Read the cut list and fit the joints
Use the cutting map, measure mitered molding at its long points, and fit corners before cutting a whole batch.
1. Start with the part labels
Open Cuts & stock in the planner. Each individual linear part has a C-number. Stiles are also labeled S01, S02 and so on; panel molding carries a panel name such as “P01 Top.” Backing blanks have B-numbers. Mark the back of each piece with its label and a small orientation mark.
The app rounds rough linear cuts up to 1/32 in, giving you a small fitting margin. The layout itself uses unrounded values. Stock end trimming and saw kerf are allowances in the nesting calculation, not extra length you should add to each listed cut.
For the 42 in example with two 3½ in rails and no chair rail, the stile height is 42 − 3½ − 3½ = 35 in. Fit the installed rails first, then check the actual space for every stile. A bowed wall or scribed bottom rail can change what fits on site.
2. Measure panel molding long point to long point
Flat-backed panel molding sits inside the clear opening between the boards. For a rectangular frame with zero inset, its horizontal outside long-point dimension matches the clear panel width. The vertical outside dimension matches the available panel height.
Flat molding with its profile face up. The longer outside edge defines the cut length; the short inside edge does not.
Keep the same edge of the profile facing outward on all four sides. Mark the outer edge, the waste side and the miter direction before cutting. A correct length with a reversed profile will still produce a frame that does not match.
A square rectangular frame has 45° miters. For this flat-frame method, the stock rests flat and the saw’s bevel remains at zero; turn the miter setting for each end. This is not the nested-cut method used for angled crown molding. Follow your saw manual for support, clamping and minimum safe piece size.
| 17 ft example part | Finished outside dimension | Planner rough cut |
|---|---|---|
| One horizontal molding piece | 16.55 in | 16 9/16″ |
| One vertical molding piece | 35 in | 35 in |
A nonzero inset makes the frame smaller by twice the inset in each direction. If an opening interrupts an edge, the planner shortens that piece and specifies a square end against casing where appropriate. Check the local trim detail before relying on that joint.
3. Follow the stock map without losing the fitting margin
The map assigns parts to stock of the same size and material. The unused tail is an offcut. Keep longer offcuts labeled with their remaining length; they can be useful for test cuts and short pieces, even though the planner reports them as unused stock.
Blade kerf is the width the saw removes. Two nominal 48 in cuts cannot come from a 96 in board when a separating cut removes material. Mitered pieces reserve two angled cuts with projected kerf; square pieces reserve one crosscut. End-trim allowance is also removed before nesting.
Do not recut a factory end blindly to the listed length before accounting for your marked starting edge. Establish a clean reference end, measure the part from it, and put the blade on the waste side of the line. Verify the first result with your tape or a dry fit.
4. Fit corners and long-rail joints deliberately
On a long wall, the planner places square rail joints at stile centerlines where possible. Those seams are still in the visible rail; aligning them with a stile does not hide them, and it does not prove a stud is there. Locate solid backing before fastening a joint.
The current cut schedule uses butt joints for straight rail seams. A scarf joint is a separate fitting choice and changes cut geometry. If you choose one, test and measure that joint on site instead of treating the square-cut list as a scarf-cut list.
For an outside corner, the planner’s angle is the included angle between the meeting faces. The equal miter saw setting is (180° − included angle) ÷ 2: 90° gives 45°, and 100° gives 40°. The two pieces have mirrored cuts. Test a pair of scraps before cutting the finished rails.
5. Transfer a rounded or uneven edge by scribing
Scribing copies the shape of a wall onto your board. Leave the extra width or length shown for fitting. Position the board plumb or level at its intended datum, then use a compass or scribing tool set to a consistent offset to trace the adjacent surface.
- Hold or clamp the piece in its intended orientation. Identify the widest gap and make sure the blank has enough spare material.
- Keep the tracing point against the wall and the pencil on the board. Move the tool steadily without changing its setting.
- Remove the board and cut the waste side of the traced line using a suitable supported setup.
- Refine with a sanding block or plane, then dry-fit. Repeat gently rather than removing a large amount in one pass.
A fitting allowance provides spare stock; it does not predict a bullnose radius or a crooked wall. If fitting reduces an end stile’s face width, check the end panel against the planned spacing before fastening.
Further reading
This is an original walkthrough for the planner’s applied system. The product and retailer references below offer related techniques; your selected product’s installation instructions govern its fastening and fitting requirements.