Wall Base Molding
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One of the less thought about aspects to flooring is baseboard, something we all take for granted, even though it’s highly visible everywhere. Without it, floor edges and wall bases would eventually look worn around doorways or corners due to excessive floor traffic.
Even baseboard molding can start to look worn after a time if you don’t use quality materials like rubber or vinyl. While rubber is the highest quality, vinyl is almost as flexible for a slightly cheaper price. A popular trend is vinyl/rubber blends like Flexco Base 2000 or thermoplastic rubber base trim; Burke RubberMyte.
How do you go about installing rubber and vinyl base boards if you need to get it done quickly? Here’s our short tutorial on how to go about it so it’s always done right without noticeable mistakes.
Before You Attach Your Baseboard, Make Sure Your Walls are Clean
If you installed new flooring on your own, then you know how important it is to clean the subfloor surface before putting any new flooring in place. It’s no different with rubber/vinyl baseboard.
Before you do any cutting, gluing, trimming, or attaching, clean the base of your walls thoroughly if there’s any residue. Also, make sure the walls are dry so the adhesive you use will be sure to stick.
Properly Measuring Your Baseboard Before It’s Attached
Be sure to choose the right height of baseboard you need. Here at Floor City, we’ll help you determine which height works the best based on the type of flooring you bought and the walls you have.
Lay your baseboard pieces on the floor along the edges of your wall to start. Doing so will prevent any damage to the materials in your work area. Cut your baseboard to a custom size you want by placing it in a wall corner and drawing a cut line.
Using your penciled scribe line as your guide, cut your base piece so it fits in the proper space. Always have a proper cutting tool for cutting the board, like a miter saw, a miter box, or a coping saw. Many handheld cutting tools are available from places like Home Depot.
Apply Your Adhesive in the Proper Way
How you apply your adhesive determines how well it adheres to the wall. The way you apply the adhesive might differ if using baseboard pieces or rolls.
Generally, though, you should always leave a quarter inch space at the top of your base piece so the adhesive doesn’t ooze onto the wall surface. Applying the adhesive can be done in any direction, but make sure you know where the top side of each piece is.
Once you have enough adhesive applied, place the board piece or roll to the base of your wall. Use a small hand roller over the board surface to make sure the piece sticks solidly. Roll in the direction from your adhesive application starting point to ensure you don’t stretch the base.
Creating a V-Shaped Groove for Corners
You want your baseboard to look seamless around wall corners. To make this happen, place the baseboard roll around a corner edge and mark a cutting point with a pen behind the piece. Use an inch-and-a-half wood chisel to cut the marked point.
Doing this gives you a V-shaped groove so the board material fits snugly around the corner section. An optional method of cutting the V-shaped groove is to wrap the board material around a small PVC tube.
Dealing with Inside Corners
The best way to ensure a smooth baseboard look for inside corners is to overlap the last piece of board material by once inch.
Place another scribe line on the end of the piece so you can cut it to size. Now you can give a finished look to your baseboard along inside corners by looking like one continuous roll.
Should You Use Rubber or Vinyl?
Rubber wall base is slightly more expensive than vinyl but also more pliable and durable. In busy public places like hospitals, hotels, or a household full of playful kids, rubber baseboard is a good plan. Regardless, vinyl wall base also holds up well and comes at a more affordable cost when made from reputable manufacturers such as:
We offer both at discount prices here at Floor City. Call us at (888) 586-4404 so we can help you find the best rubber or vinyl baseboard brand for your home or business.
