Basic Guide to Working with Molding

Better Homes & Gardens

Basic Cuts

Bevel Cut
Bevel cuts are diagonal cuts across the face of a flat piece of trim, especially at outside corners for baseboard or chair rails. Bevel cuts join the pieces of molding that form the frames.

Miter Cut
Miter cuts are used for outside corners, joining two pieces of trim with the ends cut at an angle. To make an outside corner, cut a 45-degree angle on one piece of trim with the saw blade angled to the left and one 45-degree angle on the second piece with the saw blade angled to the right.

Compound Miter Cut
Possible with some compound miter saws, the cut is both mitered and beveled. It's used to cut wide crown moldings that are too large to nest upright on a miter saw base, and it allows you to cut corners with the molding laid flat on the table saw and without reversing the board.