notes on bassboards.....

Baseboards Can Define a Room

Despite baseboards' lowly physical positioning in a room, they are a defining feature. Baseboards began as eye-catching works of art. After World War II, however, fancy gave way to inexpensive, one-piece trim. Fortunately, replacing baseboards is easy. Here are tips for your clients for installing baseboards that bring more elegance to a room:

Choose baseboard styles based on a home's architecture. A contemporary style would suggest clean, geometric lines. A more traditional house requires sweeping profiles with more lines.

To determine the amount of baseboard material needed, measure each straight section of the wall and add 10% for waste. Try to minimize the number of joints needed when baseboards are installed by purchasing the longest pieces possible.

Inspect all materials carefully, looking for wood that is warped or twisted, or has knotholes, dings and rough spots.

To prevent warping, bring the wood into your home one week before installation to acclimatize it.

It is best to apply a finish to baseboards before cutting and fitting. Remember, installation may result in dents that need touch-up.

If also laying carpet, install the baseboards first. Know the height of the carpet so the decorative elements of the baseboards are not hidden.

Before nailing the baseboard to the wall, drill holes in the baseboards that are slightly smaller in diameter than the nails. This will help prevent the nail from splitting the wood.