10 Best Miter Saw for Trim of 2021

Miter saw is an indispensable power tool for a full functioning workshop and a professional carpenter with all the essential features to achieve the maximum output capacity. A thin-kerf carbide-tipped miter saw blade can only cut perfect tight fitted joints required for installing trims for windows, doors, crown moldings, and even baseboards.

There are a lot of new tools with innovative, modern touch screaming at you to “please choose us”, these cool new features are really hard to resist but believe us sometimes it is better to stick with the old ones that only have the basic accessories.

You don’t need a fancy tool to do the panels, or baseboards trim, or intricate moldings, you just need the right tool with the right blade. A notable fact to remember when choosing a miter saw for trims is to always check its cutting capacity limitations, buy the one that fits your capacity needs.

Top 10 Best Miter Saw for Trim Work  Reviews

Below you’d find a comprehensive review of the best miters saws for cutting trims, a buyer guide along with relevant questions, and frequently asked problems to help you make a wise choice. We have made this process relatively easy for you by collecting the most crucial information required.

Here is a list of top rated miter saw for trim Carpenter  as per our editors;

1. DEWALT DWS780Best Miter Saw for Trims


Whether you are a professional carpenter or an amateur, like all Dewalt’s series, this DWS780 is an outstanding purchase that offers every possible feature necessary to efficiently cut trims. From moldings trims to baseboards, you name it, the DWS780 dual bevel sliding compound miter saw with its precise miter and bevel system will provide you the perfect angle.

This beast of a miter saw with its high-performing 15-ampere motor that spins the blade at 3800 RPM and the new miter system is perfect to cut baseboard and molding trims. The stainless steel miter detent plate with 10 positive stops can easily get you the angle you need. The integrated handle adds the extra comfort and portability that professional tradesmen need on the job sites.

It has a 6-3/4-inch vertical capacity, 13-7/8 horizontal and 7-1/2-inch nested crown capacity, and the unique back fence provides the added capacity to cut up to 2×16 timber at a 90-degree angle and 2×12 wood board at a 45-degree angle, results in proficient crown moldings cuts. The high visibility bevel scale makes angle adjustment for trims and shims easy.

The Expert Opinion
Dewalt with its XPS positioning cutline will easily slide through some tough wooden boards and it is visible even in bright sunlight. Dewalt is worth buying considering its capacity to deliver the end product in a precise, timely fashion.
Pros
  • XPS LED Cross-Cut Positioning for the perfect cut
  • Cam lock miter to locks miter angles between detents
  • Easy to use
  • Bevels from 0-49 degrees both left and right
  • Rail-lock latch for maximum vertical cutting capacity
Cons
  • An insufficient dust collection system

2. TRUPER SINCO – Best Miter Saw for Precise cuts


Being a pioneer manufacturer of power tools in Latin America, Truper with a global reach of more than 60 countries has successfully captured a big chunk of the miter saw tools market with integrity and maximum consumer satisfaction. Their miter saw speaks precision and excellence, with a superb crosscut capacity and versatile trimmings abilities, it’s in a class of its own.

Equipped with an efficient laser line technology that puts red light rays on the wood board to make the accurate, meticulous cut. This 12-inch 60-tooth TCT dual bevel sliding compound miter saw with sliding rails bevels in both directions. This saw is suitable for everyone from the homeowner to the professional contractor and makes accurate cuts without needing to calibrate the angle.

A high power 16-ampere motor with the maximum vertical and horizontal cutting capacity can easily cut 2×8 inch wide and a 4×4 thick board. It bevels and miters in both left and right directions with positive bevel and miter stop at the most common angles and the miter detent plate has miter locks to lock the angle for quick adjustment.

The Expert Opinion
From delicate trims to heavy-duty woodworking, Truper provides the meticulous accuracy, maximum capacity, rugged durability, and transportability that trim carpenters, trim installers, cabinet makers and other contractors need.
Pros
  • Resilient and robust saw
  • Includes a wood saw blade
  • Visible bevel scales
Cons
  • A little bit expensive

3. Delta 26-2241 – Best Slide-Glide Miter Saw


Delta is an established trust-worthy manufacturer in producing high-quality, reliable power tools. And this 10-inch, 15-ampere motor sliding bevel miter saw is another great blend of robustness and power. A well-built, tough miter saw with outstanding features, just take it out from the box and get straight to work, this beast will never disappoint you.

The multipurpose blade with a unique flip-down fence has the capacity of a 16-inch nominal crosscut. Dual bevel at 45 degrees both left and right with adjustable positive stops and 50 degrees’ miter to the left and 60 to the right with 10 positive miter stops at the miter detent plate provides professional-level accuracy and repeatability.

The bevel and miter positions with upfront controls allow you to cut the majority of interior trims angles e-g if you have to do a standard 90-degree corner cut, take 2 pieces and cut each piece of trim at 45 degrees then join those two pieces to form a perfect corner piece. Cruzer is perfect for crown moldings and molding trims.

The Expert Opinion
A crowd-puller lightweight miter saw with a highly capable 10-inch blade is perfect for all types of trims, whether you want to do baseboards, door trims, or window trims, the carbide blade will get the job done.
Pros
  • Electric brake to stop the blade once you press the trigger
  • 18 ball bearings for smooth sliding and cutting
  • Compact design
  • Clamps for holding material
Cons
  • It starts with a loud noise
  • Shadow cutline laser guide doesn’t work in bright sunlight

4. Bosch GCM12SD – Best Crosscutting Miter Saw


Bosch with its trusted name and upgraded slide-glide features are considered the best miter saw not only for woodworking but for cutting trim moldings as well. This robot is unlike any other saws you have seen or used. This powerful saw with its axial-glide system doesn’t stuck or leave rough edges while operating.

The unconventional slide-glide design of this miter saw saves space and provides better cutting alignment and wider cross-cut capacity. It has a 6 ½ inch crown cutting capacity at 45 degrees’ angle, 6 ½ inches vertical, and 14-inch horizontal cutting capacity. This giant of a miter saw with stainless steel miter detent plate and a bolt locks the angles for pristine molding and baseboard trims.

This saw is a workhorse, just start its 15-ampere motor, and it will keep spinning and cutting the toughest material without taking any break. The visible and adjustable bevel and miter scale readings allow to easily adjust the angles for cutting trims and shims. The square lock fences provide more stability and excellent cutting experience on job sites. A super effective dust bag collects almost 90 of sawdust and debris.

The Expert Opinion
The high-value rating along with the 30-day cash back guarantee and the non-stop meticulous cutting covers the pricey part because with Bosch you’ll be getting more than you are paying for.
Pros
  • Axial-glide system
  • Accuracy and precision
  • One-push override detent setting for quick tweaking
  • Visible bevel and miter scale readings
  • Soft grip handle to avoid hand fatigue
Cons
  • No laser guide
  • Heavy

5. DEWALT (DWS716XPS) – Best for interior Trim Moldings


Over the past 70 years, Dewalt has relentlessly taken the charge of manufacturing superior quality, innovative miter saws. DWS716 XPS is yet another high-grade professional tool with exceptional performance and revolutionary features like maximum cut capacity, integrated laser light, and best-in-class accuracy. They are competing with themselves by outperforming their previous models.

Power and durability… that’s what we get when Dewalt’s power motor starts to run at 3800 RPM speed. The advanced XPS cutline positioning technique with ultra-bright LED light puts a laser-like shadow on your workpiece, delivers an immaculate corner angle cut for your interior trim moldings. The miter lock structure allows you to adjust and lock the angle for repeatable accuracy.

Built-in carry handles and lightweight compliments portability. The dual bevel design with positive stops at various degrees both left and right allows users to flip the saw, not the material which saves them from all the hindrances while cutting the pieces. The tall fences maximize the saw’s crown cutting capacity and the miter detent override ensures efficiency and modifications.

The Expert Opinion
You must wonder every other saw offers the same 15-amp motor or other fancy features than what’s so different about Dewalt? The precision and finish you get with Dewalt’s saw is unlike any other saw.
Pros
  • The 14 positive stops on the stainless steel miter detent plate ensure productivity.
  • Visible and clear bevel scale readings
  • Easy to remove table guarding
  • Vertical clamps secure the material from warping
Cons
  • Poor dust collection
  • No blade guard

6. Makita LS1040 – Best Value Miter Saw


Makita has been working on the principle of Act, Listen, and Deliver, a market leader in delivering innovation. The Makita LS1040 is a great tool on our list for cutting siding, baseboard trims, paneling, and more. This model spins at 4600 rpm no load speed and has a smaller footprint, which makes it ideal for every woodworking job. The electronic auto speed controls maintain the speed under load which adds to the longevity of the tool.

A compound pivoting arm on the saw allows it to bevel at 45 degrees to the left. The miter angle adjustment with the positive miter stops at 15, 22.5, 30, and 45 degrees miters at both left and right. For a 90-degree corner cut or square cut, set the angle at 0 degrees. The saw is engineered to never slip because of no belts on it and the sliding rails will never get stuck with the sawdust.

The luminous light attached is not dependent on the blade rotation, it will illuminate your workspace creating a comfortable work setting. This multi-purpose miter saw is engineered in a way that it is ideal for finish carpenters, tradesmen, trims installers, cabinet installers, case and base installers, sidings, paneling, and a wide range of other floor jobs, you can easily carry it around the job site or even install it on a benchtop.

The Expert Opinion
An all-rounder, robust miter saw for every woodworker around, may not have all fancy features like other tools these days have but it a powerhouse suitable for every heavy construction work.
Pros
  • Soft-start technology
  • Fluorescent light illuminates the workspace
  • Compact size with aluminum base ensure accuracy
  • Electronic speed regulator auto-adjusts the speed
Cons
  • Not a very durable saw
  • Sloppy finish and cheap material

7. SKIL 3821-01 – Best for Beginners


Skil offers a whole package of power and performance in every tool they manufacture. Whether the job is big or small, inside or out they have got you all covered with their saws that ensure precision cuts and polished trims. Their patented lithium technology and professional level performance at a DIY cost is something you wouldn’t want to miss.

A pretty basic tool but with all the powerful features any woodworker will be looking for in a saw. Simple power pack design with a 15-ampere motor that spins the blade at 4500 RPM, providing reliable cuts and quicker cutting action. With the quick-mount setup, it can easily fit in smaller workspaces, which makes it extremely durable and user friendly.

Suitable for intermediate woodworkers and amateurs and the miter stops along with laser guideline help beginners to cut like a pro in no time. We’d say it’s an excellent saw for professional contractors too, though it doesn’t have many fancy features it has all the necessary ones. The innovative design allows quick miter angle adjustment with positive stops at common angles. The table extension provides extra stability working with longer pieces, and the dust collection keeps the environment healthy.

The Expert Opinion
You can compare this with the other best 12-inch sliding miter saw and you’ll be amazed at how perfect this one cuts and trim. Includes a great range of customizable settings for crosscut, and trims for the inside and outside corners
Pros
  • Great value
  • Compact and lightweight
  • Perfect for intermediate woodworkers
Cons
  • Laser light doesn’t work well during daylight

8. JET 707210 – Best  for Baseboard Trims


Cutting trims, moldings, panels, siding or baseboards requires a strong dual-bevel miter saw with a carbide-tipped blade that can easily make clean, precise cuts on either end of the board. Jet’s is a 10-inch double-bevel durable aluminum body miter saw with a powerful motor that can painlessly cut trims and other materials.

One of the most versatile power tools anyone could have in their workshop with the high-power motor that slides through the wood pieces with ease, this saw aligns miter and bevel angles smoothly. Quickly alter the miter angles using the thumb lever on the miter detent. Miter detent overrides on the saw warrant fine angle adjustment.

Get the smoother sliding function with the enclosed linear ball bearings installed in the saw. Even if you have low light surroundings, the LED light equipped in the miter saw will brighten the room to increase visibility. The rubber non-slip grip doesn’t exhaust your hand. And for cut-line predictability, a well-designed red laser line system has been added.

The Expert Opinion
A portable, powerhouse miter saw with a smaller footprint boasts outstanding performance and speed.
Pros
  • Left and right adjustable fences make cutting longer wood pieces or moldings easy
  • The table extension provides material support
  • Upfront easy to access bevel controls for quick adjustments
Cons
  • No blade guards or clamps for safety

9. Hitachi C10FCG – Best Budget friendly


Hitachi has been in the business of providing powerful professional solutions to their carpenters and tradesmen in the construction and renovation industry. With decades of experience, they have been flourishing on authenticity and genuineness. With an excellent sliding function and other handy features, Hitachi C10FCG is perfect for cutting trims, be it moldings trims, baseboard trims, door trims, or any other.

A super-efficient saw for DIY enthusiasts, homeowners, hobbyists, and beginners but not a very feasible choice for professional woodworkers and contractors. C10FCG is a simple, easy to adjust single bevel miter saw suitable for miter, bevel, and square cuts for furniture or cabinet builders. They have the ability to crosscut different dimensional boards and can do all sorts of trims including do-it-yourselfers trim.

The thumb adjusted miter angles and upfront bevel control enhances the saw’s versatility and durability. 0-52 degrees’ miter angles improve flexibility, and the saw bevels to 0-45 degrees to the left for added accuracy. The horizontal handle on the saw makes a secure grip and the powerful 15-amp motor easily cuts the toughest of wood pieces. An upgraded dust collection port has been installed which is not perfect but still is better than other saws.

The Expert Opinion
Though it is a single bevel simple power tool, it covers for it in functionality, you’d never find them compromising on their saw’s power or versatility.
Pros
  • Renowned Manufacturers
  • A large table for cutting longer pieces
  • Vice clamps for holding the material
  • Lightweight for easy transportability and maneuverability
  • Tough built and quality cuts and trims
Cons
  • Poor instruction guide
  • Low-cost material used for saw construction

10. Delta S26-262L – Best Versatile Miter Saw


Delta Cruzer has been in the business of woodworking for a long time now. With a measure of precision and the legacy of quality to continue, they keep on thriving by providing their advanced woodworkers and professionals craftsmen the right tool. Shop master S26-262L is an ideal tool for cutting all sorts of trims for your woodworking projects.

The work clamps included will hold the moldings when cutting trims, and the spindle locks will secure the blade while it was loosened or replaced. On and off battery-operated laser guide makes blade alignment with workpiece handy. It bevels at 0-47 degrees to the left and miters to the left and right with positive stop points at 0°, 15°, 22.5°, 30°, and 45°

The saw produces 120 volts, 1800 watts’ power that can easily cut through 2×6 board in one pass and 4×4 inch and 2x6cinch at 90° angle. The blade might not be best for cutting more than 2×4 inch board but it is appropriate for cutting trims, making it an ideal saw for average scale jobs. The dust collection bag is too small and couldn’t keep up with dust production during cutting.

The Expert Opinion
From its high cutting capacity to its high power motor, this tool can pretty much cut every material with ease. You can easily trim 2 large 12-foot long pieces of moldings for an average 16 to 20-foot room walls with Delta S26-262L saw.
Pros
  • The compact design makes portability easy
  • Contains a spindle lock
  • Laser alignment system
Cons
  • Not a good sawdust collection system

How To Use a Miter Saw For a Trim?

If you own a miter saw, then cutting a perfect piece of trim is a skill you must learn. Baseboard and crown moldings trim is an art that can change your plain room walls into some sort of artistic design. This whole trim task looks a bit daunting, but believe me once you embrace this skill, you’ll be on your way to creating a whole new professional masterpiece.

Cutting Trim with Miter Saw

Before you start cutting trim with a miter saw you’d need a glue, nail gun, moldings, shims, screws, brad nails, a utility knife, measuring tape, and a trim.

Safety Measures

  • You must wear protective eyewear, a dust mask to protect your nostrils, and hearing protection
  • Get an air hose and an air compressor
  • A combination square for exact measurements
  • Caulking gun to seal gaps
  • A coping saw
  • A miter saw with 60 teeth or more carbide-tipped blade

Most of the Diyer enthusiast or sometimes professionals choose to ignore their own safety while using this powerful machinery, be precautious and use a miter saw stand if you have one, keep your surroundings clear of any cut off left during trimming and keep stacks of trim in order so you wouldn’t have any chance of tripping on them, and always use a “work in progress” sign when working in public.

Angles to cut Trim at :

An immaculate corner piece reveals an elegant looking trim molding. If the corner piece of trim is not properly angled and cut, the moldings wouldn’t fit in properly. For a 90-degree interior trim, set your miter saw at 45 degrees and cut 2 pieces of trim as per the measurements. Now join them both to form a corner piece at 90 degrees.

Once the angle is done, shave the miter cut with the saw and the molding pairs so the trim can fit flat against the wall, forming a pristine corner piece. Another method is to place a shim against your miter saw fence to slightly alter the angle to make the perfect corner cut. Just do micro-adjustments to fit the pieces together.

Always remember to cut and trim both miter sides equally, smoothly shaving off thin pieces.

How To Cut Baseboard Trim with Miter Saw?

how to cut baseboard trim with miter saw

Whether you are doing some renovation or building a house, you’d have to do baseboards and moldings trim. Here is a relatively simple step by step guide to learn cutting baseboard trim along with installing them using a compound miter saw.

Step 1: Safety First

Before using this high powered saw with sharp blades, ensure that you are wearing all safety gears like goggles, gloves, don’t use this tool wearing loose clothes, and make sure that the power is off before placing any wood on the surface.

Step 2: Take Accurate measurements

Using a measuring tape to measure the material and always measure twice before you cut the baseboard trim to achieve precise results. Measure the length of the wall at the base from one side to another and check the studs because that’s where your new baseboard will be fixed. Measure all walls because that’s how you’ll know how long the baseboards are going to be.

Step 3: Cutting the Inside Corner

Now take the miter saw and adjust the bevel angle at 45 degrees and the miter at 0 degrees for the inside corner cuts for all four walls. Now mark the angle on the baseboard and use the saw blade to cut through the wood.

Step 4: Cutting the Outside Corner

Repeat the same process you did to cut the inside corner. Now when you cut the baseboard as per your measurements, keep the front side a bit longer than the backside to accurately join the corners once everything has been cut. When operating the miter saw, do not put excess pressure on it.

Step 4: Square Cuts

When doing a baseboard trim, you can just do a regular crosscut, by setting the bevel at 0 and the miter angle at 90 degrees. Just do a straight cut and join them in a square form or in other words, create a perpendicular joint.

Step 5: Install the Baseboard Trims

The easiest of all steps is to permanently install the baseboard with a 1 ½ or 2 inches’ brad/finish nails or screw. Make sure that the baseboard moldings are properly fixed in place and they match up correctly. Attach the trims to the wall studs and check that everything is in place before you start nailing.

What Kind of Miter Saw Blade Should I Use for Cutting Trim Pieces?

Looking for a perfect miter saw blade for trim work can be annoying, cutting woodwork with a miter saw is a different task, but choosing a blade for doing trims is a whole different thing.

A 10 inch miter saw would be sufficient to cut trims. It’s best to go with a 72 tooth or 80 tooth thin-kerf tungsten carbide blade or maybe more because the more the teeth, the fine the cut will be. It will help achieve the smoothest finish without leaving the smallest splinter behind. There is one issue with higher teeth count, you’d have to slow down the cut or trim speed because of the small gullets between the teeth.

Before deciding on the blade, make sure you choose a blade that perfectly fits with your miter saw. Do not compromise on quality if you want a perfect end result. Select the type of material you’d be cutting and trimming like plastic, aluminum, timber then choose the blade that matches the texture of the material.

How to Choose a Miter Saw For Trim work

Your woodworking capacity determines what features you’d be needing in a miter saw. If you are a professional trim woodworker who along with doing crosscut wood flooring, want to install some elaborate baseboards and trims moldings, then here are some things you need to think about before buying a miter saw for trim.

  • Level of Work

The woodworking DIY’ers and homeowners would be doing will not be extensive and could easily be worked using a single bevel miter saw, check this review for the best miter saw for homeowners for a quick easy buy. On the other hand, a professional woodworker should prefer a dual bevel miter saw for extensive and quick working.

  • Saw Size

Miter saw comes in different sizes but the most commonly used are 10 and 12-inch ones. For siding wood or trim boards or moldings, a 10-inch miter saw is the best pick, with their ability to provide a polished finish to the end product, can get the job done in a precise, classy way.

  • Motor Power

Miter saws come in various ampere motors. A 10-amp motor will be sufficient for cutting most trim boards or moldings. Higher ampere is perfect for slicing large, thick boards but for trim work, a 10-ampere would work just fine. These days, cordless tools with rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are becoming popular. Those power tools are also good for trims or siding.

  • Strong Grip

Having a strong grip on a miter saw handle is very essential, not only for comfort but for safety as well. On a hot summer day, your hand will slip so you wouldn’t be able to get a smooth trim. So it’s better to choose the one with a padded, rubberized ergonomic grip for better grasp and less hand-fatigue

  • Laser Line

Cutting accurate trims is important else the wood would get wasted, it requires a lot of practice to perfectly cut them, so if the miter saw has a laser line guide, that’d just make your life easy.

  • Dust Collection bag

Having a good dust collection mechanism is very essential when operating a miter saw because whenever you cut or trim wood, you’ll leave splinters behind. To avoid debris you can use either the small bag attached to the saw that directly blows the sawdust coming from the blade into it or can use a port that connects the hose to the vacuum.

Conclusion

Since a miter saw is a sophisticated chopping tool designed to cut and trim different materials, every type of miter saws can perform woodworking. However, depending on your requirement of baseboards trim or intricate trim moldings you’d be doing, you have to choose between a compound miter saw or a sliding compound miter saw, or whether your work requires a single bevel or double. Think and then decide from these above-mentioned tried and tested miter saw models that have been narrowed down so you wouldn’t have to go to Amazon to check each product review to find the best one for you.

Happy Trim Shopping!

People Also Asked For Miter Saws For Trim Work

What size Miter saw is best for trim work?
For most types of trim work, a 10-inch miter saw with its 10-inch diameter blade is sufficient as it has the capacity to cut and trim 6-inches wide and ¾-inches thick wood. Most corded devices have a 10, 12, or 15-ampere power motor, and usually higher the amperes, the higher the motor has power and more smoothly it can run, but a 10-ampere motor has enough power to easily do most sort of trim work including molding trims or baseboards trims.
How many teeth should a miter saw blade have for a trim?
Miter saw is an innovative, everyday use tool for making all sorts of cuts and trims. Over the years, professionals have replaced 10-inch miter saws with 12-inch for quicker, better results. A 12-inch blade normally has a 32-tooth but you’d also find the 40-tooth and 60-tooth blade. More the teeth, the smoother the cut. A fine blade for trim should usually possess a good 80 teeth but if you want extra finesse, you can go with a 90 or 100 tooth blade.
What kind of saw do I need to cut trim?
A miter saw is the best tool to cut trims. You can trim anything with this chop saw by pulling down this fine-tooth blade onto the workpiece. Along with cutting different angles, this saw is perfect for trim moldings. You can accurately cut a trim piece for your doors, windows, crown moldings, and even baseboard. Miter saws with their capacity to adjust at any angle whether 45 degrees left/ right or a standard 90 degrees’ corner, these saws would cut trims to the exact fit.

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