The architectural style of a house, the door and window casings, and the walls' relationship to the surrounding flooring are all connected visually and physically by baseboard molding. One of the final finishing trims to be added in a room, baseboard moldings are used to close spaces between wallboard and flooring, shield walls from vacuum dings and furniture scratches, and create a visually appealing perimeter. Baseboards join door casings and serve as the foundation for architectural wall treatments like paneled wainscoting. Baseboard moldings are installed and play a crucial role in how a space looks and feels after the walls have been painted, the flooring have been laid, and the cabinets have been installed. Baseboard moldings that have been carefully picked help to emphasize various design motifs, such as sleek modern, old-world, and traditional.
Installing Baseboard Molding On Uneven Floor Or Wall
Baseboard molding is a quick and easy technique to give a space personality. Although installing baseboard trim is not difficult, cutting and measuring the angles can be challenging. Same steps are taken while installing crown molding. With the help of this simple project guide, a homeowner can quickly learn how to build baseboard molding.
Step 1: Safety Precautions
Despite the fact that installing baseboard is a simple do-it-yourself activity, there are a few safety considerations to bear in mind. Use safety eyewear and earplugs if you're using power tools like a compound power miter saw or a finishing nailer. Before using power tools, make sure the surface is free of any clutter. Last but not least, make sure you read the instructions for use of your power tools so you are aware of all the safety considerations related to each item.
Step 2: Remove Old Baseboards
Around the top border of the trim, remove the outdated paint and caulk. Use a pry bar to remove the outdated trim. Any nails still in the drywall should be taken out. Remove any residual caulk or glue from the wall by sanding and scraping.
Step 3: Tools And Supplies To Install Baseboards
Measure precisely before purchasing your baseboard and other items in order to save time and money.
- Using a tape measure, calculate the room's perimeter, rounding up to the nearest whole-foot measurement that can be divided by two.
- Take at least two measurements of each wall.
- To account for exterior corners, increase the space you leave in your measurements.
- If you're a newbie, increase your overall measurement by six inches (or more) to allow for error.
- Buy one or two more baseboards in case the first ones were cut incorrectly.
Baseboards, cap molding, and shoe molding are the three main parts of baseboards. All three elements might not be required for your project.
- Cap molding is an optional decorative element that sits on top of the baseboards. Cap molding is frequently used with chair rails or wainscot panels.
- Baseboards are typically flat and range in height from 3 12 to 6 inches. They make up a majority of the baseboard.
- Another decorative element near the baseboard's bottom is a shoe molding. Although they are not required, they assist finish the appearance. While installing new flooring or doing retrofits, shoe molding is utilized.
Once you have the measurements, you should purchase the moldings. Baseboard molding is available up to 94-12 inches in length. Make sure the vehicle you use to transport the materials is the appropriate one. To install baseboards, you will also require a few additional tools and materials. A miter saw is the most practical tool. You can cut trim quickly and precisely using a miter saw. Most importantly, it quickly eliminates baseboard molding corners. You can rent an electric miter saw if buying one is out of your price range. Another excellent, affordable choice is a miter box. An unconventional brad nailer is another equipment that can help speed up the procedure.
Step 4: Preparing To Install Baseboard Molding
A few days before you begin, bring the boards into the room where you will be placing them. This will assist them in adjusting to their new surroundings. For each wall, measure and cut the baseboards. To accommodate miter cuts, make the boards that meet at outer corners a few inches longer than the wall. The baseboards should be painted, then dried. Locate the wall studs and mark them.
Step 5: Leveling
- To check if your floor is level, use a 4-foot level.
- Choose the lowest place in the space and nail a scrap of baseboard to the wall if the floor is not level. Make horizontal marks on the walls all around the room, keeping them at the same level, every few inches, using the top of the scrap baseboard as a point of reference.
- To show where the top border of the baseboards should be once they are placed, draw a chalk line between the marks.
- Begin interior corner, place the first board up against the wall, level it, and then fasten it in place using temporary nails.
- Baseboard moldings must be installed 1 inch above floor level if it will be installed before carpet is added so that there is space for both the pad and the carpet.
- Baseboards should be installed at the same height as before carpet is installed if they are added after carpet has been laid. The baseboard should be firmly affixed to the carpet if you do not intend to install base shoe or quarter round.
Step 6: Scribing
For an appropriate fit on uneven flooring, you will need to scribe the baseboard's bottom. Scribing is a technique for transferring irregular forms and uneven floors or walls on your art item.
- Set the compass points to be 1/4 inch apart to scribe. Put the pencil against the baseboard just above the bottom of the board, with the point of the compass level with the floor against the wall.
- Draw a line across the baseboard's bottom by dragging the compass point across the floor.
- The board should be taken out and placed on a cutting surface.
- Put the circular saw blade at the board's thickness, with a 5-degree bevel and the cut face facing the wall.
- Along the drawn line, trim the board.
- To make a level cut at the indicated line, sand the bevel away with sandpaper.
Reinstall the baseboard on the floor via dry fitting. Ensure that it is evenly aligned with the chalk line on your wall
Step 7: Outside Corner Cuts
A baseboard should be placed with one end against the inside corner of a wall or door casing. Draw a vertical line up the board's back at the other end. To guide the pencil, use the outside baseboard corner's edge. To indicate the direction of the miter, mark the top of the board. The other board should be placed against the neighboring wall. Mark similarly. Its miter angle must be the opposite of the one on the preceding board. Compound miter saws should be set to 45 degrees. Cut each miter a little bit longer than necessary—about 1/16 inch. This guarantees a tight fit. Check the join by leaning both boards back against the wall. To remove extra wood from a join that is too tight, use a sanding block. After the fit is satisfactory, dab a little amount of wood glue on the mitered edges and fasten with finishing nails.
Step 8: Coping An Inside Corner Joint
For a seamless appearance, one baseboard should be coped to fit into the other baseboard where two walls meet inside a corner. A miter cut can be used to join an inside corner, though. This choice will produce a less smooth appearance and ultimately require more polishing.
- One baseboard should be measured and cut with a straight cut adjacent to a corner so that it fits flush against the wall. Indicate the completion of the task at hand. In case of errors, extend it by a few inches.
- Bevel cut the end at a 45-degree angle using a miter saw. The cut will make your baseboard's profile visible.
- Cut along the profile with a coping saw.
- Cut away from the baseboard's rear by slightly angling the blade. After dry fitting, sand the edges.
- Use finishing nails to secure the item if the fit is satisfactory.
Step 9: Scarf And Butt Joints
You must create a scarf joint where two boards meet on a long wall or straight run. 45-degree mitres should be made on both sides of the end. Miters should be adhered and overlapping before being nailed into the stud through the covering piece over the junction. Just cut the baseboard and butt it up against the object if it doesn't need to wrap around (like a door trim).
Step 10: Problems
- Older homes could have problems with out-of-square walls. You must modify the angles in order to learn how to put new baseboards on ancient walls.
- To assist in calculating the new angles for the corner, use a sliding T bevel. Or, use spare material to fit until you locate the right angle cut through trial and error.
- You can use caulk or wood putty to fill up gaps at joints or between the baseboard and the wall if they are small.
- The outside and inside corners must be angled to match the angles on the corners of the existing wall, but, if the gaps are wider than a 14 inch.