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Cutting crown molding usually involves making angled cuts to fit into corners. Unfortunately, making such cuts with a hand saw requires a lot more effort and it’s time-consuming. Not to mention that your beveled cuts will not be that clean and precise. Luckily, you can avoid all issues by getting yourself the best miter saw for crown molding.
As the name suggests, this tool is specifically designed for making a miter angled cut. Therefore, you can use it to cut and fit an outside corner or inside corner for your crown molding project. Best of all, the tool is quite versatile, meaning you can use it to make any type of cut imaginable for other woodworking projects as well.
As you’d expect though, not every miter saw out there is suitable for cutting crown molding. Moreover, with so many options of saws available, choosing the perfect tool for your project can be a challenging task.
Well, that doesn’t have to be the case anymore! In this article, I’ve reviewed some of the best miter saws available, both for professional woodworkers and DIYers. So, check them out and choose the perfect tool based on the needs of your crown molding project.
The 5 Best Miter Saw for Crown Molding
1. BOSCH CM10GD Dual Bevel Corded Miter Saw
Considered the best miter saw for crown molding, BOSCH CM10GD is a great option for beginners and professional woodworkers. Thanks to its high durability, reliability, and compactness. Besides, apart from cutting crown molding, you can use it for other woodworking projects as well.
You’ll also find this tool to be quite simple to read, especially due to its uniform miter scale. At the same time, this scale is adjustable and creates an accuracy of up to 99%. More notably, this scale has detents as well as 7 positive stops at various standard angles to ensure efficiency and speed. Moreover, it’s fitted with a 47-deg angle dual level to its right and left.
Still, on the accuracy, the tool has a unique axial glide system to allow better alignment and wider crosscuts.
In addition, this tool comes with a 15A motor as well as 2 square locks. Specifically, the fences of these locks feature a quick-release mechanism. As a result, this allows you to both small and bigger pieces of . For that, it’s ideal for cutting moldings with a vertical and horizontal capacity of 6.5” and 12” respectively.
As for dust management, the saw’s dust collection system has an efficiency of around 90%. This will play an important role in protecting your workspace and other tools in the workshop from dust buildup.
The only issue with this tool is that it’s a bit pricey compared to other miter saws. Nonetheless, considering its quality, durability, accuracy, and unique features, it’s worth the price!
Benefits
- Highly versatile
- Compact design
- Durable
- Unique axial glide system
- Operates at 3,800 RPM
- Large, ergonomic trigger handle
Drawbacks
- Costly
2. Dewalt DWS716XPS 12” Sliding Compound Miter Saw
If you do lots of carpentry and cabinet making, then this Dewalt miter saw is a great option for you. It’s easy to use, versatile and lightweight, seeing that it only weighs 56 lbs. These factors make it the miter saw for crown molding, remodeling jobs, and other DIY projects.
To start with versatility, the tool can cut up to 2 X 12 lumber at 45 deg and 2 X 16-dimensional lumber at 90 deg. Besides, it has tall sliding fences that support 6.5” base molding and 6-⅝” vertically nested molding. Better still, it has various positive stops such as 45, 33.9, 22.5, and 0, both to the left and right. Similarly, its miter angle ranges from 0-50 deg to the right and 0-60 deg to the left. For these reasons, cutting larger moldings will be much easier and productivity will be higher when making repetitive cuts.
As for precision, this miter saw is equipped with a new miter system with an XPS crosscut LED lighting positioning system. This offers an adjustment-free cut line sign, allowing you to cut trim molding with high precision.
Lastly, this double-bevel miter saw features a durable stainless steel build and a 12” carbide-tipped miter saw blade. In addition, it comes with a dust bag, vertical clamp, handles, and a blade wrench. Best of all, its dust collection system is highly efficient, seeing that it collects about 75% of the dust produced while using the machine.
Benefits
- Powerful 15 Amp motor
- Lightweight, yet highly durable construction
- An efficient dust collection system
- Easy to adjust & accurate smooth sliding system
- Suitable for various professional & DIY woodworking projects
Drawbacks
- Lacks a slide lock lever
3. CRAFTSMAN CMCS714M1 Cordless Miter Saw
On the same note, it supports cross-cut for 5.5” lumber at 45 deg and 8” lumber at 90 deg. Moreover, with this tool, it’s quite simple to make 3.5” vertical baseboard cuts and 3-⅝” nested crown cuts.
Interestingly, despite these incredible capabilities, this unit is very lightweight. To be precise, it only weighs 21.8 pounds, making it easy to carry around your workshop. To add to its versatility, this tool has a side handle and doesn’t come with a power cord. Instead, it’s powered by a 4.0AG Li-ion battery, yet it offers the same performance as corded miter saws. Besides, its 20V motor delivers high torque but runs quieter. So, despite being cordless, this saw can complete large projects without interruption.
Moving on, this tool offers precise, smooth cutting for crown molding with laser guide protection. Better still, the included LED light releases a shadow, providing clarity to your molding for the cinch cut-line. Other tools that come with this miter saw include; a material clamp, carbide-tipped saw blade, dust-bag, and a 20V Li-ion fast charger.
Benefits
- Lightweight
- Delivers seamless cutting
- Laser-guided protection
- Solid build
- 0 – 45 deg. Miter adjustments
- Easy to maintain & carry around
- Great price
Drawbacks
- Relies on a battery
4. Metabo C10FCGS Compound Miter Saw 
Compared to the miter saws we’ve reviewed above, Metabo C10FGCS may not be the best option for professionals. But if you’re a hobbyist or beginner, then this tool will come in handy for your crown molding installation projects. This is because it has several easy-to-use features, making it ideal for new users. On top of that, it allows you to perform basic cutting jobs comfortably and accurately.
That said, here are some of this tool’s unique features!
For starters, this miter saw is equipped with a 15 AMP motor that delivers powerful, but silent operation. Even better, it comes with a 10” blade that’s sharp enough to make rip cuts and crosscuts. Surprisingly, this miter saw blade can rotate at 5000 RPM without load, helping it deliver an accurate cut.
Still, on the accuracy, the C10FCS model has a laser guide, allowing you to see clearly the area you’re cutting. Moreover, the pivot-shaped flip fence delivers an around the At the same time, the included vice clamping system ensures that your workpieces are securely held in place. As for angled cuts, this tool provides a 45 deg bevel angle on the left and a 52 deg angle to the right and left.
Benefits
- Lightweight and highly portable
- Powerful motor
- High cutting precision
- Comes with a large flip fence
- The horizontal handle provides a more secure grip
- Delivers a cleaner cut
Drawbacks
- The dust collection system isn’t that6 efficient
5. HITACHI C12RSH2 Compound Miter Saw
So, if you’re looking for a tool that will help you cut large crown molding with accuracy, this may be the ideal miter saw for you!
The first advanced feature offered by this unit is that it comes with a zero rear clearance. Therefore, you can keep it right at the wall, which comes in handy when you’re running a tight workshop. In addition, this saw has an adjustable laser light. You can either position this light to the right, left, or even on the cut for more accuracy.
Another interesting feature displayed by this tool is that it’s equipped with tall sliding fences. This allows you to cut large moldings up to 5-⅛” horizontally and 7.5” vertically. Besides, it supports a wide range of angles, making it easy to make a miter cut and bevel cut. More importantly, you can adjust these angles with ease using the positive stops on the bevel and miter scales.
Also, as part of ensuring precise cutting, this miter saw has an elastomer grip to minimize vibrations. This gives you more control when you’re cutting softwood or hardwood pieces. As a drawback, the saw weighs 59 lbs, meaning it’s not that easy to carry around.
Other than that, its 15 AMP motor runs on 120V, making it very powerful and efficient. Moreover, its 12” robust blade delivers amazing cuts with its 80 teeth. Best of all, apart from cutting crown molding and wood, you can use it on other materials like masonry, tiles, and so on.
Benefits
- Includes a laser marker to ensure more precision
- Elastomer grips provide more control
- Large sliding fences
- Operates at 5,000 RPM
- Delivers a smooth and precise cut
- Easy to operate
Drawbacks
- A poor dust collection system
- Heavyweight
Buying Guide: Things to Look for in The Best Miter Saw for Crown Molding
Finding the best miter saw for crown molding can be a daunting task, especially if you don’t know what to look out for. And with so many options available, you can easily end up with the wrong tool. However, by considering the following factors, the selection process will be fast, efficient, and easy;
- Type of miter saw
Before you choose a miter saw for crown molding, it’s good to understand that there are 3 different types available. That is; standard, sliding, and compound miter saw.
In essence, a standard miter saw comprises a rotating motor and a cutting blade secured tightly to the arm. More notably, this type of miter saw only cuts at 45 deg on both sides. Sliding miter saws, on the other hand, feature a sliding arm and has the most cutting capacity. Also, it offers all the benefits of compound miter saws, but it’s a bit pricey.
Lastly, a compound miter saw resembles a standard saw. However, it’s designed for making a , including and . For that reason, it is considered the most effective miter saw for cutting crown molding. Alternatively, you can use a sliding-type since it will allow you to cut crown moldings at different types of angles as well.
- Blade size
You’ll also note that different models of miter saws have different blade sizes. In most cases, miter saw blades are available in 8”, 10”, or 12” sizes. The 12” blade size is a great option for cutting crown molding since it’s more versatile. Still, on the blade, make sure you consider the number of teeth included in each blade. In general, look for a blade with more teeth since it delivers smoother cuts.
- Crown molding stops & angles
Cutting crown molding requires high precision. For that, angles can be a big challenge when handling such projects. More importantly, this makes it important to check the angle of the molding to make the perfect cut. In this regard, you need to look for a miter saw that comes with the angle stops you need. As an alternative, choose a miter saw that works with various crown stop accessories. That way, you can easily select a specific angle based on the project you’re working on.
- LED Marker/ Laser Guidance
As a beginner, making precise cuts in crown molding can be quite challenging. At the same time, it can be hard to always make clean and straight cuts. However, by choosing a miter saw with laser guidance, you’ll be surprised at how simple those tasks can be. This is because the laser light will create a guided line on your molding, helping you make more precise cuts. Moreover, the LED lights provide better illumination.
- Fence
In miter saws, a fence refers to the flat vertical surface against which you place your crown molding pieces. With that in mind, the fence of the best miter saw for crown molding should be tall enough to support wide pieces of crown.
Conclusion
Miter saw is the best tool for cutting crown molding since it’s more accurate and faster than any other technique. And now that you know the top models from popular brands like Hitachi and Dewalt available, choosing one shouldn’t be that hard.
Remember, using the exact miter angles and proper bevel ensures efficient use of miter saws when cutting crown moldings. Just make sure you follow the necessary user instructions. But if you’re a beginner, learn how to use a miter saw first before you turn it on!
FAQs
1. What’s the best type of miter saw for cutting crown molding?
A compound miter saw is one of the best tools for cutting crown molding after measuring the angles. This is because you can easily adjust the saw at any angle to make compound cuts (miter cuts & bevel cuts) on your molding. For instance, you can set it to 45 deg of a standard 90 deg corner, either to the right or to the left.
2. Can you use a 10” miter saw to cut crown molding?
Miter saws with 10” blades are suitable for cutting crown moldings that are up to 6’ wide. But if the molding is more than 10” wide, a 12 inch miter saw will be a better option.
3. How much do miter saws for crown molding cost?
A sliding miter saw for crown molding costs start at around $125 while a compound miter starts at $100. However, professional-grade miter saws with advanced features may cost around $800.
4. What is the ideal angle for cutting crown molding?
The crown molding is usually set at an angle of 45 deg. However, you can adjust the miter saw to cut the molding at any angle on the right or left!