One coat is fine. When installing baseboard and trim, this compact brad nailer produces clean nail holes in both hard and soft woods. It will cut the crap out of your fingers, and mice cant chew through it. But it boils down to: Wood baseboards are typically made from solid pine and can either be primed or unprimed. You can even add a layer of trim inches above your baseboard to create the illusion of taller baseboards. Do you think its best to caulk the area between the floor and baseboard as well? Well, not if theyre made with MDF (medium density fibreboard). 0000031323 00000 n If youre planning to reuse the old baseboards, set them aside and be sure to use a hammer or wire cutters to remove the old brad nails sticking out. But its great to put in place behind the baseboards because it will last forever (as long as it doesnt get wet). If you want to install baseboard you have two options: either use a good glue and stick them to the walls of the room, or use nails/screws to fasten them to the walls. Be careful not to damage the old baseboards. There are several types, as you can see from the Species Key at the bottom of the moldings chart above. A miter box is a pretty cheap alternative to a miter saw when cutting molding and trim (like how I use it to make my own DIY picture frames.). Start with painting the back first. $16 per board for 13 boards means wed be spending roughly $208 on baseboards. As you can see, I have cut the trims around the exterior corner and have everything ready. If you like modern clean lines, then baseboards that are more flat and simple look best. Very thorough! at both edges of the trim, spacing them about 1/2 in. The cement forms super-strong joints. Apply just a small bead of caulk and then use your finger or a wet sponge or cloth to spread the caulk over the gaps. Here is a example of a typical piece of primed pine baseboard. In fact, if you glued the baseboards, you could damage the drywall when removing them if you ever need to remove them again to install new flooring. And don't forget to apply cement to both pieces before securing them to the wall. Baseboards cover it up. Brad nails leave a small hole in the baseboard. Before actually installing the baseboard to the wall, I like to sprinkle a natural insecticide behind the baseboards called diatomaceous earth. After measuring and marking the cut lines, you need to cut the baseboard using a saw. Before attaching them, locate studs in the wall using a stud finder. I also like that PVC baseboards are termite-resistant. 0000002842 00000 n We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. But this comes in a roll so that you can do larger areas. Lets kick off this post on all the things you need to consider when installing baseboards! If youve sealed the wood with paint, lemon oil, etc., will just sit on top and eventually yellow. When joined together on an inside corner, those 45-degree angles come together to create a 90-degree angle. I happen to be getting ready to install baseboard in our new home which is on slab (with radiant heat. The price is the biggest downside to PVCit's expensive. Baseboards made with MDF, while more affordable, cant withstand water. Of course, this will depend on the type (wood, MDF, PVC) and the style (traditional, modern, etc.). My basement tends to get a lot of ants so for me its extra insurance. And I will definitely caulk all cracks and gaps in my she shed once the vinyl flooring is done. In addition to the baseboard, which we just figured out in the example above, wed need about 15 pieces (at a cost of about $208, based on my example). If you caulk the seam between the wall and floor, you will solve this problem. Once you figure out a system for heating the PVC, you'll find that trimming arched windows is a piece of cakeand kind of fun. Before I dig into how to install baseboards, lets talk about what are baseboards! The reason it to prevent water damaging the drywall in the event of a leak. One super-cool property of PVC is that it can be heated and then bent into any shape you can dream of. Use the navigation below to skip around this guide. 0000005925 00000 n Yes, I do recommend painting the back of baseboards, too, which helps to seal them. But it improves the overall appearance of the baseboard if you fill them with wood filler. But it took me some time to finish off the project to install baseboard because of a nasty basement leak that prevented me from finishing the job. Required fields are marked *, document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a9601460a8b050fed906479a74305a98" );document.getElementById("d77b09630b").setAttribute( "id", "comment" );Comment *. Stainless steel trim screws are the best choice because they'll never corrode. 0000044242 00000 n There are no rules here. 0000022390 00000 n The same is true for baseboards. bathroom, basement, kitchen, family room, etc.) ), the board started to warp. Combination saw blades work well. This is a quick project that will definitely change the look of your room. Make sure you use a glue that is heavy duty and ideally dries out quickly, so you dont have to apply pressure onto the baseboard trims for a long time. 0000084328 00000 n 0000001783 00000 n Hopefully I have answered all of your questions in this step-by-step guide so that you can feel confident and excited to tackle this project on your own. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); HowToSpecialist How to Build, Step by Step DIY Plans, Measuring tape, carpentry pencil, l-square. A brilliant and comprehensive guide on doing this bit of DIY yourself. I need to replace my baseboards. Anything higher on an 8 foot ceiling wouldnt look proportional to the height of the wall/ceiling. Installing Baseboard Next to Door Casings, STEP 4: Add Insect Powder Behind Baseboards (Optional), STEP 5: Attach Baseboard Using a Brad Nailer, STEP 6: Fill the Nail Holes With Wood Filler. For this project, we are going to use adhesive and a caulk gun. Yep, you can totally paint the baseboards the same color as the wall. Ive been considering doing this around my own house (some rooms I have added caulk already). They wont fog up in hot or humid temperatures, offer military grade impact protection, and have durable anti-scratch lenses. See all my home improvement projects HERE. Will consider when we renovate our condo. Potential pests, future usage of a room, expansion, etc. Fill small holes with an exterior filler and lightly sand it smooth after it dries. You could even paint them a contrasting color. If you use 2P-10, be careful and dont use the activator: It will melt the PVC and bond your fingers to the plastic instantly. If it's between 60 and 80 degrees, leave a 1/16-in. In my basement with 8 feet ceilings, which is the standard ceiling height, a 3 and 1/4 wide baseboard trim would work well. There are tons of options of moldings, including ceiling crown molding, door and windows, floor, general purpose, and wall and trim. Question for you! Baseboard with uneven floors or with gaps benefit from installing something called quarter round. If youre blessed to have 9-foot ceilings or higher, you could go with a wider baseboard (for example, 5 and 1/4 or even taller). 0000028163 00000 n expansion gap between the trim and the window frame for caulk. Dont use just any caulk, though. Baseboards hide the ugliest of joints, finishing a room off to look complete. And because it runs on battery, no gas cartridge is required. Smear a little cement on both surfaces and then clamp or screw the joint together. I appreciate this! Cut the tip at a slight angle, insert the tube into a caulk gun, and wear gloves. They look really nice. Your email address will not be published. Home House & Components Parts of House Trim. STEP 1: Remove Old Baseboards (If necessary). While they too are highly durable and low maintenance, their installation techniques are different. The secret is to apply a continuous bead of adhesive so that the baseboard can bend to the wall and close any gaps. I once had the unenviable task of trying to find a match for one of the skirting boards in my Edwardian house, and it was a pain trying to find a reasonable matching piece! I realized that many homeowners may not know how to install baseboard, so I thought this would be the perfect time to put together this extensive guide on installing baseboardeverything you want and need to know to install your own DIY baseboard: choosing baseboards, planning, cutting, installing baseboards, and more. In my case, I used PVC baseboard. Lets find out: The Home Depot provided this Milwaukee M18 FUEL 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Gen II 18-Gauge Brad Nailer to use for my own basement baseboards project. This method also works for crooked wall and I will show you how. We recommend you to choose the first option on drywall and the second one for masonry walls. As you can see in the image, I like to have everything cut and ready to go, before applying the adhesive to the walls. Set your miter saw to 45-degrees. Also, PVC trim shrinks and expands because of changes in temperature; if its installed when the temperature is anywhere near 70F, its unlikely to move much later on. Once it dries, turn it over and paint the front. Baseboard is measured in inches and feet. Thats what caulk is for. Dont worryall you need is a tape measure, a pencil, and some paper. or wider trim, add another fastener in the middle; and 16-in.-wide trim needs four screws every 16 in. Sure, it can be from not cleaning or vacuuming but more often it is from air penetration coming under the wall over a period of time. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. In other words, its a strip of material that covers up the imperfections from where the drywall and floor meet. Sometimes I use Versatexs branded PVC cement, but Ive also used 2P-10 (fastcap.com), especially on self-returns and small pieces. So lets jump into this post right now! That is why, I suggest you use continuous sinusoidal beads of glue to the base of the wall, making sure it will be covered by the baseboard. Its best to paint the new baseboards before installing them. Set your miter saw (or miter box) to 90-degrees. I wanted to compliment you on such a great tutorial. And remember, too, the Home Depots lumber department can make baseboard cuts for you, too. Apply a pea-sized amount to the brad nail hole and let it thoroughly dry before you sand it. In this way, you save time and get a neat result. The caulk gun has a blade to cut the tip, but I prefer using a utility knife. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); *HowToSpecialist is participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Use these 5 printables, checklists, and ebooks to get started! Copyright 2022 Zonda Media, a Delaware corporation. One reason I dont worry much about the PVC expanding or contracting is that interior trim runs are usually much shorter than exterior trim runs, where the potential for movement is much greater. When planning your baseboards for inside corners, theyll be positioned with 45-degree angled cuts. I have actually caulked not just the top of the baseboard (to cover cracks), but I have caulked where the quarter round (also known as shoe molding) meets the floor. We just have to make sure its there. If youre installing it yourself, youll save on installation costs. Therefore, cut the baseboard pieces and join them together with the connectors. Thank you for reminding me. The trim comes in various thicknesses and widths, but it's most often sold in common sizes similar to other wood trim products. Don't confuse it with high-density rigid polyurethane or PVC-coated products. Pocket screws are the best method of joining corners when you're cementing window and door trim assemblies (see next tip). You dont want to prevent this natural shifting or have the quarter round shifting because its nailed to the floor. Going to the next section of the room. However, for PVC baseboard I like to apply the adhesive directly onto the wall, because the baseboard molding is flexible and you can get it all over the floor when installing it. What are Baseboards and When Are They Installed? After installation, cover the gap with paintable acrylic or polyurethane caulk. I just looked up this Xcluder and it reminds me of the steal wool I have used to shove into holes and stuff, to keep mice out. Now check your email to confirm your subscription. You just replace the screws / nails with heady duty glue applied with a caulk gun. It does help to keep out critters! 0000013901 00000 n Theres no right or wrong answer here. I just fogged my spaces prior to caulking the wall/floor seam and I will add your great idea of dusting diatomaceous earth, too! Just be sure that when applying the diatomaceous earth, be sure to wear a dust mask and apply it with a duster. I recommend you to use a miter saw with a fine blade, because it makes the cut quickly and accurately. But this is the general cut youll be making. No predrilling or countersinking is necessary if the temperature is higher than 40 degrees F. But lower temperatures call for both drilling and countersinking; otherwise the PVC may split. Success! (If youre planning to add quarter round, plan to paint that, as well.). Its pretty light weight with zero ramp-up time. Wear gloves. 0000044600 00000 n 0000005757 00000 n Buy the food grade variety. You can even get it in sheets like plywood. xref And to come up with that number, you need to measure your space. Ive put boric acid behind my woodwork (nontoxic in those amounts to humans and pets, but death to ants and God forbid cockroaches!) Cut edges also collect dust and aren't as easy to clean. Milwaukee M18 FUEL 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Gen II 18-Gauge Brad Nailer, Installing a Staircase Handrail at My Basement Stairs, Power Tools 101: What to Buy and How to Use Them, Which Leaf Blower is the Best? Thrift Diving inspires women to decorate, improve, and maintain their home themselvesusing paint, power tools, and thrift stores! Starting to look beautiful already. 0000005441 00000 n Read More >> I had found this metal fabric that doesnt rust or become brittle called Xcluder. trailer But its more than just about imperfections. I thought Id offer you another tool for your tool box, so to speak. Measure carefully when applying trim around vinyl- or aluminum-clad windows, and leave a 1/8-in. I really like the ones you chose. Where ends of trim meet, join them just like wood: Create scarf joints, that is, overlapping 45-degree joints. (Privacy Policy) *, Im Serena Appiah (rhymes with IKEA). Sometime when installing baseboard you may very well get to the edge of wall and not want to continue wrapping it around the wall. A baseboard is a molding covering the joint of a wall and the adjoining floor. -Merriam-Webster dictionary. When cutting baseboard, there are a few rules to keep in mind: A 45-degree cut is the basic cut youll be making when cutting baseboard, both at inside and outside corners, and to join baseboards along long walls. Until recently, you could only use lighter paint colors, because darker colors absorbed more of the sun's heat and increased expansion of the PVC, causing the trim to warp and the paint to peel. All you have to do is drill the screw through the trim (the bit will stop the screw once the desired depth is reached), and then tap the plug into the hole flush with the trim surface. 0000019530 00000 n In general, the more teeth a blade has, the smoother the cut edges will be. %PDF-1.5 % Its basically ground up sea fossils that cut the exoskeleton of insects when they crawl through it, including ants, bed bugs, carpet beetles, roaches, etc. 0000025290 00000 n Great guide/tutorial! Prebuild your PVC trim as shown and then install it as a unit rather than one piece at a time as you would with wood. Your finished boards look great. 4 0 obj <> endobj 0000039279 00000 n When youre planning to install baseboards, the first step which we already covered is deciding what style and type of baseboard you need, based on your preferences and where youre planning to install it (e.g. Please share our articles with your friends by using the social media widgets. I will have to replace it with a waterproof baseboard. With drywall, you also have to leave 1/2 off the ground when installing it. Awesome! Select fastener lengths that will penetrate the framing by at least 1-1/2 in. How to Install Baseboard Yourself: A Step-by-Step Guide. Is that something thats commonly done or recommended? Also, notice the small gap between the baseboard and the wall? A: Gary Katz, a frequent contributor to JLC and moderator of the JLC Online finish-carpentry forum, responds: Ive installed PVC trim on a number of interior projects using the same basic techniques I use with wood and have never had a problem. Wood baseboards can grow mold behind them if theyre installed in moist areas, and as I mentioned, MDF baseboards can warp. It really just depends on your unique style. You can buy baseboards from the lumber department at The Home Depot. from the edges. hb``P```qa```Z01F$Q(f`Pbdx{``g1:'D7l`|%SFxi. I particularly like the idea of Diatomaceous Earth. Winter = warm place to stay. . Be sure to order the screws that are designed for the type of trim you're working with; that way the plugs will be made of that exact same product. Thanks for a well written DIY!!! <<9E2EFE7D570EC049950C686B4A0F2119>]/Prev 237104>> STEP 10: Touch Up the Nail Holes and Caulk With Paint. Although painting PVC trim isn't necessary, you may want to consider it, especially if you have a bunch of cut ends showing (some brands of PVC are protected from UV sunlight only on the outside). Your email address will not be published. Or use a paintable caulk and smooth it with your finger. %%EOF Start by drafting out a sketch of the space where youre installing the baseboard: Now that weve done a little math has an example ofhow much baseboard you need, lets do an example of how much it costs. A kit of 100 will secure 50 linear ft. of trim that's less than 10 in. You can cut PVC products with the same power tools that you use for wood. You can also use a handsaw, as well. It will look something like this: with one end butted up against the door casing. The brad nails closer to the bottom will attach to the wall framing behind the drywall. The easiest way to clean baseboards would be to include then when doing your routine vacuuming, but once a month or more, use a microfiber towel to dust them clean. You can lay the adhesive as drops every 8 or as beads. As soon as our JC opens up again Im signing up for the carpentry class. Should You Consider Switching to Cost-Plus Pricing? When cutting outside corners, cut your baseboard moldings with 45-degree angles to meet at the outside corner. But if youre installing MDF baseboards in areas where they will not be water, then yes, its a viable option for affordable baseboard, for sure. The first step of the project is to measure and buy the materials for the project. One advantage of PVC is that you can weld joints to keep them tight and prevent water from penetrating behind the trim. I wont lie that I have sometimes left the holes unfilled. PVC trim expands when it's hot and contracts when it's cold. It hides any gaps along where the baseboard meets the floor. :-) ). If you wanted to paint the baseboard, you may need to add some painters tape to the floor (and wall) to prevent making a mess while painting the baseboards (unless you have a steady hand!). Hi Gurji! When you sand it down, it will sand smooth and flat over the brad nail hole. Its about the necessary spaces that contractors leave along the edge of flooring to allow for a floor to expand and contract. To glue joints together, use PVC cement, since wood glues like Titebond II dont work all that well with PVC. But if youre doing it yourself, you may need some additional materials, and those will have costs associated with them. Baseboards should be caulked when you need to fill any gaps where the baseboard meets the wall or when there are seams you can see where the baseboards meet (such as inside and outside corners and joints). In most of the cases the wall baseboard moldings are attached directly to walls and not to the floor, as they are very flexible and designed to conceal the curved walls. 0000164391 00000 n Sherwin-Williams is one paint manufacturer that now offers a line of vinyl-safe paints. Not that you have to have all of those insects to use it! Thank you for sharing at Party In Your PJs. I applied the adhesive to the wall and then pressed the baseboard gently every inch at a time. I think home should be affordable. There are dozens of profiles to choose from: bead board, skirt board, tongue and groove, quarter round, brick molding, coves, crowns, just to name a few. gap for every 18 ft. of length. If youre using a paint brush, use a synthetic paint brush and glide it over the baseboards in long, smooth strokes. If its unfinished pine, add a coat of primer and then 1-2 coats of paint. If its a small piece, use wood glue to secure it (to avoid breaking the piece with brad nails). gap. Unlike PVC pipe cement, PVC trim cement is water soluble and won't melt finished surfaces if you remove it immediately. What Style of Baseboard Should I Install? Thank you for this DIY. In our new condo they put plain MDF baseboards. If youre installing new hardwood flooring, vinyl, tile, or even carpet, you will need to remove the old baseboards. Whats the best way to smooth out the routed surfaces after I cut the profile in the cap piece? And should the joints be glued, or should I leave them unglued so they can expand and contract (the technique I use for exterior PVC trim)? But use only carbide-tipped saw blades; plain steel ones dull quickly. The heat blankets used by the guys who do a lot of bending are spendy ($1,000 to $3,000), but you could build your own out of a culvert and a torpedo heater. When attaching baseboard, use a brad nailer with 18 gauge nails (either 1-1/2 or 2 brad nails).
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