Unpopular opinion: I think a 5-degree bevel on a miter saw is a waste of time for most trim

I was installing crown molding in a house in Tacoma last week and decided to skip the standard 5-degree tilt on my miter cuts, just going for a straight 45. The joints fit together so much tighter and cleaner than usual, with no weird gaps. I think that extra angle just adds a point of failure unless you're dealing with a really uneven ceiling. Has anyone else found that simpler cuts work better for basic crown jobs?

3 comments

3 Comments

finleyw991mo ago

You know, I've always wondered if that 5-degree tilt was just extra work for no reason. Your point about the joints fitting tighter with a straight 45 makes total sense. I might have to try skipping it on the next basic job and see what happens.

haydenbutler1mo ago

Remember that guy who always insisted on the 5-degree tilt for everything? He did his own kitchen crown with straight 45s last year after his saw got knocked out of square. He was mad about it at first, but every single corner looked perfect. He still won't admit it was better, but he hasn't changed the saw back either.

ryanh561mo ago

So when you say basic crown jobs, what exactly are you working with? Like, are we talking simple 8-foot flat ceilings with standard builder-grade crown, or does this also hold up on taller ceilings with a more detailed profile? I'm just trying to picture where the straight 45 would actually fail.