Skirting Mitres - Scribed/Coping Saw Method

FrankRizzo

Hello,

Please see below picture - for some reason when I use the coping saw method to scribe the profile of the skirting, my straight cut at bottom of my skirting has a 4mm gap.

I done a 45 degree bevel cut and then coped along the cut edge, so puzzled as to why this isn’t working??

Any help appreciated.

Thanks

HHarry

Because the walls aren’t square / plumb, and the floor isn’t level? Is it a very old house?

Do the pieces fit together any better if you rest them on your worktop / table (i.e. something you know is flat).  If not, then possibly whatever you are cutting the mitre with is introducing a slight error.

HP_Source

A mitre joint is only likely to work well if everything is perfect - the walls are at a true 90 degrees and are both vertical. For internal corners using a scribed joint is far more forgiving of the sort of situations you meet in reality. There are multiple videos on youtube showing how it's done. 

FrankRizzo

HP_Source said:

A mitre joint is only likely to work well if everything is perfect - the walls are at a true 90 degrees and are both vertical. For internal corners using a scribed joint is far more forgiving of the sort of situations you meet in reality. There are multiple videos on youtube showing how it's done. 

Thanks but it’s not a mitre joint, it’s been scribed and cut with a coping saw. 

FrankRizzo

HHarry said:

Because the walls aren’t square / plumb, and the floor isn’t level? Is it a very old house?

Do the pieces fit together any better if you rest them on your worktop / table (i.e. something you know is flat).  If not, then possibly whatever you are cutting the mitre with is introducing a slight error.

Thanks but it’s not a mitre joint, it’s scribed and cut with a coping saw.

When I do a test cut of 2 pieces (outwith the corner), the bottom circled in the picture below doesn’t meet and has approx 4mm gap. 

Id rather not caulk too much and just trying to improve where I’m going wrong.

FreeBear

FrankRizzo said:

HP_Source said:

A mitre joint is only likely to work well if everything is perfect - the walls are at a true 90 degrees and are both vertical. For internal corners using a scribed joint is far more forgiving of the sort of situations you meet in reality. There are multiple videos on youtube showing how it's done. 

Thanks but it’s not a mitre joint, it’s been scribed and cut with a coping saw. 

I do my scribed joints the same way. Slice the end off with a mitre saw, and then nibble away the waste with various hand/power tools.

If your mitre saw is not cutting square and at 45°, then your scribe is going to be off - You have a 45° square. Use it to check your mitre saw.

WIAWSNB

Are the MDF skirting boards 'cupped' at all? Normally an issue with timber, but possible with MDF too, if stored with one side exposed to more dryness or damp.
Have you checked your mitre-sawed cut end to see if it's at 90o? 

rob7475

The gap looks pretty consistent in the circled picture which would suggest your mitre is straight. How are you cutting the straight bit of skirting before you get to the profile at the top? It looks to me like you're overcutting into the skirting slightly - are you allowing for the blade thickness when cutting?

Honestly though, it's not a bad joint. If you are painting it, some decent caulk will easily sort the gap.

HHarry

FrankRizzo said:

HP_Source said:

A mitre joint is only likely to work well if everything is perfect - the walls are at a true 90 degrees and are both vertical. For internal corners using a scribed joint is far more forgiving of the sort of situations you meet in reality. There are multiple videos on youtube showing how it's done. 

Thanks but it’s not a mitre joint, it’s been scribed and cut with a coping saw. 

Your third photo in the first post shows a mitre.

rob7475

HHarry said:

FrankRizzo said:

HP_Source said:

A mitre joint is only likely to work well if everything is perfect - the walls are at a true 90 degrees and are both vertical. For internal corners using a scribed joint is far more forgiving of the sort of situations you meet in reality. There are multiple videos on youtube showing how it's done. 

Thanks but it’s not a mitre joint, it’s been scribed and cut with a coping saw. 

Your third photo in the first post shows a mitre.

When scribing, you cut a mitre first to get the profile. I think this is what is shown in that picture

FrankRizzo

FreeBear said:

FrankRizzo said:

HP_Source said:

A mitre joint is only likely to work well if everything is perfect - the walls are at a true 90 degrees and are both vertical. For internal corners using a scribed joint is far more forgiving of the sort of situations you meet in reality. There are multiple videos on youtube showing how it's done. 

Thanks but it’s not a mitre joint, it’s been scribed and cut with a coping saw. 

I do my scribed joints the same way. Slice the end off with a mitre saw, and then nibble away the waste with various hand/power tools.

If your mitre saw is not cutting square and at 45°, then your scribe is going to be off - You have a 45° square. Use it to check your mitre saw.

Thanks yes cut with mitre saw at 45 degrees and also checked against mitre block in below picture. Then used the 45 degree to cope along the profile line.