Mitre Blocks

Achieve precise angled cuts on wood, plastic and metal with a mitre block. Choose from our high-quality range of mitre blocks and mitre boxes, in both beechwood and ABS plastic. We carefully select our products from market-leading brands, like Stanley® and Kennedy® to provide the best quality at great prices.

What are mitre blocks?

A precision mitre block or a mitre box is used for hand cutting accurate bevel and mitre joints for frames, work surfaces, skirtings and more. Typically used with a tenon or dovetail saw, both the mitre block and box feature guideline slots at 45° and 90° angles to allow for accurate cuts.

Why mitre blocks?

Mitre blocks offer accuracy when using hand tools and allow for quick and precise angled cuts. Some brands offer more than 90° and 45° angle slots for more variety, and they're ideal for smaller jobs where a table saw isn't available.

When are mitre blocks used?

Mitre blocks and boxes are used to make angled cuts on jobs that require an angled internal and external joint. This includes finishing work that's permanently on display, such as coving, skirting boards and architrave, to provide a neat and attractive finish.

Mitre block types

While mitre blocks retain the fairly typical design of a single wall with one lot of guide slots and only differ with the odd feature here and there, mitre boxes can vary in more than just material.

• Adjustable mitre box   -   This mitre box features adjustable walls to allow for larger workpieces to be cut

• Coving mitre   -   These boxes can be adjustable to accommodate different sized coving, or non-adjustable for standard-sized coving. It features a curved base to support more delicate coving types to ensure a precise cut

• Magic mitre   -   This mitre box features a sliding jig which allows the user to accurately set the angle required for a wide range of tasks

• Mini mitre box   -   Sometimes called a 'model makers' mitre box', these boxes are designed specifically for small, delicate cuts, such as those found on models.

• Multi-purpose mitre   -   Designed for general-purpose woodworking, these mitre boxes tend to include a 22.5° slot as well as the usual 45° and 90° slots

• Skirting board mitre   -   Designed for standard-sized skirtings, these mitre boxes feature a base and top clamping mechanism to hold the skirting board securely for precision cutting

• Tiler's mitre   -   Usually made from steel and treated to prevent corrosion, this mitre box is used to make cuts on tile trim that runs along the top edge of tiles

Considerations when choosing mitre blocks

• Budget - think about how often you'll use your mitre block or box when deciding on how much you want to spend.

• Workpiece size - the size of the materials you'll be working with will decide whether you need a mitre block or a mitre box.

• Features - if your mitre block will be for general purpose work, will you require any additional features, such as adjustability?

• Material - mitre blocks and boxes are available in wood, ABS plastic and metal. For specific projects, a cheaper plastic or wooden block may be of better value. While long-term, general-purpose use will benefit from a more durable metal variant.

FAQs

Which is better, a mitre block or a mitre box?

Both the mitre block and mitre box achieve accurate cuts; however, a mitre block is advantageous when working with a larger workpiece, and they're cheaper in comparison to a mitre box.

A mitre box may be limited to smaller workpieces, however, the two-sided design allows for more accurate cuts, as the double guide slots securely maintain the angle. Mitre boxes also have a built-in clamping system to maintain a firm hold to a work surface, while mitre blocks must be clamped separately.