How To Round Wood Corners By Hand

DIY projects have become a passionate task for me. After completing the work, I usually get a feeling of accomplishment that is always pleasant.

Recently, that happened when I was making some wood carvings for decoration inside the house.

In some wood carvings, I desired to have round corners rather than sharp ones. Initially, I didn’t know what to do.

Of course, I would not call a carpenter to come and do the job for me. Being a DIY enthusiast, I figured out how to make round corners and leave the carvings looking good.

This article will help you get tips on making round wood edges, especially if you do not have a wood router or Dremmel.

A wood router makes the task much easier, however, not many people can afford it.

What you will need:

The accessories you will need is either a hand plane, chisel, wood file and sandpaper.

Using a hand plane

I used a hand plane for my carvings. I realized it is more effective than the rest of the tools. You also do not need much practice when using this tool.

Step 1: Angle the plane

First, get the plane at a 45-degree angle to the corner and then slide it along the length.

To make a total round corner, you will need to continue changing the tilt to reach all edge angles.

Step 2: Use sandpaper

Once you like what you see, you can finish off with sandpaper.

Using a chisel

Since I love DIY, I learned that a chisel can do the job. It is more tedious and requires some practice.

Step 1: Choose a sharp chisel

First, you need a sharp chisel, that will chip off sharp edges and cause a smooth and round edge.

Step 2: Chip off the sharp corners

You can hit the top of the chisel with a hammer to chip off sharp corners.

Doing this will take longer, and you need to be patient with your task.

Step 3: Use a sandpaper

Keep breaking sharp corners to make it less pointed and finish off with sandpaper.

Using a wood file

A wood file is also an aggressive tool. It is better than using sandpaper. In case you desire a smaller radius around your plane, you can choose a wood file. It works similar to sandpaper.

This similarity means if you can handle sandpaper, you can handle a wood file.

Step 1: Grinding on the sharp edges

You will grind the wood corners with the wood file and persist with the rubbing till some round surfaces emerge.

Once you have a round edge, you can go over it again smoothly and lightly. Lastly, finish it off with sandpaper.

Using Sandpaper

Lastly, the sandpaper technique is the easiest. It is an effective method, only if you desire to break the sharpness of the edges.

How To Round Wood Corners By Hand

In conclusion, rounding sharp wood corners will require either a chisel, a hand plane, a wood file or sandpaper.

It requires you to rub the sharp edges with this equipment till you get a round surface.