• Installation

Installation Advice

Tools required

Items

1. Mitre Box
2. Insulation saw e.g. Bahco ProfCut Insulation saw, this will ensure a smooth cut and minimal waste
3. Tape measure
4. Caulking gun
5. Chalk Line
6. Sponge and gloves
7. Adhesive and filler

Cutting General Advice

1. Use a firm, positive stroke of the saw
2. Don't try and force the cut or cut too quickly
3. Hold the cornice securely with your non-cutting hand to prevent it slipping or moving in the mitre box
4. If possible, try and support/raise the other end of the cornice to the same level throughout so that the cornice isn't bending along the length
5. 5. Always measure! Don't guess!

Once you have made the cut, hold the two lengths together to check you are happy that the two sections meet. Don't worry if they do not meet perfectly. Not many rooms have corners that are exactly 90 degrees, so a perfect join is rare. That's where careful use of a 3 in 1 adhesive / filler comes in later. Always cut about 2mm off each end of a length of cornice. This will provide for better adhesion when applying the adhesive and fitting the cornice.

Mitring (Cutting) the Cornice

A common mistake is to lay the cornice "flat" and cut as if it was architrave or a picture frame. Remember that the cornice is propped against the back plate of the mitre box (see picture). The cornice is always put in the mitre box "upside down" - i.e. the edge that will be fixed to the ceiling should be on the base (horizontal section) of the box. There are two main cuts necessary when doing an installation job. The first is the simple straight cut. Place the cornice in the mitre Box and using the insulation saw, cut straight across using the 90 degree guide. The second type of cut will be necessary when cutting the cornice for corners, in other words, cutting the mitres. The first mitre we will deal with is the inside 90 degrees mitre as this is the most common mitre. Place the cornice in the mitre box & using the 45 degree guide on the right hand side of the mitre box, cut the cornice. You will now have the cornice for the left hand side of your corner. For the right hand side of your corner, repeat the above but use the left hand side 45 degree guide to cut the cornice. The outside 90 degree mitre is achieved by cutting the cornice, using the 45 degree guide of the mitre box.

Application of Adhesive

When applying adhesive to the cornice, ensure that sufficient adhesive is applied along the entire length of the back edges of the cornice where it will meet the wall and ceiling. As a rough guide to coverage, a cartridge should be sufficient for 6-8m. When joining two lengths of cornice to one another (butt joint), ensure that filler-adhesive (e.g. Selleys 3in1) is applied before joining the two surfaces. This will give a strong join and prevent any cracks appearing in the future Never use solvent-based adhesives.

Recommended Adhesive and Filler

Always use a good quality water-based adhesive and ensure that it is safe for use on polystyrene, usually indicated by the manufacturer. Sika Nailbond Fast Zero Solvent /Bostik Gold/Selleys Liquid Nails are good adhesives for Profiles 4 Deco cornicing. A good adhesive filler like Selleys 3in1 Adhesive, Sealant & Gap Filler can be used over the joins between sections of cornicing.