Crown molding
Crown Molding Angle Calculator
Molding laid flat on the saw table (compound cut).
+Which way to swing the saw
Swing the saw to the LEFT for the right-hand piece, RIGHT for the left-hand piece. Keep the bottom edge against the fence.
Quick answer
For a 90° corner with 38° spring crown, laid flat on the saw table: set your miter to 31.6° and your bevel to 33.9°. For 45° spring crown, use 35.3° miter and 30° bevel.
How to use this calculator
- Pick your corner. Inside corners turn into the room; outside corners wrap around (like a column or a kitchen island return).
- Set the spring angle. This is the crown's tilt — 38° and 45° cover almost everything. It's printed on the box.
- Read the miter and bevel. Dial those two numbers into your saw, lay the crown flat, and cut. Test on a scrap first.
What is spring angle?
Spring angle is the angle the crown leans out from the wall. When you hold a piece of crown in its installed position, the gap between the back of the molding and the wall is the spring angle. The two common standards are 38/52 (a 38° spring) and 45/45 (a 45° spring). If you don't know yours, set the crown against a framing square and read where it lands — or just check the packaging, which almost always lists it.
If your wall isn't exactly 90°
Most corners aren't. Drywall mud builds up, framing drifts, and old houses settle. Use a digital angle finder in the corner, read the actual angle, and type it into the wall-angle slider. A degree or two off at the wall becomes a visible gap at the ceiling, so it's worth measuring rather than assuming 90°. No angle finder? Fold a piece of paper into the corner, crease it, open it flat, and measure the crease angle — then double it.
Inside vs outside corners
The miter and bevel numbers are the same for an inside and an outside 90° corner — what changes is which way you swing the saw and which side of the cut you keep. Inside corners hide the cut in the room's corner; outside corners show the joint, so they're less forgiving. Mark your keeper side before you cut so you don't flip the piece by accident.
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FAQ
+How do I cut crown molding with a miter saw?
Set your saw miter and bevel to the angles this calculator gives you, lay the molding flat on the saw table, and make the cut. For a standard 90° corner with 38° spring crown, that is a 31.6° miter and a 33.9° bevel. Always test on a scrap offcut first.
+What is spring angle?
Spring angle is the angle between the back of the crown molding and the wall when it is installed. Common crown is "38/52" (38° spring) or "45/45" (45° spring). It is printed on the box or you can measure it by holding the molding in place and reading the angle at the wall.
+Can I use a normal miter saw for crown molding?
Yes. A standard single-bevel miter saw cuts crown molding nested "in position" against the fence with the miter set to half the corner angle. A compound (dual-bevel) saw lets you cut it flat on the table, which is easier for wide crown.
+What miter saw is best for crown molding?
For wide crown laid flat, a 12-inch dual-bevel sliding compound miter saw gives the most capacity. Popular choices include the DeWalt DWS780, Bosch GCM12SD, and Makita LS1019L. Pair it with a crown stop to cut nested pieces repeatably.
+Why doesn’t 45° work for a 90° corner?
A flat board cut at 45° meets cleanly in a 90° corner, but crown sits at an angle to the wall, so the cut has to account for the spring angle too. That tilt is why you need both a miter (31.6°) and a bevel (33.9°) instead of a single 45° cut.
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