Materials Needed

Coving, Coving Adhesive, Dust Mask, Mixing Bucket, Bucket of Clean Water, Sponge, Wetting Brush (Paint Brush).

Step 1: Preparation

Cut yourself a small piece of coving about 1ft long. Offer this up to the ceiling around where you want your coving to go. Use your pencil to mark on the wall where the top and bottom of the coving will sit. When you put adhesive on the back of the coving, it can be hard to see if it is flat against the wall - this will help keep the coving in line when you come to fit it. Measure the walls with your tape measure to find the dimensions for your coving.

Step 2: Cutting the Coving

Use your tape measure and pencil to place a mark on the coving at the point it is to be cut. You will need to work out which way round the mitre will go depending on if it is a right hand mitre or a left hand mitre. There are different styles of coving mitre tools on the market so always read the manufacturer’s instructions to make sure you are using it right. Place your saw against the mitre tool and cut all the way through the coving. Don’t push down too hard – let the saw do the work.

Step 3: Mixing the Adhesive

Put some clean water into your mixing bucket. Never mix up too much at a time as the adhesive will start to set before you come to use it. Also, wear a face mask to protect yourself from dust. Add the adhesive a little bit at a time, stirring as you go until you are left with a creamy consistency.

Step 4: Fitting the Coving

Lay the coving face down and spread some adhesive onto the back. You will only need adhesive on the 2 angled edges as the flat back of the coving doesn’t touch the wall. if the ceiling or walls are unpainted (fresh) plaster, you will need to brush some water on first to prevent the wall from sucking the moisture from the adhesive. Take the coving and push it up into the corner and place some pressure on it, giving a slight wiggle to bed it in. if it is a long length, you may need to pin a couple of nails under it to prevent it from slipping. Fill in any gaps with some adhesive and scrape off any excess. Use a sponge or brush to smooth the adhesive over before it dries.