Struggled with miter cuts on baseboard today

Wood kept splitting. Used a backer board, helped a bit. What's your go-to fix?

3 comments

3 Comments

Using a sharp blade on the miter saw helps a ton (I learned that the hard way on my bathroom remodel). But is it really worth stressing over? Most gaps get covered with paint and caulk anyway. I sometimes clamp the piece down better instead of just a backer board, which stops the wood from moving and splitting.

green.susan8h ago

Wait, what about stained trim where gaps show more?

emma_nelson186h ago

Read on a woodworking site that a super sharp blade and cutting really slow helps a lot with the splitting... The slower feed puts less stress on the wood fibers. Some guys even say to put a little piece of masking tape over the cut line. A good clamp setup is key too, not just a backer board.