# Forum Home Renovation Plastering  Cutting in to existing cornice

## 2 Bob

Hi all,
I want to shutt off rear of my house ,so putting in a door is my option,the thing is when it comes time to plaster up the new door way frame,I have to put in new cornice above the dooway,how do you join up the new cornice with the existing hallway cornice,cutting a miter on the new will be alright but trying to cut a mitre on the wall cornice while it is on the wall that has me stumped:confused: ,or is there another way around it.? :Rolleyes:   
   thanks for your time on this, cheers 2Bob :Biggrin:

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## ThePope

a keyhole saw or similar is what I use...

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## Markw

On the existing cornice - the stuff which is leading into the doorway - why cut at all? 
Leave flush with the doorway and use a scribed joint to cut into with the new cornice. 
Lets face it, the stuff thats up there is nearly impossible to cut with a nice fine line at 45 degrees - cut at 90 degrees and use a scribed joint.

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## journeyman Mick

Like Mark, I just scribe the new piece up to the existing. When you stick it up a bit of excess cornice cement artfully wiped into the join should make it just like a shop bought one. 
Mick

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## 2 Bob

> On the existing cornice - the stuff which is leading into the doorway - why cut at all? 
> Leave flush with the doorway and use a scribed joint to cut into with the new cornice. 
> Lets face it, the stuff thats up there is nearly impossible to cut with a nice fine line at 45 degrees - cut at 90 degrees and use a scribed joint.

  
I know I am running a real risk of sounding thick :Rolleyes:   but what do you mean scribe?,are you meaning to say butt the cornice to each other as close as possible and then fill??thus doing away with miter.
      Thanks for your replys as you can see I need all the advice I can get :Biggrin:  :eek:

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## Markw

I suppose what you said about butting together is a close description - you can always do a search for scribed mitre joints - it has been done extensively. 
If you were to cut the cornice over the doorway at 45 degrees then trim off from the face of the cornice with a stanley knife this will give you the shape. 
Conceptualy look at your existing cornice and imagine the shape you would have to cut if one side just kept going into the wall and the side coming in had to butt up against it. The mitre joint wouldn't exist with a 45 degree angle but the overall shape would still be at 45 degrees. 
I realise this sounds crazy but its really difficult to explain just by typing some words :confused: :confused: :confused:

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## ThePope

Stick with your original plan Bob, cut the internal mitre and bung in the new bit  :Smilie:

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## Jon

2bob, try the scribe mitre on a bit of spare cornice, or a bit of skirting.  It is easier than it sounds and much neater. 
Jon

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## 2 Bob

Thanks everyone I think I finally Understand :Shock:  ,and I will try to apply what was explained to me,Now i can actually picture it in my head it seems to be not as difficuilt as I first thought :Wink:  . 
    Cheers all.2Bob

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