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I did a lot of remodeling of my home over the last
year. One of the upgrades was to replace all the carpeting, floor tile, and
baseboard. I got a cost estimate from a few local contractors, who wanted
around $5 per linear foot, which I thought was far too costly. Surely I could
do the job for far less money.
5 inch high baseboard material was purchased and I
set about the job. This material comes pre-primed and ready for paint. I have
a table saw that can pivot to cut a 45 degree angle for the corners. I don’t
think I could have done the job without it. If you plan installing baseboard
purchase the saw. It does not have to be expensive. Mine cost about $120,
cheap considering the work you are about to do.
The baseboard material came from a local home improvement
warehouse. They allow me to cut the lengths I need so I don’t pay for
material I don't need. I cut all pieces 2 inches longer than measured. When
measuring don’t forget that at outside corners need extra length equal
the the material thickness to account for the 45 degree miter cut you will
be making. Add the thickness of the baseboard to the length of the wall for
each piece covering an outside corner.
The strategy was to install the baseboard using screws
and to have a half inch gap between the floor and the bottom of the baseboard.
This is done so you can remove the baseboard any time without destroying the
moulding. The gap is so there to accommodate hidden speaker wires. The carpet
installer will love this as it gives them a place to tuck the edge of the
carpet. A dab of paint hides the screws from all but the most observant eye.
When you have carpet meeting tile or hard wood you may need to trim the bottom
of the baseboard to compensate for difference in height between carpet and
tile.
For transportation and handling reasons, you can cut
long runs of baseboard moulding into smaller pieces. It is difficult to drive
home a 20 foot board no matter the vehicle. Shorter pieces help with running
the saw table and keeping it cutting at 90 degrees on the end. When you butt
the boards together on the wall you can end up with a gap. To overcome this
problem cut those butting ends at a 45 degree angle and you will have no gap.
Be aware that no matter how well you cut and angle
the boards your precision may be thwarted by the irregularity of the floor
and walls. You can try to compensate for the irregularity of the walls by
adjusting the angle at the corners. Don’t bother as it will drive you
crazy and after a few adjustments your board will be too short. I do not caulk
the gaps because I may want to remove the boards. If you do not anticipate
ever removing the baseboard, you can hide your sins with caulk. If you do
prefer to caulk, use a caulk that can be painted. Also beware that caulk can
dry out and shrink and you may wind up with gaps anyway. On outside corners
you can help the situation by leaving the board just a tad too long (for those
unfamiliar with a tad, it is equal to a smigen as opposed to an rch).
When you have the entire baseboard in place you can
paint them in place or remove them to paint. In this case I had just paid
good money to have painters come in and do the whole house, and was not about
to risk their work with an unsteady hand. If removed you can spray paint them
in far less time and get far superior results than a brush or roller. Think
about how you will know which piece of board goes where. Number both each
piece of board and the wall it came from.
Leave the board in place when the carpet is installed
and touch up the boards and screws when done. If you remove the boards to
lay the carpet the boards may not fit when replaced.
Summery: The entire visual effect is a much bigger
picture than the slight imperfections you might wind up with. Installing baseboard
moulding is a very time consuming job, so you can understand why it is expensive
to have a contractor do the work. However it is not a difficult job and you
can save a lot of money doing it yourself and remember, you can do it - So
go for it, and "get r done!"
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