Cutting Chair Rail Corners Using Miter Saw
Making the proper cuts is half the challenge of installing a chair rail that looks fantastic. Chair rail installation issues will be easier to spot than on your floor trim or ceiling molding because the chair rail goes directly down the middle of the wall. Power miter saws enable you to create the precise angled cuts you want. Due to the inaccuracy of most walls, you will still need to make some adjustments even using this tool.
Step 1: Measure The Angle Of Inside Corners
Measure the angle of interior corners by placing your adjustable angle square against the corner and taking a reading. To determine the proper angles for each cut, divide the reading by 2. For instance, each of your cuts will be 43 degrees if the corner is 86 degrees.
Step 2: Set The Proper Angle For Your Miter
Set the proper angle for your miter. Set the first chair rail piece on the saw platform such that it is standing on its bottom edge (the way it will be mounted to the wall) and that the front of the trim is shorter than the back due to the angle. Cut the second corner piece in the same way by rotating the miter to the same angle on the opposite side of the platform.
Step 3: Make 45-degree Cuts For Your External Corners
Make 45-degree cuts with the faces of the boards being longer than the backs for your external corners. Exterior corners are typically simpler to work with, and unless the alignment is especially off, you shouldn't need to change the cuts' angles to make them fit.
Step 4: Put Opposing 45-degree Cuts On The Ends
Put opposing 45-degree cuts on the ends where they meet for lengthy walls that need more than one chair rail piece to span them. Cut one board toward the front and the other toward the back so that one board just barely overlaps the other on the wall. As opposed to butting the straight ends of the boards together, this will result in a tighter and more seamless fit.
Useful Tip & Warning
- Use some leftover chair rail to make test cuts, putting the pieces together in the corner and changing the miter angle until you get the angles correct if you are unsure of your inner corner angles since the wall is particularly wavy and difficult to measure.
- When using power tools, be sure your eyes are protected. Therefore, it is important to wear protective eye gear.