How to put up a coving

Add some flair to your plasterwork and smarten up your ceilings with coving. Coving is a great way of fixing old plaster work too, read our guide below to find out how to get started.

Level of difficulty

Level 2: Intermediate

What you need

• Filler
• Coving
• Mitre box
• Pencil
• Saw
• Sandpaper
• Filling knife
• Coving adhesive
• Panel pins
• Hammer

The steps to follow

Note:
For putting up long coving, you should seek assistance in supporting the coving. If you accidentally move the coving during the setting process, the developing bond will fracture and will not adhere to the surface. If this is the case, you'll have to scrape off the adhesive and start again.

1. Prep the area where the coving will be placed by washing the paintwork and removing wallpaper or anything else that covers the walls.
2. Cracks can often be found between the ceiling and wall. Use a conventional filler to fill in these cracks.
3. Measure the length of your wall so you have an idea how many lengths of coving you'll be using. Remember to leave extra coving for the internal and external corners.
4. Use a block of wood bearing the same depth as the coving. Mark the contact points on the wall and ceiling.
5. With a mitre box, saw off the ends of the coving (mitres) to the correct direction and angle.

Note:
You can also build your own customised mitre box to enable accurate 45 degree cuts. You can build it from scrap wood with the base wide enough to hold the coving, and screw two edges that will fit against the ceiling resting on the base of the box. Mark on the blocks 90 degrees and 45 degrees with a protractor, and cut the edges to meet the base of the box.

6. Smooth the edges with sandpaper.
7. With the blade of a filling knife, score the area where you'll fit the coving.
8. Mix coving adhesive. Since the adhesive dries up quickly, it's better to mix it in small batches.
9. Use a filling knife to evenly apply the adhesive to the edges of the coving.
10. Fit the corner pieces first and then cut a length of coving to fit between them.
11. Press the coving firmly between the wall and ceiling. Hold it for a minute or so for the adhesive to dry.
12. You can tap 25 mm (1 in) panel pins into the coving to help you hold it in place. These pins can be removed when the adhesive is dry. Fill the holes created by the pins with putty afterwards.
13. Remove any overflowing adhesive along the edges of the coving with your filling knife.
14. You can start decorating your wall and ceiling when the coving has fully set.