Wood Baseboards

Wood baseboards run along the bottom of your walls and are a nice finishing touch to your room.  The reason they exist is quite simple, the wood will not show nearly as much wear and tear as a plain wall when it comes to vacuuming, shoes, furniture and, of course, toys repeatedly crashing against them.

Wood

Quality wood baseboards are generally constructed from hardwoods.  Maple, oak, and cherry are some of the more common hardwoods used today.  Hardwoods are used because they will withstand the aforementioned wear and tear better than a soft wood.  Hardwoods are more costly, but will not need to be replaced as often.

If you are staining, or purchasing pre-stained wood baseboards, make sure you bring a sample of what is already in the room with you to your local home improvement center.  Installing wood baseboards that do not match the décor already in the room will take away from, not add to, your space.

Also, before leaving home, measure your space, twice.  And always add room for mistakes and scraps from cuts by adding at least 10% to your total.  If you have extra, you can store it in the garage for replacement of a damaged area later on.

Once you have chosen your wood baseboards, select each piece individually.  You will need to look at each one.  Lie it down on the floor and check that it is straight without warp.  Look for dings, scratches, knots or knotholes.  Anything you do not like, put it back and grab another piece.  Be mindful of lengths.  Longer pieces can avoid the need for splicing.  By purchasing several different lengths, and planning carefully, you can have a more polished look in the end.

Style

Wood baseboards come in a simple, linear, lathed design, embossed patterns, and the eloquent sculptured pieces.  All provide the same function, you just need to decide how much you want to spend and what the scheme in your space requires.

Installation

This is an incredibly easy upgrade to your room.  Wood baseboards really only require a couple of nails into each wall stud.  And there is an effortless way to do your corners that actually can add some additional charm to your project.  Mitering the joints can be a pain, especially since most walls are not a true ninety degrees.  So, instead, use a corner block and butt your joints up to them.

Before installing your wood baseboards, make sure they are finished first.  Sanding and painting or staining should be done in advance and be sure the drying process is complete as well.  Even so, some minor touch ups may be required once they are installed.  Also, pre-drilling the holes will help prevent the occasional mishap of splitting.  Do this after your finish has dried.  Remember, measure twice, cut (or drill) once.

Now that your wood baseboards are installed, take a step back and just enjoy your job well done.