On Sep 1, 10:54*pm, evodawg wrote:

SNIP

Its really a pain getting the corners to line up!!!!

If you are thinking that the corners will line up perfectly and make a
mitered corner that will look like a piece of rope was stapled at a 45
degree angle, forget it.

Since the trim's pattern is a raised shape that isn't symmetrical (as
opposed to one that has squares or circles and most of those are iffy)
you will distort the pattern shape when you cut into the trim.

IME, there are no tricks.

For scarf joints in the field, cut as needed to fit. Put the longest
pieces you can in the most easily visible areas and put the joints
where they are harder to detect.

For flat installation where the miters are across the width (I just
put some of this over a tile backsplash to cover the tile edge), I do
one of three things:

- get a different molding. (no kidding!)

- work the 45 degree joints with smaller pieces of trim, say 2 - 3',
fitting them as needed. You can get a good fit by nibbling off a
little at a time

- if it is some of that cheap Italian crap that is heat pressed, you
are up against it as they don't always use exactly the same thickness
of wood. This kills your pattern.... so make a corner piece a touch
bigger than your molding. This is like the cheat we use on terrible
walls when installing crown. We put corner deco pieces in the first,
then run crown to it. So put a little decorative piece up exactly on
the corner and run your pieces to it. To me, this looks fine if you
get a spiffy little piece of something to put up. If this is the
small, 3/4" rope, a 7/8" square that has the corners worked down and
is slightly thicker than the trim looks fine. I think they sell
little rosettes already made for crafts at some of the larger hobby
stores that would work as well.

If you are putting up the molding where you are making corners by
cutting your miters with the thickness (1/4" or so) I have cut and fit
until my eyes bloodshot trying to get it the way I like it. Sometimes
the patterns lend themselves to a nice job and sometimes not. Then
there is always the possibility that you get a different pressing run
from your supplier, then sir, you are completely screwed unless you
are painting this stuff. In the case of painting, cut and fit a
really nice joint and then take your 220 grit fitting tool in a small
square stick and remove anything that detracts from your work.

As always, just my 0.02.

Robert