Installing Baseboard

If you get to know some of the tricks of the trade, you can install baseboard like a pro.

Installing baseboard is one of the last steps in any construction project and can add one of the best finishing touches to a room.

When shopping for materials, make sure you purchase about ten percent more than what you need to compensate for waste. Get the right lengths for the job to minimize splicing, and check the stock for imperfections.

You'll need to prime and paint or stain before installing the baseboard. You could pre-drill nail holes, although a finish nail gun makes the job much easier. Use a stud finder to mark where to nail. Later you can fill nail holes with putty. You can use a finish coat when you're completely done. All other trim should already be installed before installing the baseboard, since it will butt up to it.

Most professionals work clockwise around a room. It's easier when you have to make the angle cuts you'll need. First install the longest piece of baseboard in the room. Then, use a small piece of baseboard trim to trace the vertical profile you'll be cutting with the coping saw. This cut piece will butt up to the square piece of trim you've already installed.

Problem-Solving Tips

Walls are never perfectly flat or smooth in the real world of construction. Here are some ways you can overcome these obstacles when installing baseboard:

If you've got wavy walls, there may be a stud out of alignment or built up joint compound. If you can't scrape the compound off, then try making a brace with a piece of scrap baseboard. Put a 45-degree angle on the ends and use some construction adhesive on your baseboard. You can use the braces to force the gaps closed. Use small brads to tack the blocks.

If you have thicker trim, use a good acrylic latex caulk that you can paint. If there is a gap on the bottom of the baseboard because of the space between the drywall and the floor, and you're planning to carpet, you should raise the baseboard above the height of the thickness of the carpet to go in. Another solution is to fill these gaps with blocks, preferably scrap plywood, over vinyl, wood or plastic laminate floors.

Another problem is with corners, where trim can tilt inward due to uneven drywall, even if the coping cut you've made is perfect. Try cutting short test pieces. If there is a gap, you can put a screw in and leave it protruding enough to push the trim piece out to the right location. When the screw is adjusted properly, you can install the baseboard.

For outside corners, cut a longer piece of baseboard than what you need, and test the angle, which could be greater than 45 degrees. You might want to scribe both pieces to the corner to make up for anything of square. Even the experts experiment to get this miter just right.

When joining lengths of baseboard in a straight run, cut both pieces at opposing angles (use 30 or 45 degrees) and overlap. Secure those pieces together with wood glue. This is called a scarf joint.

Installing baseboard is a manageable and satisfying do-it-yourself project. Knowing some of the ways to troubleshoot will make it a professional-looking job.
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