I get excited about sharing kernel how-to projects like this one, about coping trim. Baseboards are one of those projects that tends to be put off, when in reality they don ’ t take that long, don ’ thymine monetary value that a lot to install and add so much to a distance. For some reason though, we ( and I know some of you ) put them off silent. Weird, right ? !
Let ’ s good agree to not put them off any longer ! I ’ ll teach you how to do a collar joint and, I promise you, it seems more intense than it actually is .

Every time we replace baseboards in a newly room, we feel like it ’ s a big investment and adds prize to the house. It ’ sulfur been a natural meet for us because we ’ ve replaced a short ton of our floors, but even if you were keeping your floors… adding a chunky baseboard ( I truly like 5″ baseboards for 8′ ceilings ) alternatively of a 3″ baseboard can drastically “ up ” the modern entreaty in a quad .
Table of Contents
Why should you do a coped joint?
When you have two walls that meet in a corner ( an inside corner ), one baseboard should be “ coped ” to fit into the other baseboard so that you have a seamless look .
I ’ thousand going to breakdown each measure for coping baseboards with pictures and lots of information below, but here ’ s a flying timeline of what the project will look like .
How To Cut Baseboard Corners
- Cut and install one baseboard to the corner (this will be the butt cut baseboard piece)
- Measure and mark where to make the coping cut
- Cut baseboard corner using a miter saw on a 45 degree angle (this should show more of the wood, when viewing from the front of the baseboard)
- Clamp baseboard to workbench
- Cope baseboard with a coping saw
- Finish coping baseboard with a jigsaw (if needed)
- Install the inside corner trim with a nail gun
- Add wood filler, sand and paint
It sounds like a draw of steps, but you just need to take one at a time ! Ok, let ’ s get into the project tutorial so you can see each footstep in action .
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Supplies for coping baseboards
Steps for Cutting Baseboard Corners
Step 1: Install ½ of the Baseboard Corner
standard and cut one baseboard so that it fits on your wall and meets up with the corner. This will be straight cut, besides called a butt cut .
Step 2: Measure and Mark Where to Cope
We ’ re coping the baseboard beginning ( on the right side of the board ) and then measure it for distance on the rampart ( to make the uncoiled cut on the diametric end ) .
To do this, just make certain your board is a pair inches longer than what you actually need on the wall. This will give us a couple inches of seemliness to do the header without having to worry about demand measurements yet .
Step 3: Make First Cut Using Miter Saw
Using a miter understand on a 45° fish, cut the end of the baseboard off on the end you want to cope. The 45° fish should show more wood on the font of the board. See the third picture, below, for a good example .
Step 4: Clamp Baseboard
Clamp the baseboard down to a sturdy come on to get it quick to be cut again .
* Tip : Use a baseboard trash or another wood quarrel to clamp the baseboard down. You normally want to do this so that you don ’ metric ton indent your baseboard with your clamp .
Step 5: Coping Baseboard with Coping Saw
Grab your coping witness and start cutting. We use the cope saw for the cosmetic piece on the baseboard and then use a jigsaw for the straight part. We find this to be easiest and decidedly the fastest way to go .
If you ’ ve never used a coping see before, practice on a scrap piece. You ’ ll get the attend of it. Just make fast, little, up and down movements ( it ’ south identical like to a wallboard see if you have used one of those ) .
The tip my Grandpa gave Luke was : “ Focus on moving the see up and devour without pushing it. The saw will move itself in the right direction. ” Sounds a small crazy, but works for us .
It can help to make a few small cuts up towards any sharp angles or curves on the shipshape .
Step 6: Finish Cope with Jigsaw
Grab your saber saw and finish the occupation of the area to be coped. When you ’ re done, there should be no wood-grain testify on the confront of the board.
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Step 7: Install the Coped Joint
Install the baseboard like you normally install baseboards. We like to use this air compressor and nail gun. Add wood filler and paint .
once you ’ ve added the the wood filler, sanded and painted, you are done. You now know how to cut baseboard corners !
A question that I ’ ve seen about coping tailored is…
How do you cut baseboard corners without a miter saw?
honestly, I have never not had a miter go steady when I started cutting baseboards. That being said, I have seen some people use a miter box and handsaw. It looks like you can get those for under $ 20 .
This is the 3rd mail in our baseboard series. If you missed the early two posts, check them out :
Yield: 1
How to Cut Baseboard Corners : Coping Baseboard
Lear how to cope baseboards including what baseboard saw to use, what a coping cut looks like and what baseboard corners look like when they are finished .
Active Time
2 hours
Additional Time
1 hour
Total Time
3 hours
Materials
- Baseboards
- Wood Filler
- Paint
Tools
- Miter Saw
- Coping Saw
- Jig Saw
- Clamps
- Pancake Compressor
- Nail Gun
Instructions
- Cut and install one baseboard to the corner (this will be the butt cut baseboard piece).
- Measure and mark where to make the coping cut
- Cut baseboard corner using a miter saw on a 45 degree angle (this should show more of the wood, when viewing from the front of the baseboard)
- Clamp baseboard to workbench. *Tip: Use a baseboard scrap or another wood scrap to clamp the baseboard down. You usually want to do this so that you don’t indent your baseboard with your clamp.
- Cope baseboard with a coping saw (see notes below!)
- Finish coping baseboard with a jigsaw. There should be no wood-grain on the face of the board (see photos in blog post for more details).
- Install the inside corner trim with a nail gun
- Add wood filler, sand and paint
Notes
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Coping baseboard with coping meet : If you ’ ve never used a coping proverb before, drill on a fight piece. You ’ ll get the hang of it. Just make fast, humble, up and down movements ( it ’ mho very exchangeable to a wallboard determine if you have used one of those ). It can help to make a few small cuts up towards any abrupt angles or curves on the trim .