Today I decided to replace the trim on top of my cabinets. It’s just that board near the ceiling that goes around the top. This should really take about a half hour to do but for some reason it took me nearly 6 hours.

Tools Used:

1) Hand Miter Saw
2) Sand Paper (100 grit)
3) trim nails
4) wood putty (elmers)
5) Wood Stain (Natrual Color)
6) Crown molding

Reason one for taking so long… I did not use any special power tools or instructions.

Reason two… I am really bad at working with wood.

Reason three… I was working alone and the trim was near the top of the ceiling.

So if you ever attempt this project go buy a compound miter saw and save yourself the trouble, get some instructions, and use sample wood to make the corner cuts. That should save you hours of messing around like I did.

Well, enough excuses for my lack of carpentry skills. In that time I probably could have ripped them down and put up new Ikea cabinets, and I probably should have.

Well, I am starting to build a love hate relationship with these ones. It would be hard to just throw them out at this point. Even though they are a little ugly they are growing on me.

You can see the corners are not so perfect.I just got them as close as possible and then sanded them to try to make them appear in line.

You couldn’t get that funky s curve meeting point with no power tool nor would you want to.

Does anyone know the geomatry you should be able to use when cutting these meeting points? I thought it would just need to be 45 degrees but that didn’t work for some reason.

So here is the correct way you should do something like this (step 6 looks like a key part I missed):

Tools:
compound miter
sawwork benchcarpenter’s
pencil
coping saw
utility knife
scraps
hammer
cordless drillwood
rasp
tape measure
wood clamp
ssafety glasses
crown molding
finishing nails
nail set
putty stick
paintable caulk

1. Begin with the most difficult cut, the one where the new molding fits against the existing trim. Corners will have to be cut at two angles, and you’ll need to adjust the bevel and table cuts on the miter saw.

2. Cut the first angle with the miter saw, but you’ll have to use a coping saw to cut away the back of the new trim. Remember to wear safety glasses when using a power saw.

3. After making the first cut with the miter saw, highlight the profile of the molding with a pencil and use the coping saw to cut away the back.
4. Trim up the cut with a utility knife, then file it smooth with a wood rasp.
5. Once that cut is made and lines up nicely, the rest should go fairly easily.
6. Set the miter saw to make 45-degree cuts and cut a couple of test strips from scrap molding pieces and test-fit them in a corner .
7. Drill pilot holes before nailing molding. Attach molding with finishing nails and use a nail set to sink the heads. Cover hail
8. Sink nail heads with nail set and cover up with a putty stick. Cover gaps in molding with paintable caulk.

Refernce for how to do it right