How to cut coving angles

Cutting coving angles is a task that most people involved in home improvement projects will have to deal with at some point before the jobs are complete. Although some ranges of cornice and coving come with preformed corners, your corner may not always fit the prefabricated mould. Cutting coving angles may sound like a difficult process, but the job is simple if you follow the proper instructions.

Place the coving into a mitre box. The mitre box is the best tool to accurately cut corners, because it secures the coving and ensures a straight cut. The box should be large enough that the two edges of the coving comfortably fit against the bottom and side of the box.

Take measurements from the wall, and mark them on the edge of the piece of coving. Once they are accurately placed on the coving, line the measurements up in the mitre box to prepare for the cutting process. Mark the exact spots on the coving in pencil to verify that the cut is accurate once it is made.

Determine the angle of the cut you will need to make. Five possibilities exist: the straight cut, left-hand piece (internal), right-hand piece (internal), left-hand piece (external) and right-hand piece (external). "Internal" refers to a piece of coving that will serve as the piece concealed and pressed directly against the drywall. "External" refers to the outer piece that is placed on top of the internal piece. "Left-hand" and "right-hand" marks a distinction in the direction of the cut.

Cut the piece of coving with a fine-tooth saw according to the angle that you need for your room. Smooth the edges of the cut with fine-glass paper so the coving fits perfectly in its spot.