Make miter joints if you want to hide the ends of the plank grooves. Miter joints are decorative joints in commonly used in photo frames, door and window trim, and around openings. Miter joints are not very strong, but are useful if you want to beautify something without supporting a lot of weight. Get started with Step 1 below to get started!
Step
Part 1 of 3: Preparation Stage
Step 1. Prepare the right cutting and measuring tools
There are a number of different tools that can be used to create miter angles and your choice will depend on how the joint will be cut. Regular and standard cuts can be made on simple materials using a miter box and a hand saw. More complex cuts require a chainsaw or table saw. You can try renting these tools by searching the internet.
For some interior situations such as baseboard (board at the base of the wall), crown, etc., you should not make miter in the inner corner. The components will not fit properly and the miter tends to separate in this situation. For inner corners, you need to learn a technique called “coping”. This technique is not difficult (try to find instructions on the internet)
Step 2. Determine the cell miter angle
Measure the complete angle change. Divide that number by the number of pieces that will turn. The result is the size of the angle that needs to be set on the miter. Normally, the miter angle is 45 degrees.
Step 3. Measure the starting point
Since the cut will be skewed, one side of the wood must be longer than the other. You need to monitor the sides of this wood and measure it properly. For example, in the inner corner, the size of the wall must be the same as the long back side of the wood. For the outer corner, the inside size should be the same as the wall, but the distance is shorter.
Step 4. Measure the corner gap
If you want to use as much wood as possible, it's a good idea to use scrap wood whenever possible. Since the wood will be longer than it looks (eg in the inner corner), you should be able to calculate the amount of additional material needed at the ends. If the miter angle is made at a standard angle of 45 degrees (360/2) per corner, it means that the gap required at the end is equal to the depth of the piece of wood.
If you're not using a 45-degree angle, you'll need to do some math. Don't worry, the calculations are not difficult. Use the calculator or interactive circle on this page to find the sin and cos of the angles of the cut. Next, use a calculator to divide sin by cos. Multiply the result by the depth of the wood. The number obtained is the number of extra gaps required
Part 2 of 3: Cutting Material
Step 1. Align the saw
Set the miter saw at the required angle. Read your miter saw's user manual as each saw can be different.
Step 2. Align the wood
Place the wood so that it is upside down on the machine, if possible. Always make sure that you know the long and short sides will be. Be sure to use a laser guide, if you have one in your saw (most new saws have this feature). If you're not sure how the wood needs to be aligned, always have scrap wood available for testing. Testing is very important.
- When cutting a photo frame style, place the flat side on the cutting surface.
- When cutting square style, place the flat side on the fence (the back of the cutting surface).
Step 3. Clamp the wood until it doesn't move
If the wood is not long enough to hold away from the cut point, use clamps to secure the wood. Don't underestimate this. Be careful, many people lose their fingers negligently.
Step 4. Turn on and lower the saw
There is usually a series of buttons and actions that need to be performed to start and lower the saw. Read and follow the owner's manual for the chainsaw. When lowering the saw, keep your hands away and don't press too hard. Simply guide to the point to be cut and let the saw do the work.
Step 5. Raise the saw and wait for the blade to stop moving
When it's done, you can release the tongs and pick up the cut wood.
Part 3 of 3: Connecting Materials
Step 1. Use tongs
No matter what method of joining you use, you must use clamps to keep the joint firm as it joins. There are many types of clamps that can be used depending on the project being worked on. Visit a hardware store and choose the one that suits you best.
Step 2. Use glue and nails
The most common way to join pieces of wood is to apply glue to the corners, join them together, and then nail them with a pneumatic brad nailer. This method works best if the piece can be nailed to something else, such as a door frame, as the edges won't hold well. Hit the nails if they don't go far enough using a nail setter machine, then fill the holes with wood putty and apply paint so that the color is the same as the wood.
Step 3. Use dowels
You can drill a dowel hole and screw it into the end joint, if it's thick enough. The dowel will support and strengthen the joint. You simply drill a hole, grease the dowel with wood glue, then connect the wood until it comes together. Use a dowel size that matches the thickness of the wood.
Step 4. Use the notch joint
If the edges are already together, you can also try a notch joint. Use a thick chainsaw to cut notches in the corner joints. Then, fill the notch with glue, insert the triangular shim into the notch, then cut it to the right size and shape. This method is a bit more complicated but the results will be beautiful if done correctly.
