How to Fit Coving

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Coving is a material which is applied in strips along the bottom of a ceiling to give a more attractive texture to the wall-ceiling joint. Plaster coving is most popular, but many people choose wood or polystyrene varieties. Installed in sections, coving is cut to specifications, and is attached to the wall using a special adhesive. This guide will teach you how to fit coving and provide guidance for the special measurements and cuts needed to fit the coving together evenly.

Steps

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  1. [1]
  2. [2]
    • Use the spot marked on your ruler as a guide. The line should be level and run between every corner.
    • This will make the adhesive used to install coving stick more strongly.
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  3. Score the area in between the lines and the ceiling using a knife so that there are no large sections of undisturbed wallpaper or paint.
  4. [3]
    • At each corner, you will need to cut the coving at a 45-degree angle. This will allow the two sections of coving running from perpendicular walls to slide over each other. One section of the coving running into a corner should protrude at the top (with the cut sloping upward from the bottom), while the other should protrude at the bottom (with the cut sloping downward from the top). Plan out which sections will slope which way, and mark these lines.
  5. [4]
  6. [5]
  7. [6]
    • You should have a thin, even layer that covers the entire length of the coving.
  10. [7]
  13. [8]
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    What is the best adhesive to put up polyester coving?
    Community Answer
    Loctite's Powergrab holds very strong, even when bridging wall waviness.
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  • Question
    The angle is not a right angle. How do I match the coving?
    Community Answer
    Trial and error on scraps. You'll just have to increase or decrease the cut-angle until you're happy. Or, you can buy an Angle Finder that you simply press into the corner and tighten a wing-nut. Then, you take the Angle Finder to a Protractor or your chop-saw to get the trial and error very close once.
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  • Question
    I have an 140 degree angle. How do I join my coving?
    Community Answer
    140 or 40, doesn't matter. Trial and error is the only real answer. A cheap Angle Finder from the store can get you pretty close, but you'll still have 1 or 2 adjustments anyway.
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      Tips

      • Hold up your coving sections to the wall to make sure that the corners line up and that all your coving sections run together. Most mistakes with coving are made by improperly fitting angles.
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      • Plaster coving is popular because it lasts a long time and is usually attractive without being painted. Other types of coving, including wood, are also practical but should be painted or stained after being fitted.
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      • If you have lots of old wallpaper or paint on the section of the wall where you plan to install coving, strip this away. Coving should adhere as close to the actual wall as possible so that it has strong support.
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      Warnings

      • Many ceilings are not level. Make sure that your line at Step 2 is level and does not follow the aberrations of the ceiling.
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      Things You'll Need

      • Coving
      • Miter box
      • Saw
      • Coving adhesive
      • Ruler
      • Pencil
      • Hammer
      • Nails
      • Towel
      • Knife


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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/coving.htm
      2. ↑ https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/coving.htm
      3. ↑ https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/coving.htm
      4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au8lAS8W91I
      5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au8lAS8W91I
      6. ↑ https://youtu.be/7autK34bAPA?t=190
      7. ↑ https://www.wickes.co.uk/how-to-guides/decorating/fit-coving
      8. ↑ https://youtu.be/ihpMaCtZeMY?t=220

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