Base Trim
By: Amanda Campbell
Updated: September 6, 2011
Tools:
Utility knife
Prybar
Hammer (or nail gun)
Nails
Tape measure
Pencil or Marker
Speed square
Circular saw
Miter Box
Wood glue
Level
Base molding runs along the floor and adds a polished, finished look to any room. Base floor trim is installed after doorway trim and is usually the last trim installed. The molding consists of either one or two pieces, and it's a project you can do yourself.
Which Baseboard Molding is Right for Your Home?
This depends on your budget, the look you're going for, if you're concerned with green building, functionality, and how much work you're able to put into installation. Here are a few different choices:
Wood Base
Wood is the most traditional kind of base. It's a fairly broad category in itself so you have many choices. The type of wood you choose figures heavily into the cost of your material. Hardwoods such as oak are more expensive than soft woods such as pine.
If you're planning on priming and painting it, pine is a good choice. But for a more natural finish, a hardwood may be a better choice. Unlike pine, oak stains well and has beautiful "pin" grain.
Composite Materials
The most popular kind of Composite Material is MDF (Medium Density Fiber Board). It's very inexpensive and is best suited to cases where you're going to paint it with a glossy sheen. Also, it's very flexible, goes up quickly with an airless finish nail gun, and will not rot.
Vinyl Cove Base
Even though Vinyl cove is most often seen in commercial applications, it works quite well in the home. You probably wouldn't want it in the living room, but it works well in utility rooms and walk-in pantries.
Cove base (sometimes called rubber instead of vinyl) usually comes in 4' strips and is 4" tall. It goes up fast; just butt the ends in the field and on inside corners, and bend it and use a utility knife to shave the thickness for outside corners.
It goes up by applying a cove base adhesive to the back with a notched putty knife.
Utility knife
Prybar
Hammer (or nail gun)
Nails
Tape measure
Pencil or Marker
Speed square
Circular saw
Miter Box
Wood glue
Level
Base molding runs along the floor and adds a polished, finished look to any room. Base floor trim is installed after doorway trim and is usually the last trim installed. The molding consists of either one or two pieces, and it's a project you can do yourself.
Which Baseboard Molding is Right for Your Home?
This depends on your budget, the look you're going for, if you're concerned with green building, functionality, and how much work you're able to put into installation. Here are a few different choices:
Wood Base
Wood is the most traditional kind of base. It's a fairly broad category in itself so you have many choices. The type of wood you choose figures heavily into the cost of your material. Hardwoods such as oak are more expensive than soft woods such as pine.
If you're planning on priming and painting it, pine is a good choice. But for a more natural finish, a hardwood may be a better choice. Unlike pine, oak stains well and has beautiful "pin" grain.
Composite Materials
The most popular kind of Composite Material is MDF (Medium Density Fiber Board). It's very inexpensive and is best suited to cases where you're going to paint it with a glossy sheen. Also, it's very flexible, goes up quickly with an airless finish nail gun, and will not rot.
Vinyl Cove Base
Even though Vinyl cove is most often seen in commercial applications, it works quite well in the home. You probably wouldn't want it in the living room, but it works well in utility rooms and walk-in pantries.
Cove base (sometimes called rubber instead of vinyl) usually comes in 4' strips and is 4" tall. It goes up fast; just butt the ends in the field and on inside corners, and bend it and use a utility knife to shave the thickness for outside corners.
It goes up by applying a cove base adhesive to the back with a notched putty knife.
