I’m trying to make corner blocks for my crown. Here is a link to an example:
https://images.finehomebuilding.com/app/uploads/2019/01/26012038/5a9c2330.jpg
I’m having trouble figuring out what the correct miter and/or bevel angle should be set to when cutting the crown that goes on the bottom of the block.
I cut the crown (bottom side up on fence) with a 45 degree miter. The problem is that the crown doesn’t come to a point.
Can someone show me the correct way to figure out the angles? I thought it was similar to cutting for an outside corner but it didn’t work out.
Replies
Looks like a standard outside corner to me. I cut my crown standing so it would just be a 45.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
That's what I thought too. The miter is nice and tight and meets at a nice 45 degree angle.
As I write this, it occurs to me that I may need to use a bigger piece of crown. The square block itself is 3.5 inches wide. I think I need a piece of crown where the run is at least that in order for the crown to meet at a point.
Crown molding does not sit at a 45°. It has a spring angle of 52/38. You can cut it upside-down and backwards in a jig (or use crown stops) that hold it at that angle and then just cut 45° miters.
Or, if you prefer to cut it laying flat, you can look up the miter/bevel on a chart. For a 90° corner (inside or out) the miter is 31.62 and the bevel is 33.86.
On more thing that I noticed is that the crown molding on the bottom of the corner block is actually upside-down as compared to the ceiling crown (note that the cove is up). What this means is that, when cutting while laying flat, the miter/bevel would be 38.24/25.81.
I got those number from this site: http://www.altereagle.com/4_How_to_insta.html
Don
Crown can come in 45° as a spring angle but as you stated, it is usually 52/38. We make all of our own crowns and we do do some in 45°. Just something I thought you'd like to know!
Doug
look again don they are not the same profile...but the block detail is upside down from normal crown....
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"After the laws of Physics, everything else is opinion" -Neil deGrasse Tyson
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If Pasta and Antipasta meet is it the end of the Universe???
look again don...
Hey, if I gotta call you Mister T and not just T, then the least you can do is to capitalize the first letter of my name <g>.
Like this:My first name don?;O).
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"After the laws of Physics, everything else is opinion" -Neil deGrasse Tyson
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If Pasta and Antipasta meet is it the end of the Universe???
LOL!
"On more thing that I noticed is that the crown molding on the bottom of the corner block is actually upside-down as compared to the ceiling crown..."that looks like a different profile to me. The large part seems to be an ogee instead of a cove.
BruceT
Place the crown flat against the fence like it was a baseboard. Make each cut about 45 1/2°. The extra 1/2° makes sure the miter comes tight together. The crown can be rightside up or upside down, makes no difference when cutting for the corner block.
mike
Just a thought from an old fogey who prefers the classic look of crown without blocks:
Crown corner blocks are generally used by those who don't want to go to the trouble of doing the corners "right". You obviously know what's to be done to get the corners tight -- and if that's the case, why not do them without the blocks?
That's what I was thinking.
Whenever I see corner blocks, I think its done by someone who doesn't really know how to install crown.
I agree. If you want to use corner blocks just buy them pre cut. there should be thousands of profiles available.You get out of life what you put into it......minus taxes.
Marv
The corner blocks at Lowes and HD in the size that I need are $15 to $20 each. I'm not sure why they've gone up in price because they were only $4 each when did my living room. That's the main reason for why I'm trying to make these myself...and I've got lots of scrap pine and crown sitting in my garage...so why not.
FWIW, I've installed crown molding all 3 ways in my house: coped ends (wood material), mitered ends, and with the blocks.
I've decided to use blocks for 2 reasons:
Believe it or not, I actually like the more ornate look of the wood blocks. It's a personal taste thing.
I'm using a large mdf molding with a detailed profile. I've been having trouble getting a clean cope (hence my other post) to my satisfaction.
Trust me, I'm not actually trying to take the easy way out...if I was, I would've just repainted the room and installed new carpeting. I would've been done in 2 weekends. I'm actually installing a recessed panel wainscoting, all new trim, and a new hw floor.
I'm trying to make it look as nice as I can with also balancing time constraints (can't sit and practice coping till the cows come home.)
Hey, emaxxman00,I think you just figured it out. So hold a scrap of crown into the inside corner of your rafter square to measure the drop (distance from the ceiling to the bottom, or wall edge of the crown) and the spring (distance from the wall to the top, or ceiling edge of the crown). If your square blocks are 4x (3 1/2" on each side), they'll of course have to be the drop + 1/4" to 1/2" longer to leave the proper reveal, and you'll need a large crown with about a 3" to 3 1/4" spring, which would leave a 1/2" to 1/4" reveal at its top edge, under the block, while still coming to a point.Working at it from the other direction, if you want to use a crown molding that has a 2 3/4" spring for the pendant, then take that measurement, add an appropriate reveal that looks good (probably 1/4" - 1/2"), and make your square blocks 3" to 3 1/4" on a side.Unless I had to match to a specific previous design, I'd first try to use the same profile for both the main runs and the pendants: you know that the pendant material would be free, then, cut from main-run scraps.Make sure that the exposed sides of the block are at 90 degrees to each other, but feel free to back-bevel the inside corner to allow for mud buildup. I'd do that on all of them, then shim and caulk them square to both walls. But since the back sides are both long-grain edges, you can fit them one at a time with your block plane if you're a tweaker. That way, you'll get a perfect fit.Also, there's no law that says that the square blocks have to be solid. They could simply be two pieces of 1x, or, for better nailing, 5/4", mitered or butted at right angles. Take it one step further, and install all of your main runs first. Then butt a piece of 1x up to each. They could even have a reveal where they meet at the outside corner, to make it even more forgiving.Have fun!AitchKay
Thanks AitchKay. Can you clarify what you mean by this:
Take it one step further, and install all of your main runs first. Then butt a piece of 1x up to each. They could even have a reveal where they meet at the outside corner, to make it even more forgiving.
What do you mean by "install all of your main runs first"? Are you telling me to install the crown first before the blocks? Doesn't make sense and I don't think that's what you're saying.
What do you mean by a "reveal at the outside corner"? Do you have a pic?
Sorry, emaxxman00,I guess I was taking the idea to a theoretical extreme. Although I wouldn't do it myself, if pre-installed main runs were within even 1/4" of the desired length, you could climb up into the inside corner with a couple of pieces of 1x and a block plane, and make it work -- you could absorb any length discrepancies with the reveal between your "corner block" and its crown pendant.And by "reveal at the outside corner" I meant that you wouldn't really even have to have a flush outside corner on your "corner block." It could have the same type of reveal that we all use when installing casing, for instance, since it's too much work to get all of those joints flush.But if I was building a corner block detail, I'd pre-build them (sharp-cornered), scribe them in, and snap in slightly over-long main runs.Sorry for the theoretical red herring!AitchKay
>>"I'm using a large mdf molding with a detailed profile. I've been having trouble getting a clean cope........."I've spent the last 6 weeks working on a remodel job, and the owner insisted on using "Coronado Crown" from Lowes. As you mentioned, its a rather large MDF molding with LOTS of details.Using the geometry and measurements from the manufacturer, I set up my jog and miter saw, and went to town, cutting, then coping the stuff.Only to find out that my copes weren't tight -- not a common problem for me, and quite frustrating as a result.After messing with the angle of the back-cut while cutting (no success), I realized that the measurements and geometry from the manufacturer were wrong. Started messing with the angles, and finally got it right.My point: if you're dealing with Coronado Crown from Lowes, it's NOT a 45 degree spring angle. And not knowing the spring angle would be enough for most people to justify corner blocks.Good luck.And post some pictures when you're done.........
Politics is the antithesis of problem solving.
My crown is the mdf from Lowes but it does have a 45 degree spring angle. I measured.
Attached are pics of my living room where I did the same thing. The dining room is getting the same crown and wainscotting treatment.
Believe it or not, I actually like the more ornate look of the wood blocks. It's a personal taste thing.
While I'm not a huge fan of blocks with crown, I absolutely love them for base moulding. After years and years of perfecting the coped joint in others homes, when it came time to do my own, I prefered the look of butting to a block.
To me, unless you are creating some entirely new profile, mouldings become rather bland after a while. The blocks kinda break the monotony.
To each his own.
J. D. Reynolds
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