Shave a Hair Off a Cut
Registering a workpiece against a stopped miter saw blade so the cut removes a few thousandths instead of a full kerf — the way to close a joint that's barely long.
Fit Trim Flat to a Wavy Wall With Relief Cuts on the Back
A series of shallow cuts across the back of a trim board lets it flex to follow a wall's bumps and hollows, so transition pieces land tight and level instead of bridging the low spots.
trim won't sit flat against wall, board and batten gaps, kerf cut back of board, bowed wall trim gap
The Problem
Walls are rarely flat, and stiff trim stock bridges the hollows — leaving gaps behind the board that caulk has to swallow. On a board-and-batten wall, where battens and rail have to meet flush, one bowed section telegraphs through the whole layout.
The Technique
Cut a series of shallow relief cuts across the back face of the board — partway through its thickness, leaving the front face intact. Each kerf removes a little of the board's stiffness, and the board bends to follow the wall's contour when it's fastened. The show face stays unbroken; the flexibility lives entirely in the back.
The reel shows it on a stairwell board-and-batten install, where the transition pieces needed to sit level with each other against a wall with some wander in it.
Pro tip: A miter saw with a depth stop makes repeat kerfs at a consistent depth — set the stop so the blade stops well short of the front face, and every cut matches.
DIYsolvr helps you find the best DIY videos. Browse all 526 techniques