Coping: A lost art?

[Kelly E Jones]

I've got a contractor working on a remodel in my home. As part of the job, he's installed some base molding. On inside corners, he has mitered (rather than coped) the joint. The joints look crappy.

Is this what passes for workmanship these days? Is it now commonplace to miter such corners, rather than coping?

Although this is partly a rant, it's mostly a question. I'm wondering whether it's reasonable to ask him to tear it out and do it right, or if mitering is what is considered normal these days in construction and trim carpentry.

Kelly

[Bay Area Dave]

My 2 cents worth is that I'd be PISSED! A mitered baseboard looks like hoky. Even with my lack of experience, with about 3 practice pieces, I was able to turn out acceptable coped joints when I replaced all the baseboards in my home. It isn't THAT hard to do. Sounds like he is the laziest of the lazy. However, having said that, I don't know if you have the leverage to make his redo the work. Have you paid him? did you have a contract? Did it specify what type of joints he'd use?

dave

Kelly E J> I've got a contractor working on a remodel in my home. As part of the

[Charlie Spitzer]

if it's going to be caulked and painted, then that's probably the standard now. if it's to be stained (or already is), then i'd have them redo it again. they may not know how to.

regards, charlie cave creek, az

[Kelly E Jones]

No, Yes, No.

Kelly

[Ramsey]

In my neck of the woods, they come around and nail a little decorative molding in each corner over the baseboards/trim. It looks kinda fancy but it is really to hide the joint. Maybe that is what they are doing there?

[Kelly E Jones]

Good point. I should have mentioned that this is pre-finished (clear-coated), hemlock molding. Will not be caulked or painted (though the contractor will probably try to hide the problem with some colored putty).

Kelly

[andy]

My neighbor wanted to borrow my miter saw to re-trim several rooms in his house. I loaned him that saw and a coping saw and taught him how to cope the joints. He practiced in my garage/shop till he was comfortable with the technique. He then proceded to do the entire job with carefully coped joints and it looks great. He did a quality job and he is very proud of the result.

[Bay Area Dave]

bummer, to your 3rd answer. :)

dave

Kelly E J> >

[bentcajungirl]

[Robert Allison]

Well then he did not do a good job of mitering the joints. You cannot tell the difference between a good mitered joint and a good coped joint, if they are done correctly.

[Mike in Mystic]

until the mitered joint separates due to changes in humidity

[Kelly E Jones]

You can from above. And if you're suggesting that it makes no difference which you do (as long as done correctly), that is not right - a coped joint will look better when the wood moves.

Kelly

[WIlliam Morris]

So, on the subject of coping...I tried it for the first time in redoing the family room last winter, and really liked the result. The method I used was to cut the trim at a 45 degree angle, then cut along the profile created with a coping saw. Where I didn't slip with the saw, the results were very nice. Is there a better method, or is that the way it's done?

- Wm, dedicated amateur

[Doug Miller]

Nope, that's the way it's done. Congrats on your success. It really does produce better-looking results than a miter, doesn't it?

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

[Frank Nakashima]

redoing the

piece is short you can cut the straight part on the tablesaw (just set it for a slight bevel). Then stop the cut and continue the curved parts with a coping saw. If the piece is long, it helps if you have a RAS. You can also use a saber saw with a thin blade set for a slight bevel.

(the reason for making the 45 degree cut first is to give you a profile to follow)

[Bay Area Dave]

[WIlliam Morris]

Yes, I was surprised at what a huge difference it made. Other joints in my house (the entry way for example) which were mitered REALLY started showing the difference during the drought this summer, when the north end of the house settled a measurable 1/4". The coped joints hardly budged.

- Wm

[John Thomas]

[e-mail] (Kelly E Jones) wrote in news:bkfclo$i7p$ [e-mail]:

Kelly,

In the contract, is there a clause to the effect that the work will be done "in a professional and workman like manner" ?

In the work we've had done around our house (involving different contractors for plumbing, septic system, well, drain fields ..), that was standard wordage; we never had to fall back on that, but I would think that mitered corners would not look "professional".

Of course, IANAL, and all that ....

Regards, JT

[Art Todesco]

[WIlliam Morris]

Kelly:

"IANAL"?

New acronym...share, share? :)

- Wm