Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler Help!! Installing baseboard in my basement...

Ok, as most of you know I'm remodeling my basement, and I am to the point where I need to install my finished baseboard. Keep in mind this is in the basement and I have a concrete floor currently.

I am getting conflicting information from some friends of mine, so I'm sure you guys can help.

I'm assuming that I install the baseboard/trim before putting carpet/pad down. If so, do I put it all the way to the floor, and then when they come to install the pad/carpet, they just butt it up next to it. OR Do have have the carpet/pad installed first and then put the trim on?

Thanks, Randy

I think if you have a choice, I'd have them do the carpet first. That way, the carpet installers have no chance of marring your new moulding. Plus, I think you DO want a bit of clearance between the baseboard and the floor so that the carpet (if not the carpet strip) can go underneath it. I do not know the "perfect" amount of that clearance, but I'm pretty sure it is >0.

Sure wish I'd spent the extra $ for that laser-guided mitre saw.

I agree with Tom on this one. Get the carpet installed first, then install your baseboard trim. That way you can set the height of the baseboards etc. When I remodelled my house the carpet went down first, then the freshly painted baseboards. You won't have to worry about the installers scuffing the baseboards.
Good luck!

I don't believe I've ever seen baseboards installed over the edge of the carpet. That would look pretty funny, I think. If the carpet installers are careful (and skilled!), then they will be able to install the carpet right up against the baseboard with no visible gap and no marring. This method requires less precise work from the installers, since they won't need to leave an exactly straight cap along the walls into which the baseboard will fit.

I was in my office when we were getting some carpet replaced and the guy doing it was a real pro. He had a special tool that he used to pull/stretch the carpet with his knees. As he got near a wall, he'd srethch it really right close to the tack strip, pound the carpet into the strip, and then precisely cut off the excess so that the remainder could be tucked evenly against the baseboard. There was never any danger of marring the baseboard.

I like the idea of putting the trim down first. That way, you don't have to worry about making a mess of the new carpet when you install the trim. Even if you pre-paint the trim, you'll still need to set and touch up the nail heads. Another big advantage to putting the trim down first is that you can do all your cutting in the room where you are installing, which to me was very convenient when I did it.

The installers recommended 1/4" of clearance. I went with 3/8" just to be on the safe side and it looks fine. I just ripped a few thin pieces of wood to the proper height and used them as spacers to speed the install.

Oh yeah, eventhough I installed the trim only a few days before they installed the carpet (so the paint was pretty fresh), they didn't damage it at all.

trim first, then carpet.ues scrap baseboard as a spacer under the trim and then the carpet installer will lay down the tack strips -pading and then carpeting and tuck it under the baseboard

Okay, Frank sold me. Being able to cut the trim in the same room AND knowing the required clearance trumps potential damage my knucklehead installers. Check with your carpet guys to find out how much space under the base they recommend for your type of carpet.

Peter, I've ALWAYS seen the carpet edge tucked behind the tack strip and under the baseboard, at least when it's being installed in a room designed for carpet (as opposed to being installed over original hardwood the owners didn't want to refinish).

shows you the kind of properties I've been looking at....

thanks guys for all the input, I just got back from puttin my fist piece down. I used an unstained piece of trim for the spacer, it was about 1/4" thick. The first piece attached very nicely. My brother inlaw let me borrow his finish air nailer which makes the job go quickly.

Thanks again, Randy

You know, we're going to be wanting pictures. And I better not see any power tools without beer in the general vicinity.

I just did my HT room. Per the carpet guy, he reccomended doing the baseboard after, I did this with no problems. Sounds like it's too late for you. I'm sure either way has it's pro's/con's.

Barley Pop and air tools a great combination

When I had carpet put in at our old house in the basement, the installer told me to put the baseboard trim last. That way it will always be nice and snug on the top of the carpet with no gaps. I am looking at the carpet in our new house and I would say that looking at the carpet already installed that the trim could have been put in first. I think that it really comes down to the preference of the carpet installer more than a right or wrong way to do it. I think that if there is no trim in place when they lay the carpet, the installer can get the tack strips a little closer to the wall and really get the carpet in there easier than if there was baseboard in the way, but I also agree that a really good installer should be able to do a great job either way.

I think that you are right on track for getting the baseboard in since you are doing it first. Leaving that small gap allows the carpet to be under the trim in the end. It is also a lot easier, I would think, to make sure that you get a nice straight install since you're putting the scrap trim on the flat cement and installing the good trim on that nice even surface.

Let me know how it works out. I will be doing the same thing in the spring....

I'm with RVecc on this one. A carpenter told me this and when the carpet estimator came to give me a quote he said his installers would be very happy with that. I believe the trim is more like 1/2 to 9/16 of an inch. It's nice to put the carpet down once most of the dirty work is done so you don't have to protect it. Installing the trim after the carpet is fine also.
Not really my area of expertise but if you need to scaffold the Washington Monument or install security bollards I can help.

Every home / building I’ve built, I installed the door frames and trim first. I’ll pop the hinge pins and store the doors somewhere safe. Carpet is the last thing to go down, then it’s a vacuuming and move in.

Depending on the floor covering, the trim will be installed at different heights above the subfloor to give ‘just enough’ clearance for the floor covering. Typically, baseboard trim will be 3/8” above the sub floor when using carpet. As previously mentioned, the tack strip goes next to the trim, then the carpet is tucked under the trim. Seeing how you have concrete, you should talk to your carpet installer and find out if he’s going with a glue down or carpet with pad and tack strips. I don’t know how they will install tack strips to concrete though. Construction adhesive maybe? Unless the concrete is still green, nails will not hold it as even concrete nails will cause the concrete to shatter.

After the carpet is down, I go back over the trim and tweak it or spot touch up as needed. Then I hang the doors. I don’t let the installer touch doors. By that point, all they want to do is get on to the next job and usually scratch the door finish or poke holes in the walls when re-hanging the doors.

Thanks everyone and mdrew,

Sounds like I'm taking the right steps, just can't wait for it to get done