Coving installation guide

For extra adhesion you can score the area between line and the ceiling. Optionally, repeat this process on the ceiling. Now, carefully measure along the wall the length you need - then measure it again! Transfer these measurements to the coving, and if it helps, also mark a line in the direction that the cut will roughly be, so that when put in the mitre box you can be assured you are cutting in the correct direction.

Make the cut, then offer up to check you are happy that the 2 sections meet. That's where careful use of the filler comes in later! Polyurethane was kind of the Goldilocks option: lightweight and flexible, yet relatively robust.

I read a lot of positive reviews of SuperCove , which is made from paper-faced polyurethane, so I decided to buy that one. Our nearest supplier was Woodies. It's important that the coving sits at the correct angle against the wall and ceiling. To ensure that you get that just right during installation, it is recommended that you mark a line along both the wall and ceiling to use as a guideline.

The packaging should tell you the appropriate measurement - ours recommended marking the wall 83mm down from the ceiling and marking the ceiling 83mm out from the wall. To make this easier, Hubby cut a piece of wood the required size and used that as a guide to make the marks. Marking along the ceiling like this assumes that your ceiling is level. Otherwise, you are advised to draw a level line and then fill any gaps around the coving as you fit it.

However, our ceiling line slopes gradually downwards towards each corner and levelling the coving would have involved filling very large gaps in between, so we decided to just follow the ceiling line as is. Now that the job is finished, I have no regrets as the slope is not noticeable to the naked eye. So use your own discretion here. To cut the coving, you need a mitre box and saw alternatively, it is possible to buy pre-cut external and internal corner sets.

The mitre box should be sized so as to ensure that the coving sits inside it at the correct angle. Since our local store did not have the one we needed in stock, Hubby modified one by using a baton to prop up the coving while he cut it. The saw didn't always cut fully through the coving, so Hubby used a utility knife to cut through the last layer of paper without tearing it.

Then he used sandpaper to smooth off the cut faces. Start by pre-cutting a mitre at each end of your first piece of coving - even where two pieces meet along a straight wall, it makes a neater and more secure join if the ends are spliced together rather than just butting straight edges together.

Note that this image shows the coving before it has been finished and painted because it is easier to see how it's done. But don't worry - the join is much less noticeable once the job is completed. We found that the most accurate way of measuring pieces was to just offer them up against the wall in the position they would go and then mark them with a pencil.

Cut to size as described above. Use the caulking gun to run a line of adhesive around both edges of the coving. BTW, if you ever thought I was kidding in my introduction when I said the dog supervises every project, there he is outside the window keeping an eye on proceedings!

Also, our lawnmower is broken; hence the long grass. When joining two pieces, adhesive should also be applied to both ends As usual, there is not a straight line, right angle, or level surface to be found anywhere in the room.

That makes fitting the coving a little finicky because right-angled pieces will not join up perfectly when fit to a crooked wall, and gaps show where the ceiling and walls are not level or even. The adhesive to go with the coving sold separately can also be used to fill and smooth over those gaps.

See Fixing Coving Using Adhesive below — after we look at a couple of alternatives for cutting coving. It is suitable for all sizes of coving up to mm. The manufacturers have worked out the angles so providing you place it securely inside the coving it will give you a good accurate angle cut for your corner, and providing your walls are square you will find it creates a neat job with little finishing required.

They are available in a metal trade model, and a DIY plastic version. Wondermitre Trade cornice mitre cutting guide — Available here in our online store. A coving mitre saw works in a similar way to a mitre block, but after the coving is secured in place the blade guide is adjusted to the correct position for sawing an accurate cut at the correct angle.

The base of the saw is marked with the standard sizes of coving, so you can easily position the length of coving correctly into the mitre saw. Mix up the adhesive to a thick paste, following the guidelines on the packet, or use a ready mixed coving adhesive. Spread adhesive evenly along both long edges using a filling knife, like the one below — you will find a selection of filling knives and spreaders in the decorating section of our tool store.

Filling knife with a flexible blade makes spreading coving adhesive easier — Available in our online store here. Whichever method you use to apply adhesive, there is no need to add adhesive to the centre of the back of the cove — this does not make contact with the wall or ceiling, so you would just be wasting it.

You want it to just be squeezing out from the edges as you press the coving into position. Line up the coving with the lines you marked on the wall and ceiling. Make sure the left end is just a couple of mm from the left hand wall. For the second and subsequent pieces of coving you will also need to apply adhesive to the mitre joint you are forming. Use your filling knife to press adhesive into any gaps, pushing adhesive into any joints that do not quite meet and any undulations in the surface of the wall.

You will find a selection of Small Tools in our online toolstore. Scrape off any excess adhesive from the walls and ceilings, then clean off with a damp cloth, or sponge.

If you are concerned that a long length of coving will not stay up on the strength of the adhesive alone, tack in some small nails or panel pins underneath it to support it in place until the adhesive is hard. The nail holes can be filled later. Use a scanner to avoid costly and dangerous holes in pipes or electicals. All project content written and produced by Mike Edwards , founder of DIY Doctor and industry expert in building technology. Find a tradesman now! We love feedback on our DIY tutorials it helps us to make them the best they possibly can be so if you have any comments you would like to share with us, click the button below and let us know.

Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content Skip to primary sidebar Skip to footer Main navigation. Search this website. Blog DIY Competitions. Twitter Facebook Pin It Buffer. Project Page Menu. Back to the Top. Find a Reliable Local Tradesman. Don't fancy doing this project yourself?

We work with the industries best to ensure that we recommend only reliable and trustworthy tradesmen. Let DIY Doctor help you find a tradesman. More Help. Give us Some Feedback! Footer DIY Doctor. Follow us on Twitter. Follow us on YouTube. Then fix the coving as described above. Use a little extra adhesive to fill in any little gaps between adjoining pieces of coving, or between the coving and the wall or ceiling. Then remove any excess adhesive first with a scraper, then with a damp cloth.

Use a suitable primer first followed by a matt emulsion paint. My Account. Order line. How To Fit Coving. What is coving? Coving comes in three main materials: Plaster coving — the most traditional material and also the most durable, so it needs less maintenance and less painting. Plaster coving is heavier than other coving. Polystyrene coving — this is the cheapest option for coving, and again is more lightweight than plaster coving.

How do I fit inside corners with coving?