How to Miter a Cabinet Door Molding

A cabinet door is an important part of your kitchen decor. With a few small changes to the cabinet door you can make big changes to the entire kitchen. One of the changes you can make is by adding some molding around the edge of the door. By adding this molding you are taking a flat door and creating a raised panel door.

You will need to use a miter cut in this process. The cut can be made with a very simple hand powered miter saw in a miter box, or with an electric chop saw. Either way will work and really depends on what you have. Here is a step by step method for using a miter saw and miter box for making a miter cut in cabinet door molding.

Step 1 - Remove Cabinet Door

Using your screwdriver remove the cabinet door from the cabinet face. Remove all the hardware such as hinges, handles, and latches.

Step 2 - Determine the Angle You Need

This will depend greatly on the overall shape of your cabinet door. Some cabinet doors are not a perfect square and will require either some sanding of the corner or adjustment for the miter angle. Set a carpenter square on the edges of the door to check for square.

Step 3 - Practice Miter Cuts

Before you cut into your molding, make sure you practice the cuts first. Use scrap wood to learn how to use the miter saw and box. It is a very simple tool to use, but does require a little practice before using it on the actual molding.

Step 4 - Measure From Edge to Edge

In order to get the measurement needed for the miter cut, you will measure the wood from the edge of the cabinet door to the other. Do this one piece at a time.

Step 5 - Make Miter Cut

Mark the measurements on the wood and place them in the miter box. Not the direction of the angle cut is going to have an impact on whether or not you cut the wood correctly. Place the wood in the miter box the right way. Place the miter saw in the slot for the 45-degree cut. Hold the wood in place and carefully move the saw backward to make the first cut. Once the first cut is created, continue sawing until the cut is completed.

Step 6 - Cut All Wood

Once you have the first cut done, cut all the moldings. Fit each one to the other to make sure they will fit tightly.

Step 7 - Nail To Cabinet Door

Using your finish nailer, nail the molding to the door.

Step 8 - Fill And Stain

After the molding has been attached to the door, fill in any cracks and nail holes with the wood putty. Give it a light sanding to make the putty flush with the wood. Apply your stain to the wood with the foam brushes. Let each coat dry before adding a new one.

Step 9 - Hang Cabinet Door

Now that your molding is completed you can re-install the cabinet door hardware and hang it back in place on the cabinet face.