# Baseboard Measuring-Inside Corners



## daveward (May 24, 2014)

Let's say you are applying the first piece of 3"+ tall baseboard to a wall with two inside corners and the baseboard is that preprimed mdf style material. You have the length to do it in one piece but leaving the first cut a little long only proves the board is too long to fit and you don't have enough hands to keep the entire piece flush to the wall even if it would fit. Is there any clever way to sneak up to the right cut without so many trial cuts? Thanks!!


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## Trav (May 30, 2011)

Tape measure works like a charm. If you have trouble accurately measuring in the bend of the tape, cut a block to a known dimension like 12 inches. Then place the block in the corner and measure to it then add back its length.


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## mako1 (Jan 25, 2014)

Learn to cut and measure correctly..I always cut base like that 1/16" long and spring it into place by nailing at one end first and working to the other.If it's hardwood and a stain grade I cope it.


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## Chamfer (Sep 6, 2014)

Learn to accurately measure. I always cut inside corners a little long, then trim to fit.


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## daveward (May 24, 2014)

mako1 said:


> Learn to cut and measure correctly..I always cut base like that 1/16" long and spring it into place by nailing at one end first and working to the other.If it's hardwood and a stain grade I cope it.


I certainly get the spring idea...I suppose what I worry about is that sometimes the pressure at the ends will "dig into" a not perfectly square corner and the second mitered piece to be added doesn't line up exactly...because the first piece end extends a hair past the exact corner, if that makes sense. Using the spring it in and nail the first piece before knowing how that second piece will fit seems risky.


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## daveward (May 24, 2014)

Re: the set-up. I suppose I should have mentioned that both ends have already been cut at 45 degree miters, obviously the key objective is to place the first piece so it's not too short, not too long where it mates with the second piece. 

If it really is merely accurate measuring corner to corner, no problem. I had imagined, for example, that two mitered scrap pieces might be cut and each tacked into a corner, as if they represented the second piece to be applied and the last piece...and then measurements taken from their innermost corners. Unnecessarily complex it would seem. Thanks for the good ideas.


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## Chamfer (Sep 6, 2014)

daveward said:


> I certainly get the spring idea...I suppose what I worry about is that sometimes the pressure at the ends will "dig into" a not perfectly square corner and the second mitered piece to be added doesn't line up exactly...because the first piece end extends a hair past the exact corner, if that makes sense. Using the spring it in and nail the first piece before knowing how that second piece will fit seems risky.





You are correct in this thinking. Its not a good idea to spring bigger pieces of trim into place. This will most of the time cause exactly what you mentioned, digging into the wall and your next piece not matching up correctly. You can sometimes get away with it with long shoe molding or beading, but generally you want a nice snug fit without digging in the walls.

If working with out of square walls you will have to adjust your angles accordingly to get the right fit. It may be more or less than a 45. When working with out of plumb walls you have to shim to get the correct fit. Its always a good idea to cut scrap pieces (a foot or less) of both inside and outside corners so you know your next piece will fit correctly.


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

Sounds like you are mitering the inside corners, not coping them. A little spring action is used with coping but not with other cuts. If you cut 45s for inside corners, they aren't going to fit in most cases. There are situations with complex profiles where coping doesn't make sense. Usually the inside corners will be mitered but not at 45, it's often more like 43 so the front that shows fits.

Learning to use a tape isn't easy for rookies on inside measurements. A trick is to measure from one corner a known amount, say 10'. Make a small mark then turn your tape and measure from the other corner to the 10' mark, add that to 10'.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

I will sometimes use the two stick method, lay one across the back tight to one corner and another in front of it tight to second corner, mark the end of the second stick on the face of the first, remove sticks and lay on top of the material to be cut.


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## sheperd80 (Nov 12, 2013)

Hammer1 said:


> Sounds like you are mitering the inside corners, not coping them. A little spring action is used with coping but not with other cuts. If you cut 45s for inside corners, they aren't going to fit in most cases. There are situations with complex profiles where coping doesn't make sense. Usually the inside corners will be mitered but not at 45, it's often more like 43 so the front that shows fits.
> 
> Learning to use a tape isn't easy for rookies on inside measurements. A trick is to measure from one corner a known amount, say 10'. Make a small mark then turn your tape and measure from the other corner to the 10' mark, add that to 10'.


This ^


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

daveward said:


> I certainly get the spring idea...I suppose what I worry about is that sometimes the pressure at the ends will "dig into" a not perfectly square corner and the second mitered piece to be added doesn't line up exactly...because the first piece end extends a hair past the exact corner, if that makes sense. Using the spring it in and nail the first piece before knowing how that second piece will fit seems risky.


Cut them both before you do any nailing if you are that worried.

What I do is cut a couple of short pieces with the 45 degree on the left end of one and the right end of the other. These pieces are used for the trial fit at each corner as I go along.

I still measure close and sneak up on the final cut. Of course I am not trying for speed as I am working on my own property.

George


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## daveward (May 24, 2014)

Yes, thanks, the small pieces for test fitting really does make sense...especially if the corners have lot's of drywall mud irregularities. I don't have any worries about "sneaking up" except that 12 or more feet of that baseboard back and forth to the saw makes me wonder if there's a better way. Like cutting the darn thing in the middle and working on one scarf joint instead of two 45 degree ends. Well...that won't work, I still have two 45's to get right, don't I? And now i'm talkin' to myself. Thanks guys.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

You could measure the inside corner but it would make it more difficult. Lets say the molding is 1/2" thick, measure the length of the wall and subtract 1/2" for each miter. If you are going from an inside miter to an outside miter it would measure the same length as the wall. On a 45 degree angle the front side of the miter will be equal to the thickness of the molding. 

I measure the wall and mark the line on the back side of the molding and cut it point to point when going between two walls.


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## imdskydiver (Apr 26, 2012)

Measure wall. Cope one end and stick it In.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

You have got some good advice on how to measure the board, in reality if that board is the first one you see when you enter the room it doesn't have to be an exact fit if it is painted, you should be coping the boards that run in to it at both ends. A gap of 1/16 or so will be covered by the coped board and the top edge can be filled if necessary.


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## Hondsil (Oct 4, 2014)

Cope one end. Its the easiest and fastest. You are guessing angles. I always measure from left side of the room to the right. Cope my right side. Cause I'm right handed and then your last piece you cut is your first piece and keep going.


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