Baseboards -- ?s on carpet & painting

[Craig]

I am finishing my basement and getting ready for the painting and flooring part. A couple of questions:

1. Should I paint the walls first and then add the baseboards? Is it better to paint the baseboards and then go back and touch them up/fill in the nail holes after?

2. Should I put up the baseboards before or after I carpet?

I am going to have the carpet installed professionally. I have some 5 1/4" baseboards that I want to put down. Should I do this before the carpet is laid or after? If before, how much gap do I need to leave between the bottom and the floor? Although I don't have any huge dips in the floor, I'm sure they aren't perfectly flat and level. Do I just pick a line that's level all the way around the room and let the gap range (say between 1/4" and 3/4" or should I try to follow a gap of a set width as close as I can?

Thanks,
Craig

[Patricia]

Here are my thoughts:
1. Always paint the walls first. Even though I oftentimes paint the molding at the top, I always wait to paint the baseboards until the walls are painted. It make it so much easier b/c you can be sloppy at the bottom and trim it out perfect when you are done.

2. I would put the baseboards up before you carpet. It makes it look more professional b/c everything is on top of each other in an orderly manner. w/ only 5 1/4 inch baseboard, however, you may eat up a significant portion of your baseboard w/ the padding and carpet (at least 1 1/2 - 2 inches). If only 2 inches of baseboard is showing, it may look funny.... So, I guess those are the considerations.

3. Always add the baseboard at the edge of the floor!!!!! What if you decided to take up the carpet? How funny would that look if your baseboard was a couple inches from the floor.

4. Use quarter round to even out any dips in the floor. With carpet, however, this will even things our naturally so don't worry about any dips at this point. If there is a glaring dip, you could add quarter round over the carpet but in my opinion (although my husband's opinion is different) that is not generally done.


Patricia

[Craig]

Patricia -- I don't understand your #2. I have never seen carpet in any home that extends "up" several inches onto the baseboards, it always is fit snug to the bottom of the baseboards. Obviously if I mounted my baseboard directly on the floor it would do this and look stupid.

Hence my question...how much of a gap should I leave to compensate for my carpet and padding. Since the floors are concrete we will never not have carpeting on them so #3 isn't an issue.

[Todd]

Use a piece of your baseboard as a guide for how much gap to leave. The carpet pad and carpet will fill in the gap and it will look nice. Baseboards are approximately 1/2 inch thick.

Todd

[tammyw]

I have the same type of question, except it has to do with tile. I'm about to have my bathroom floor (which is currently vinyl) replaced with tile. I would like to replace the baseboards beforehand. Do I need to leave a space, or can the baseboard be placed flush with the concrete floor?

[Todd]

I would wait to put in the baseboards. It will have a cleaner look if you put the boards on top of the tile. The tile guys will probably appreciate it too.

T

[ronz]

I have been a carpet installer and contractor for over 36 years, and I have found from installing many jobs that you should paint and install your base before the carpet. If you set your base on the floor, you will find that you will still have gaps in some areas, as all floor are not perfectly level. The carpet will hide all these gaps and give you a finished look at all walls. The carpet tucks down tight in front of the base, and you will not lose any height with a base that tall. An installer cannot work up against the base and never touch it, so be prepared to do some touch up after the carpet is complete. I hope this helps. Ron

[Stacey]

Any help on this subject would greatly be appreciated. I have dark brown baseboards and would like to make them white. Is it possible to just repaint them? If so, is there a special paint? Would I have to remove them from the wall or could I just paint them while attached to the wall?

[Todd]

A couple of coats of latex paint should do the trick. Leave them on the wall but use a drop-cloth and painters tape so you don't get the paint on the floor of wall