopic. The first type of elements is fixed directly to the door frame. The second one is equipped with mounting grooves.
Tools for work
To ensure that the installation of door trims is successful, the tools must be prepared in advance.
- To perform accurate markings you will need pencil, tape measure, plumb line, square and level.
- It will help to cut the workpiece perfectly straight at an angle of 45 degrees. miter box O.
- It's better to cut the slats miter saw. If it is missing, you can use hacksaw for metal. The fine teeth of the blade will not leave chips on the product.
- Used for driving nails or tapping cash elements. hammer.
How to cut off the platband?
After marking the angle of the cut and the length of the workpiece, the trim is cut with a miter saw. A special feature of the power tool is the adjustable table, which is installed at the desired angle. In order to saw off the door frames correctly and without chipping, the side edges of the workpiece are pressed tightly against the stops on the frame. If a gap occurs, the cut will be uneven.
If you don’t have a power saw, a miter box will help you cut the edge of the casing at 45 degrees. It is better to buy a quality tool. The cheap one made of plastic has deformed thrust elements that distort the size of the angle. A hacksaw for cutting is used with fine teeth that do not leave chips.
How to attach platbands to interior doors?
Simple fastening of flat platbands is performed at an angle of 90 degrees. The vertical planks fit tightly at the top with the horizontal one. When installing wooden or MDF elements of complex shapes, the ends are cut at an angle of 45 degrees. There are 4 methods of fixing the planks.
Using finishing nails
Wooden or MDF door casing is easier to nail with nails with flat heads. The fastening is reliable, and if necessary, the planks can be easily dismantled. You can use nails of a different configuration, and so that the heads are not visible, they are removed with side cutters. The length of finishing nails for platbands is about 40 mm. The size can be calculated individually, taking into account the thickness of the cash. Having passed through the bar, the nail must enter at least 20 mm into the body of the door frame.
Attachment points are marked on the workpieces, maintaining the same distance. Typically, a pitch of 500 mm is maintained. Using the markings, drill through holes with a diameter corresponding to the thickness of the nail. After joining to the door frame, the platbands are carefully nailed. For aesthetics, hats are painted over with a wax pencil.
Liquid nails
To attach cash to interior doors without nails, use an adhesive composition - liquid nails. The advantage of this method is that there is no visible fixation site. The downside is the weak fastening, as well as inconvenience during dismantling. In addition, liquid nails are only applicable if the adjacent walls are perfectly level.
The door trim is installed after sawing and fitting of the blanks. The bar is lubricated with back side adhesive and press tightly against the wall. To glue the trims for interior doors, it is enough to hold each plank pressed for no more than a minute.
Fastening with self-tapping screws
The method is similar to fastening with finishing nails, only instead of them, wood screws 25 mm long and 6 mm thick are used. Places for holes are marked on the workpiece in increments of 500 mm. A drill of the same diameter or with a margin of 1 mm is used.
It is advisable to recess the hats into the body of the plank. On the front side of the workpiece, the hole is expanded with a drill of a larger diameter to a depth of 1–1.5 mm. Now all that remains is to attach the trim to the interior doors with self-tapping screws. You need to tighten the hardware so that the head fits into the recess. The place of fixation is painted over with a wax pencil.
Attachment by beaks
The method does not require the use of screws, nails or adhesive. The cash box is equipped with a beak-shaped lock. The connecting pin is inserted into the recess on the box and pressed until it clicks.
The advantage of this method is ease of installation and invisibility of the mounting location. A negative point is the delamination of MDF trims during dismantling. Over time, spontaneous destruction of the joints may occur, which requires additional treatment of the joints with glue.
How to install platbands on interior doors?
When installing interior doors with your own hands, glue, nails or self-tapping screws are used to fasten trim made of wood or MDF. However, the evenness of the walls and the shape of the planks are taken into account. There should be no gaps at the joints. If the walls adjacent to the end of the door frame are uneven, then it is better to refuse gluing.
Installation of cashing begins from the side where the interior door opens. This is due to the presence of hinges that prevent the strip from being fixed flush with the box element. You will need to make the same indentation, and on all three sides for symmetry. Where there are no loops, there is no need for mandatory indentation.
If the door is in a corner, installation is carried out using the letter G. If desired, you can saw the element vertically and use a narrow strip.
The platband on one side is installed when the slopes on the other are decorated with tiles or other wall materials.
Docking at an angle of 45
When it is necessary to install trim on the door at an angle of 45 degrees, use a miter box for marking. This joining of elements is usually used for shaped and rounded planks. If there is no miter box, the markings can be made with a protractor.
The installation procedure consists of the following steps:
Docking at an angle of 90
The platbands are fastened at 90 degrees with horizontal or vertical seams. The choice depends on the preference of the owner. When installing a door cashing with your own hands at a right angle, only flat-shaped blanks are used. The cut areas are treated with varnish or acrylic-based paint.
To install platbands on interior doors with imitation lintels, the upper element is extended. The joining is obtained at an angle of 90 degrees with horizontal seams. The top bar extends beyond the vertical.
Telescopic trims
Telescopic trims are attached to interior doors without nails. Decorative elements are equipped with a special lock consisting of a slot and groove. Fixation occurs at the end of the box. The main requirement correct installation platbands is the presence of a protrusion. It forms when the door frame is already thick interior partition. The adjacent walls must be level, otherwise you will get an unsightly gap.
Installation instructions for plastic trims
Glue is used very rarely, the connection is unreliable. Mostly plastic trims they are placed on interior doors using a profile. This installation method consists of the following steps:
If you place plastic cash on a wall lined with clapboard, then along the perimeter doorway fix the wooden strip, and then attach the profile to it.
Installation is possible using special nipples and screws.
Elimination of deficiencies
An unpleasant moment is the visibility of the nail head or screw. They are slightly recessed into the body of the cash, and sealed on top with sealant. desired color. You can use a wax corrector.
On uneven walls Due to the curvature of the wooden planks, the joints diverge. During installation, the joining elements are additionally connected with a finishing nail.
Wide strips from 100 to 120 mm help to hide large defects around the door frame.
How to join the plinth with the platband?
There is no need to cut the door frame; it should reach the floor. Otherwise it won't look very nice.
The plinth itself is adjusted, the method depends on the material.
- The plastic ones have decorative plugs, with the help of which you can neatly and beautifully join the end of the plinth and the door casing.
- A cut is made on the wooden one at 45 degrees to align the adjacent side of the plinth with the thickness of the door casing.
Dismantling
Removal of platbands is usually required when cash is replaced. There is no need to worry about their safety, but the work is done carefully. Taking an ax with a sharp blade and a hammer in their hands, they begin to dismantle:
The procedure must be carried out carefully so that no dents are left on the door frame. Instead of an ax, homemade sharpened strips of durable metal or other similar devices are suitable.
Oddly enough, for some people installing door frames is an impossible task. They can handle the installation of the doors themselves, but they can’t properly trim and secure the casing. This phenomenon is quite common and only speaks of a person’s inability to correctly cut corners at 45˚. But it doesn’t matter, now we will try to fix it. In the master class from the site, we will learn what kind of door trim there are and how they are installed correctly.
Wooden trim on the door photo
Door trim: existing types
Platbands can be classified according to different criteria. For example, according to the material from which they are made, these products can be divided into: wooden frames on doors, plastic, MDF, veneered, laminated and so on. They may also differ in width. But all this is by no means significant, since they do not have any influence on the principle and technology of the installation. If we classify the platbands according to the installation method, they can be divided into two types - trimmed at 45˚ and not trimmed.
Installation of door frames: corner cutting technology
Ideally, for cutting trims at 45˚, it is better to use a breadboard saw or at least a miter box - but even if both tools are missing, the work can always be done using a regular or even hand hacksaw on metal. Why metal? Because its canvas has a fine tooth and does not tear the edges of the platbands with decorative coating in the form of veneer or laminate.
So, first you will have to master the technology of correct marking. What geometric figure is it in? Everything is correct, in isosceles triangle, whose lateral faces are equal. It will have to be built directly on our casing. To begin with, we will measure the required length of the casing and transfer it to our product, after which we will draw a perpendicular relative to this mark using a construction square.
How to trim trim photo
Exactly the same perpendicular is drawn a little higher. The distance between two parallel perpendiculars should be equal to the width of the casing - this distance is the second face of the isosceles triangle.
Technology for trimming door trim photo
Now the only thing left to do is to draw a diagonal, adhering to the two points formed by our perpendiculars and the edges of the casing. The main thing here is not to make a mistake in which direction to draw the diagonal - place the casing against the door and visually estimate in which direction the diagonal should go. It should be directed from the doorway.
Trimming the corner of the casing at 45 degrees photo
Once the diagonal has been outlined, you can begin cutting and then installing trim on interior doors. I would like to clarify one point about cutting with an electric jigsaw. You need to cut in one pass with a non-stop movement of your hand - if you start jerking the jigsaw back and forth, you will definitely cut crookedly or in a wave.
Trimming the platband with a jigsaw photo
How to install platbands on a door: sequence and method of fastening
The question of how to attach platbands to doors can be solved exclusively in one way - small nails are used for these purposes and it is desirable that they be copper-plated. The heads of these nails darken over time and blend in with almost all standard trim colors. The only exceptions are light doors– in this case, it is better to remove the caps using wire cutters.
Now regarding the sequence of work. Installation of door trims is carried out in the following order.
In a good way, it is better not to thoroughly nail them down right away - perhaps during further installation you will need to slightly adjust the position of the already installed platbands. First, drive the nails halfway, and after all three trims are adjusted to each other, they can be finished off.
As you can see, installing door frames is not so difficult, if, of course, you deal with the trimming correctly. The point here is practical experience, which is difficult to do without. But the most interesting thing is that small gaps between the platbands can be easily removed. To do this, you will need to buy hard wax of a suitable color to remove chips on furniture, heat it to the consistency of plasticine and fill the cracks with it. After hardening, the wax is polished with a piece of felt and the cracks become invisible.
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. Experienced craftsman, professional 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 that allow 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 complex, allowing you to independently set the angle required for cutting, and also, using a rotating structure, set the hacksaw blade in the best position. The best option For a novice repairman, there will be a purchase of 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. Use a clamp or screws to secure the miter box to the 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 the time has come to move from theory to practical actions.. Stay tuned!
There are now more than enough tips on how to cut a baseboard at 45 degrees on the Internet, the only bad thing is that most of them are given by people who have never done this. Next, from a practical point of view, I will tell you how to cut skirting boards at the corners with your own hands in 3 options, and you will learn how to traditional ways, and about folk universal recipes.
The science of how to properly trim ceiling moldings in corners is not as complicated as it may seem.
A few words about tools and materials
Floor skirting boards are now made of wood or polyvinyl chloride (PVC), in other words, plastic. For ceiling fillets, the list is a little longer:
The range of ceiling plinths is much wider than that of the floor type.
- Polyurethane - these skirting boards have good elasticity and can bend around radial and other curved surfaces, but in any case they need to be trimmed to precise angles;
- Foam plastic - the simplest budget option, the price of foam skirting boards is low and they are very easy to cut;
- PVC - the principle is the same as for floor skirting boards, but model range much wider;
- Wooden - similar to floor ones, only here there are also wide models;
- Gypsum - with the advent of polyurethane and polystyrene foam, gypsum ceiling fillets faded into the background, firstly, they are heavy, and secondly, fragile. But to be fair, they are worth mentioning.
Since it is impossible to correctly cut the ceiling plinth and its floor counterpart without a good tool, we will dwell on this issue in a little more detail.
The best, almost ideal tool for trimming any skirting boards and more is miter saw with a rotating stand. The high-speed disc makes smooth and precise cuts, and the bed in these units rotates to any angle. The only problem is the serious cost of this tool.
A miter saw is an almost ideal tool for cutting baseboards and more.
Considered one of the best hand tools for precise cutting of small bars - this is an abrasive saw. In principle, this is true, but I’ll tell you honestly, it’s not easy to find a really high-quality saw, even with the current assortment. If you decide to buy such a tool, then take a saw with a fine tooth.
Theoretically, foam and polyurethane can be cut with any sharp and durable knife. But at the same time you need to have a steady hand and at least a little experience in cutting foam. Plus, cutting wide fillets with a knife is very problematic.
Without experience, making a clear cut with a knife is very problematic.
Personally, if I don’t have a crosscut tool, I only use a hacksaw. It is suitable for cutting absolutely any material, from foam to wood. By the way, people often ask the question of how to trim plastic skirting board for the floor, so - take a hacksaw and you definitely can’t go wrong.
For cutting skirting boards, a hacksaw is considered one of the best tools.
Three working methods for trimming skirting boards
For floor and ceiling skirting boards, the cutting instructions are almost the same. But if on the floor a crooked corner can be covered with something, then on the ceiling this is already a problem, so we will pay more attention to how to cut the ceiling plinths.
Method number 1. Classic miter box
The classic miter box is a U-shaped box with slots in the opposite sides. A piece of suitable size is inserted into this stock and sawed off with a hacksaw through the slots in the sides. The idea is not new, the tool is already several hundred years old, but despite its simplicity, how to properly cut a corner ceiling plinth Not everyone knows how to use such a miter box.
Not everyone knows how to cut a ceiling plinth in a corner using a classic miter box.
Tip: when trimming ceiling plinths, they are applied to the side of the miter box that is closer to you, and floor skirting boards on the contrary, you need to apply it to the side of the instrument farthest from you. This is not a dogma, but it is much easier to work this way.
It is easier to work with floor plinths, since the miter box lies on a horizontal plane, it is easier for you to orient yourself in the position of the plinth. People most often make mistakes when cutting ceiling fillets; they simply insert them into the tool incorrectly. There is a simple but important rule here.
Important: the side of the ceiling fillet that touches the wall should be directed towards the upper edge of the side of the miter box, and that part of the plinth that borders the ceiling should be placed on the bottom of the miter box.
As you know, a corner has 2 sides, so in order to make fewer mistakes, train yourself to put the bar that will be mounted on the right side of the corner into the miter box on the right, and the bar that is attached to the left into the miter box on the left. The intricacies of using a classic miter box are described in detail in the video in this article.
In addition to the classic U-shaped miter box, there are two more types of similar designs - a professional and a rotary tool. As for the professional option, only masters use it. The device is quite bulky, but it rotates at any angle and has a hacksaw that can be locked in the desired position.
Professional miter box with the ability to fix a hacksaw and workpiece.
The rotating device can easily be called a “pocket” miter box. The only advantage here is the ability to clearly fix the angle of rotation of the bar. On the one hand, it’s easy to work with - set the corner, apply it to the baseboard and cut it off. But on the other hand, you need to get used to such a tool; if you do not have experience working with a hacksaw, then you should not take a rotary miter box.
Advice: when choosing a classic U-shaped miter box, first of all, do not buy Chinese products. And secondly, try to buy models with the ability to rigidly fix the part inside; one of these models is shown in the photo below.
A miter box with the ability to fix the part inside is much more convenient to work with.
Method number 2. Trimming according to a template
Most often, both ceiling and floor skirting boards need to be cut at 45º. If specialized tool is not nearby, then an improvised miter box can be drawn on a piece of notebook paper. From the school geometry course we know that the diagonal of any square in relation to the base has an inclination angle of 45º.
Next you need to draw a square and draw 2 diagonals in it - this will be the required 45º. All you have to do is correctly attach the plinth to the leaf and mark. True, in order to cut the plinth smoothly without guides, you need a good eye and a steady hand.
Method No. 3. Applied universal
Trimming at 45º is a common option, but what if you need a different angle and only have a hacksaw and a pencil? It turns out that there is a very simple way out of this situation. Plus, this method is universal, it is suitable for both external and internal corners.
Moreover, I can assure you that those angles that visually seem straight, in fact have deviations of a couple of degrees. As a result, you buy a good tool, cut at exactly 45º, and when joining, a gap appears between the baseboards. Here this problem disappears. And then, using an example, we will look at how to cut the ceiling plinth in the inner corner.
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Stage 1.
Take the fillet, place it on one side of the corner and use it to draw 2 lines, along the wall and along the ceiling.
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Stage 2. Do the same on the adjacent side of the corner. |
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Stage 3. If you draw a diagonal from the intersection of the lines on the ceiling, to internal corner, then you will get the desired cutting line. |
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Stage 4. Next, take the tool and cut along the finished markings. If you are comfortable with a hacksaw, then the baseboards should fit together perfectly. |
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. As I already mentioned, you can trim the outer corner using exactly the same technology. |
Important nuances
If you tried your best, but a small gap at the junction still “came out,” do not be discouraged. In wooden fillets, such a gap can be easily covered with furniture wax. To fill a gap on baseboards made of polyurethane, foam, plastic or plaster, putty is perfect. Naturally, the color of the composition must match the color of the baseboard.
All cracks in the area of the ceiling fillets are sealed with putty.
Wide ceiling fillets are certainly beautiful, but they can only be mounted on perfectly flat walls. If the plane of the wall in relation to the ceiling is wavy, then it is better to buy narrow polyurethane fillets, they are elastic and will smooth out this drawback.
The most questions arise about how to cut wallpaper to fit the ceiling plinth. There is nothing complicated here: the wallpaper is glued with a slight overlap on the baseboards and when the wall is completely glued, take a large spatula, place it in the corner and cut off the excess along the blade with a knife.
But keep in mind - neither the knife nor the spatula can be removed from the wall until you have gone through the entire plane. That is, you put a spatula from the corner, cut the wallpaper along the length of the blade, and then, without lifting the blade from the wall, move and cut until you reach the next corner.
Conclusion
All three methods I described work; the choice depends on what tool you have and what your professional skills are. If after watching the video you still have questions, welcome to the comments, I’ll help in any way I can.
If you are not confident in your abilities, then for both floor and ceiling skirting boards there are joining elements that allow you to do without trimming.