The miter box usually looks like a tray with vertical holes for a hacksaw. It can be made of wood, metal or plastic. This instrument represents the most ancient and the simplest tool carpenter's cutter wooden parts at an angle of 90° and 45°. There are types of such devices for professional work, With rotating mechanism, in them cutting tool can be rotated and fixed in any position. 
How to cut ceiling plinth correctly
Ceiling corners They are divided into internal and external; the method of joining them is slightly different.
If necessary, you can make a miter box with your own hands. To do this, you will need three scraps of plywood or boards of the same size. First, they are applied in the form of an inverted letter “P” and the corners are marked. Then, according to the markings, slots are cut for a hacksaw almost to the very bottom, and the boards are twisted.
Internal corner
- We take the correct measurements.
- We install the plinth strip in the miter box so that this position exactly coincides with the placement on the ceiling.
- The plinth should be pressed tightly against the opposite wall of the miter box. We hold and press with our free hand.
- Place the hacksaw at an angle of 45° in the special hole and cut off the part.
- The adjacent part must be cut in the same way, only in a mirror image, as shown in the photo.
- Measure the length of the plinth from the nearest wall to external corner, leave a line on the wrong side with a pencil, indicating desired length. It is necessary to take into account that the edge (its upper part) should extend slightly outward.
- The plinth is moved into a miter box and cut off.
- The adjacent strip also needs to be measured with a margin and cut in a mirror image to the first part.
When circumcised soft materials(PVC, polystyrene foam) use a hacksaw or a regular construction knife. Then the work will be neat and with smooth edges.
External corner
Let's try on the ceiling plinth: the joining of the parts should be perfectly even. If the result is not achieved and there are unevenness at the joints, you can trim the edges with a regular knife until perfect alignment. 
Checking the alignment
The video describes all the nuances well:
Method two - without additional tools
For the inner corner, you can use the simplest method for perfect joining - by marking it on the ceiling. Another example of how to cut a corner nice and even.
The result is an even angle of 45° if you draw a line from the intersection point to the edge of the part. Note that the above marking method only works at perfectly even angles.
other methods
With a good eye and precise hand action, you can use a homemade template that resembles an imitation of a miter box. To do this, take a thin board or thick plywood and draw a layout in the form of a horizontal rectangle. Use a protractor to mark 45° on the right and left sides of the rectangle. Draw lines connecting opposite edges. 
Now you can cut the ceiling plinth using this layout. The steps are simple and similar to the description above in the first option. Only the ceiling parts should not be inserted, but placed on the drawing and the hacksaw should be combined with the layout markings.
Special components for docking
When installing ceiling plinths, you can bypass the question of how to cut the corner side. In a situation where you don’t want to cut anything, if you are a woman and love beauty and not carpentry, you can go the other way. We advise you to choose a plinth for your finishing, to which in the store you will find a part that matches the design and covers the joint. This method will save time and effort.
Sometimes you need to cut a particular part or product at a certain angle. As a rule, you need to cut baguettes, fillets, platbands, baseboards and other similar interior elements at an angle of 45 degrees. Anyone can cope with this task. The main thing is not to rush, don’t be nervous and everything will work out.
Buy ready-made corner elements
Of course, the easiest way is not to bother with trimming this or that part, but to buy a ready-made one that does not need processing or trimming. Such parts and elements are sold today everywhere in large supermarkets or smaller stores.
For example, as for baguettes or fillets, special corner elements are sold for them that fit perfectly into the corner and do not need to be trimmed. They just need to be glued into place and pressed well.
Method of joining platbands without trimming
Today, platbands are often not cut at an angle and then joined together, but the joints are made at right angles. This method of connecting platbands does not require any special trimming, which is very convenient. In addition, this method looks more modern and attractive.
Cutting at an angle using a miter box
If you still need to cut this or that part at an angle, then you should stock up on a miter box - a simple device that looks like a small box. The miter box has slots that are designed for a saw or a long sharp knife. Of course, these slots are made to form a smooth and precise 45 degree angle.
However, a miter box can have many slots at once, at different angles. This is convenient because with the help of one device you can trim any parts at different angles.
There are adjustable miter boxes on sale. The slots in such a miter box can be adjusted, which allows the master to set exactly the angle required in the this moment. In particular, it is quite simple to move the slits of such a miter box to a position of 45 degrees.
Now you can trim the workpiece simply. A baguette, platband or plinth is placed in the miter box, after which a saw is inserted into the slots and the excess is simply cut off. The angle ends up being perfect, exactly 45 degrees.
What to do if there is no miter box? Very simple. You need to make a template according to which it will not be difficult to transfer the necessary markings to the workpieces. As a template, you can choose thick cardboard or anything else that will be appropriate in this case.
Cutting parts at an angle using a protractor
You can cut the part at an angle using a protractor. This is a measuring tool that is easy to use, and which is designed specifically for measuring angles or making the necessary markings on certain parts. The protractor is applied to the part, the angle is marked and the markings are made with a pencil. Using this marking, cut the workpiece to the right angle won't be difficult.
Using Templates
If you don’t have a protractor, miter box or ready-made corner elements, you’ll have to look for a suitable template. Of course, the template must have the desired angle. It is applied to the workpiece and the workpiece is marked with a pencil. This is one of the most simple ways achieve the desired result.
Trimming "on the spot"
The walls, floor and ceiling will not always be perfectly flat in practice. Most often they have irregularities. For this reason, there is no need to cut the workpieces at clear and precise angles, because anyway they will not fit perfectly.
Instead, it is sometimes convenient to trim the same ceiling plinth in place. That is, first they glue one strip of the plinth, trim it in the corner, and cut the second strip under it.
Of course, it is hardly possible to cut the workpiece perfectly. However, if a small gap appears in the corner, it can always be covered with putty or gypsum plaster. Nothing special.
Video: How to cut the corner of a plinth or baguette without a miter box
You will need
- - ruler;
- - pencil, pen, marker;
- - paper;
- - protractor;
- - miter box;
- - knife, scissors, jigsaw and other cutting tools.
Instructions
If the surface of the material is large enough to allow marks, draw one of the cut lines using a ruler. Then draw a perpendicular to this line using a square or any object with straight edges, such as a piece of paper or a book.
Using a ruler, mark equal segments on each side of the angle, for example, 10 cm. Measure the distance between the resulting points and divide it in half. Connect this point to the vertex right angle. You have obtained an angle of 45º, now cut the material along the drawn lines using scissors, a knife, a jigsaw or other tools.
Mark one of the cut lines, take a protractor and apply it to the line. Find the 45º mark on the scale and connect this point to the center of the protractor. Cut the material along the marked lines available tools.
Cut paper, film, foil or other easily bendable material as follows: find or draw a right angle (for a sheet of paper, this is any of its corners). Fold the sheet so that adjacent sides match. Cut the sheet along the fold line.
If you need to cut a 45-degree angle several times, such as when fitting a baseboard, make a template. To do this, take thick cardboard, draw a square on it and cut it diagonally.
In order to cut materials at an angle of 45º in large volumes, buy a miter box; this tool can easily be found in any hardware store. Place the baseboard or batten inside as it will be positioned in the space, and cut it with a knife, jigsaw or other tool.
note
The corners of rooms are not always exactly 90º; they can often be acute or obtuse. In this case, if you have already cut the baseboard or other material at an angle of 45º, glue it that way and cover the gap with putty.
To ensure that the corners of two parts, say a plinth, coincide exactly, first cut one of them at an angle of 45º, place it in the repair area and try on the second part here. Draw a cut line with a pencil and cut a corner along it (even if it differs from the given one, the design will fit perfectly into the space).
Sources:
- how to make a 45 angle correctly
During home renovation projects, you may need to cut materials at a 45-degree angle. This is usually done to connect two parts “in a miter”, that is, with an angle of 90 degrees (frames, baseboards, door frames, etc.). In order for the result of the work to please you, it is important to absolutely accurately fit the adjacent parts of the workpieces. Doing this without a special device - a miter box - is extremely difficult, especially for a novice craftsman.
You will need
- - miter box;
- - hacksaw;
- - wooden blank;
- - protractor;
- - pencil;
- - a clamp or screws and a screwdriver.
Instructions
Prepare a corner template that will help you easily make an accurate cut of a piece of wood at an angle of 45 degrees. This device is a profile in the form of an inverted letter “P”; On its sides there are through slots for a hacksaw. They are usually located at angles of 45, 60 and 90 degrees. More complex miter boxes are additionally equipped with arbitrary fixed slots, or have a rotating design - it allows you to install the saw in the optimal position.
Buy ready carpentry tool at a hardware store with a wooden, metal or plastic tray. For a beginner master, this is the best option. If desired, you can make a simple miter box from three planed boards or plywood strips(thickness - about 1.5-2 cm).
Drill several holes in the walls of the future miter box, apply wood glue to the ends and assemble the box (tray) of the miter box. Secure the corner template with screws. The walls of the instrument must lie strictly parallel to one another; the bottom and each side form clear perpendiculars.
Mark a 45 degree angle with a pencil and add additional groove lines if necessary. To avoid mistakes in your calculations, use a protractor.
The most important thing is the slots. It is recommended to perform them with the same hacksaw that will subsequently be used to make cuts in the finished miter box. Start sawing without putting too much pressure on the working tool and hold the blade. First saw through one side, then the opposite.
Start processing lumber. Secure the miter box to a workbench or work table with a clamp (clamps for fixing parts) or screws. Then make a mark for the future cut on the slats (boards, plinths) and place the workpiece in the box. Press it firmly against one of the side walls of the template, aligning the marks with the 45-degree angle slot.
Insert the hacksaw into the grooves of the miter box and cut the workpiece. The saw will be limited to fixed cuts and you will get a clean and precise cut.
When cutting skirting boards, make sure that the corners in the room are really straight. If the walls are very uneven, the angle of the cut on the workpieces should be adjusted. Measure the joints with a goniometer interior walls and divide the result in half (the joint of the skirting boards is “miteral”). To make an accurate cut, it is recommended to make grooves with a given angle in a homemade miter box. Another option is store-bought rotary tool, which allows you to change the angle from 0 to 180 degrees in steps of about 15 degrees.
When carrying out repairs and finishing works the apartment requires proper trimming, joining and adjusting the angles of various decorative elements, for example, ceiling or floor plinth, as well as sheet materials.
Often during repairs you may encounter a situation where it is necessary to saw off a piece from a part at an angle of strictly 45 degrees. Typically, this is needed to connect two parts at a right angle, 90 degrees, such as: door casing, baseboards, pieces of furniture and much more. Experienced master, professionally engaged repair work, can often do without special devices, and is able to cut evenly and accurately almost by eye required part. But if you are a novice repairman, and you have a desire to do the job as efficiently as possible, without damaging expensive parts, then you simply need to purchase a special device that allows you to saw off material at a given angle without any special tricks.
To work, you need to have: a miter box, a hacksaw, a protractor with a pencil, a piece of wood, a screwdriver with screws or a clamp.
Using a ready-made miter box
The most common miter box is a U-shaped profile with slits on the sides, allowing you to use a hacksaw to make cuts at angles of 45, 60 and 90 degrees, respectively. It is enough to use it once and you will no longer have the question of how to cut at an angle of 45 degrees. There are miter boxes that are more complexly designed, allowing you to independently set the angle required for cutting, and also, using a rotating structure, set the hacksaw blade in the best position. The best option for a novice repairman, there will be a purchase finished tool at any hardware store. The miter box can be made of wood, plastic or metal. But you can make it yourself from scrap material, any boards or plywood, about 20 millimeters thick.
Making your own miter box
- 1. First you need to assemble the box of the future tool. To do this, it is necessary to drill holes in its side walls for future fastening with screws and, having smeared the ends of the parts with glue, connect them in such a way that both walls are strictly perpendicular to the bottom and parallel to each other, after which we fix them with screws.
- 2. Using a protractor, mark a 45-degree angle with a pencil; if necessary, add additional lines for the grooves. The most important part is the cuts; they are best done with the same hacksaw blade that you will use to cut the products. It is necessary to saw while holding the blade, avoiding strong pressure on the tool; first saw through one side, then the other.
- 3. Let's start processing the material. Using a clamp or screws, we attach the miter box to work surface. At the site of the future cut, make a mark on the plinth or board. How to cut at an angle of 45 degrees becomes clear if you press it firmly against the side wall and align the mark with the slot on the template. We insert the hacksaw into the groove and cut the workpiece, while the work of the blade is limited to cuts, which allows you to make the cut as evenly and accurately as possible.
- 4. Before sawing the baseboard, you need to make sure that the corner of the room is really straight and, if this is not the case, you need to adjust the cutting angle of the workpiece. To do this, measure internal corner the junction of the walls, and divide the result by two. If you do not have a professional rotary miter box capable of changing the cutting angle to the required value, then to achieve the result you need to cut additional grooves at the desired angle in a homemade miter box. This way you can cut the baseboard for the most accurate alignment.
Now you know how to cut a workpiece at an angle of 45 degrees. Perhaps the time has come to move from theory to practical actions.. Stay with us!
The ceiling repair is completed with the use of ceiling plinths. Trimming them is not an extremely difficult task, but it does require some skill and accuracy. We will tell you how to cut ceiling moldings using a special tool - a miter box. Since it is not available in all homes, we will also consider Alternative option, in which you can do without it.
And now - about everything in order.
What tools will you need?
- Miter box - this aluminum, plastic or wooden professional carpentry tool has the shape of a groove in the shape of an inverted letter P. With its help, the material can be sawed at the required angle. Usually it is mounted on a table or workbench. It is safe and easy to use;
- An electric miter saw that replaces a miter box. Provides high cutting accuracy;
- An electric jigsaw with which you can;
- A sharp and well-sharpened knife for processing foam baseboards;
- Saw for manipulating with wooden baguettes or canvas - when working with all others, including foam and plastic.
Miter box for cutting skirting boards
Cutting with a miter box
The use of a miter box is justified when the room has relatively smooth corners and walls. To cut the corner correctly, the part in which the cut is supposed to be made is placed in the miter box, and a saw is inserted into the tool guides. Remaining motionless, the part allows itself to be “cut off” at the required angle.
For fillet cutting to be effective, it must be in close contact with both surfaces at the same time. This is possible if it is pressed tightly against the wall of the tool with a section closer to the one working.
Let's say you need to cut an angle of 45 degrees. First of all, the baguette must be positioned correctly in the miter box.
Cutting sequence:
- Having determined the direction in which the cut will be made, cut off the corner;
- We put the cut out sections together, we get two angles: external and internal;
- Applying the miter box to the ceiling, we check how even the cuts are. If necessary, you can correct some things with a knife or use the services of putty.
Cutting without a miter box
Often, it simply doesn’t make sense for a professional to purchase this tool for one repair. You can completely do without a miter box, with the help of a pencil, a sharp sharpened knife and a good eye. How? There are several ways here.
Method one: prepare something similar yourself. To do this, you need to put together a tray using three planks, then make a cut at an angle of 45 degrees, and to facilitate further actions, make markings using a school protractor or a square.
DIY miter box
Method two: A paper or cardboard template is cut out and an approximate line is drawn on it. In this case, when knocking together planks at an angle of ninety degrees, you will no longer need three, but two! How are corners cut? We put the baguette into the analogue of the tray we prepared so that its position corresponds to the one with which the plinth will be fixed to the ceiling, then we position the tray along the edge of our standard. Next, you should cut the baguette along the line drawn on the standard, holding the cutting tool in a vertical position.
Another method using a random tray. It can even be imitated by a table moved close to the wall, or at least by the corner separating the wall and the flooring.
Cutting corners:
- We mark the expected angles on the ceiling and wall, as well as on the fillet itself, focusing on an imaginary line cutting both parts of the baguette;
- We install the plinth in the tray in the same way as it will later be fixed to the ceiling, and cut it using a knife or blade held in a strictly vertical position.
How to cut without any tools at all?
In this case it is necessary:
- Make the necessary marks on the baguettes;
- Connect the edges of the baguettes with the marks using a regular ruler. In the future, trimming can be done by already taking measurements at the top;
- Having placed the section intended for trimming on the table with the area that will join the ceiling, we cut it at a 45 degree angle. The need for adjustments will be much less in this case;
- The above steps are repeated for the outer corner.
Have you noticed that there are no special means we didn’t need to: we just need to tune in to the fact that there may be a need for adjustment.
How to make the correct docking?
If after gluing part of the baguette there is some distance left to the corner, you need to think about how to avoid making a mistake - a small margin will not hurt. First, it is better to cut off a piece with a good margin of about 10-15 cm. Then, having cut off the corner using any convenient method, try it on a dry surface. To do this, you should attach a bar to the ceiling and mark the point where the shortening border will pass. We cut at right angles.
Equally important is the correct alignment of the corners. Finished skirting boards are usually fixed at an angle slightly less than 45 degrees, so there may be inconsistencies between the cut edges and the appearance of gaps. Here, the initial cutting of the corners is followed by dry, as precise as possible joining of the skirting boards on the ceiling itself. Problems usually arise when using wooden and plastic materials.
After completing the rough joints of the fillets, either screw them in, and then, if necessary, use putty and then seal all existing seams.
