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floors butt into baseboard OR baseboard on top of floors...

16 years ago

which is better?

The contractors want to put the baseboards and casings in before the floors go in. The installer said he would come within 1/4" of the baseboards and then finish it with a quarteround molding. I would prefer a cleaner look. Another installer said he'd scribe the floors tight to the baseboard with no molding.

What is ideal? floors in first or after baseboard? quarterround molding or none?

thanks

Featured Answer

brutuses

16 years ago

floors first, then baseboard. No flooring should be fit tight to anything, especially laminate or wood, as it has to have room for expansion and contraction.

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Comments (6)

bus_driver
16 years ago
Flooring is not my trade, but I did the floors in my house. Typical appears to be baseboards first, raised about the height of the finished floor, then shoe mold to cover the gap between flooring and the baseboard. I did the flooring and then installed the baseboards. That was for the tile and hardwood. We knew that if we wanted shoe mold, it could be easily added later. For the limited area of vinyl, the baseboards were first and then the shoe mold. We like the whole plan and have made no changes. I sprinkled the roachpruf in the perimeter gap just before installing the baseboards and shoe mold.
glennsfc
16 years ago
I assume you are asking about hardwood installation. There are different ways of doing the job and shoe molding is typical.

If you want the cleaner look of baseboards on top of the flooring without a shoe, then expect to pay the trim carpenter to properly scribe the baseboard to the floor. No floor is absolutely flat and no wooden baseboard is either...hence the need to scribe baseboard to the floor or to install a shoe molding.
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I have been in the engineering and construction arena since 1964 and the best option depends on the type of baseboard. But generally the baseboard goes in place first and then 2nd the floor whether ceramic or vinyl tile, hardwood or laminate and the shoe mold 3rd (most times no shoe molding when installing carpet). The shoe mold will cover any expansion gaps against the baseboard. Look at it this way flooring and underlayment comes in various thicknesses and if you ever need or want to change the flooring (thinner or thicker than the existing flooring) most likely if the baseboard is installed on top of the original floor it will need to be removed to fit the new flooring style. AND if the new flooring is thinner it may require not only removal of the baseboard (to lower it) and repair the wall and paint (or wallpaper) the difference. In other words why limit your options, baseboard first. Just removing and reinstalling or replacing the shoe mold to install a new floor is much, much more easier and less expensive. Besides you want low resistance on the floor for expansion and contraction and placing the baseboard on top of the flooring adds resistance (shoe mold is nailed to the baseboard not through the flooring). NOTE: This recommendation is for dry locations like bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, family rooms. Wet locations like bathrooms, laundry/wash rooms, mud rooms, kitchens etc. is a different application.
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Little did I know I was a hillbilly incompetent for all those decades! White baseboard directly on top of white tile/marble still leaves a black line at the intersection. Yes, we run a fine line of white caulk to remove that line. However, a dark baseboard over dark tile/stone/wood, baseboard alone is fine. As for the horror of leaving a gap between hardwood and baseboard, that is to provide for the seasonal expansion of wood. If you're in a soggy Southern swamp, maybe not so much. Massive quarter round at the junction of the flooring and baseboard is a feature of lower-end housing. However, shoe moulding is not quarter round. In our backwater burg of 5 million, doorstop is often used at the intersection of baseboard and flooring. I choose to install baseboard first to avoid damage to the flooring as the one inevitable rule of sub-trade homebuilding is that subsequent trades have little regard for anything that has been done before them. It's easier to repair dinged baseboards than damaged flooring. But there's more than one way to skin....
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(Updated to add: This was in response to a post from Stax that they have since deleted) I'm not trying to argue, but I just don't believe you understand what I'm saying. Probably because you don't like the messenger. :) It is definitely less work in some situations. Here's an example: Picture a house that is all done. Baseboards are on the wall already. Painted and finished. Someone decides they want new hardwood floors instead of their current cheap laminate. The contractor comes in and doesn't touch the baseboards. They simply hammer down the new hardwood on top of the existing floor and collect their paycheck and go home. Now the baseboards are buried a half inch below the surface of the new floor. This is much easier than removing the baseboard (which could potentially also damage the wall), removing the existing flooring down to the sub floor. Then install the hardwood. Then replacing the baseboard. It's the 'wrong' way to do it, but it's easier and cheaper.
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rosesinny
16 years ago
Baseboards traditionally go on top. Cover the inevitable gap that Glen describes with a shoe molding. But then traditionally we had skilled finish carpenters. That was back in the day . . .
arizonarose
16 years ago
We had laminate installed recently. The installer removed the baseboards, installed the floor and then put the baseboards back on. It looks great! I think it's neater than baseboard with molding.
debbie_2008
16 years ago
IMO always floor first. I'd not allow it done any other way

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