How to Make Scarf Joints Like A Pro

For the best appearance, moldings should operate in one continuous strip from one corner of this room to another. But when space is longer than your molding, a joint becomes inevitable. Your job, however, is to make that seam as undetectable as possible.

The solution is a scarf joint. Produced with 45-degree cuts, this seam won’t require any attention away from the gorgeous room it stays in. Learn how to make one for your home makeover using our useful hints below.

Disguising the Joint

Below we give you the steps you’ll follow to make a scarf joint, however, there are numerous different things you can do to disguise the joint. If you’re connecting wood which will get a crystal clear conclusion, combine pieces that have the same subdued grain pattern. Combining a wildly grained strip with a single which has straight grain is likely to make the difference immediately apparent.

If possible, find the joint in which a bed, bookcase, or another large piece of furniture will obstruct it. In this way the only time you’ll see the seam is about moving day. Behind the door is another fantastic hiding place, but be cautious of positioning a joint too close to a corner. A seam nearer to a corner than 16 inches may seem like you’re fixing a mistake — not creating a projected extension.

Painted scarf joints are easy to hide, but they nevertheless require careful sanding and workmanship. Paint is a finishing coating, not a cure for a bad match.

If you apply a transparent conclusion before cutting the scarf, you won’t need to sand the joint smoothly. Though this will save you the effort of implementing the finish after setup, it usually means that you’ll want to spend extra time to match the joint as closely as possible. Twist-up the joint’s ends with a stain pen to get rid of the look of raw wood. Here is an in-depth mathematical overview of scarf joints which includes computational analysis, adhesive joints, stress analysis, and more.

Step 1: Find Location

Select the place for your scarf joint, placing it over a stud, if at all possible. Mark the stud’s borders and centerline on a piece of tape applied to the wall. Additionally, it is beneficial to discover a location that you intend to have covered by a couch or a dresser.

Step 2: Mark Cut Line

Blend the conclusion of one molding bit into a corner, then indicate the seam cutting line. In this instance, the corner is fitted. To assist your cutting edge, mark diagonally across your molding bit.

Step 3: Make First Cut

Create the first half of the scarf joint using a 45-degree miter cut that opens away from the wall. Nail this bit to the wall in the other stud locations along the wall.

Step 4: Make Second Cut

Fit the conclusion of the next molding strip to its corner, and mark the location of its own scarf joint. See that the miter runs in the opposite direction as the cut from the first bit you installed. Make several cuts to sneak up to a flawless match.

Step 5: Pilot Holes

Do not neglect this step because the adhesive makes the joint slippery, and the pieces can change out of place as you are forcing the fasteners. Gently angle the pilot holes so that the joint does not slide apart when you drive the nails.

Step 6: Drive Nails and Sand

Apply glue to both ends of the joint. Get both claws began through the pilots until you drive either one of these completely. Countersink the nails as little as you can. Sand the joint eloquently and touch up the paint.

Large-Scale Scarf Joints

On certain big parts of trim work, like crown molding, it is possible to combine lengths before installation. Doing this considerably reduces the quantity of work you want to perform while standing on a ladder. Because of this, you receive better joints with less effort.

Precise cutting of those opposing miters for the joint remains an absolute requirement. Stick to the recommended setting time so that the constructed joint will develop strength in the adhesive joint before proceeding with the installation.

For your timber gusset, cut the scarf joint, then apply adhesive to the cut ends, and press them together securely. Align the meeting against a straightedge and apply strips of masking tape to keep the joint shut. Glue and screw a plywood gusset over the seam.

As the size of the molding increases, choose thinner plywood, but be sure it does not interfere with installation clearances. Steel mending plates are a fantastic alternative to plywood, lending excellent strength with minimum bulk. During installation, don’t try to drive or shoot nails throughout the metallic plates.