Caulking gaps under baseboard
AndrewSmith_Ontario
| Posted in General Discussion on
Hello
I’m doing a bathroom renovation and I’m getting close to the end – painting.
One thing that always bothered me about this bathroom is the gap between the baseboards and the floor. The floor is clearly not completely flat, and the baseboards being white – the gap is very visible.
So I’d like to fill it, and I’m not willing to remove the baseboard, scribe it, etc.
Does it make sense for me to just caulk that gap? For some reason I can’t think of a time I’ve ever seen that done. Does it look weird perhaps?
Thanks in advance.
Replies
Caulk will fill the gap. Select one meant to be painted if you want to coat the new caulk and the existing baseboard with the same color. You may never notice this if care is used in application.
I am reminded of a co-worker long ago. (in a different context)
"The bigger the gob, the better the job."
If you don't like the look of the caulked and painted solution, you can consider some shoe moulding.
I caulked mine with a Mapei silicone caulk tinted to match the grout. Very happy with how it turned out. Lowes carries it.
Caulk dries through an evaporative process. No matter what you do the surface will not be flush with the baseboards. Even if you could get it flush, and if painted a contrasting colour (white?) to the floor, it would accentuate the unevenness of the floor. Every grout line would be noticeable for example
Uneven floors and uneven walls were the reason that shoe moulding and cap moulding were "invented". Modern, planed 2x (not rough sawn) and drywall produce much flatter walls than during Victorian times. Consequently, cap moulding is rarely used.
Put on a shoe mould.
Wanted to add that I once had someone show me the "wonderful" job that his trim carpenter had done, scribing the skirting board to the floor. "Such care that was taken...blah, blah, blah." I didn't tell him how ghastly it looked. One's eye was immediately drawn to where the jagged edge met the unevenness of slate floor.
base shoe (aka shoe moulding) is flexible enough to conform to the "bend" in the floor , easier answer than using caulk for big gaps - cope the ends for a better junction - I can almost guarantee your corners are not 90s, scarf joints if the lengths aren't long enough for the entire baseboard
If you don't want to try the base shoe, get some backer rod (aka gap filler - usually a soft poly material) and you won't be "filling" the gap, you'll simply cover the space between the baseboard and the floor
good luck
Oh there's one more relevant issue: there are two layers of tile in this room (not my doing). So I would not be able to nail the base shoe into the floor, and really only into the studs on the wall. My guess is I would not be able to get it to conform to the bend of the floor.
I'll probably caulk it.
Who said anything about nailing it into the floor. It would be news to me to be able drive a nail through a ceramic floor. Hold your air nailer horizontally and put it into the baseboard.
you could caulk the floor edge of the base shoe and then use either a brad nailer or even a pin nailer to attach the base shoe to the baseboard - caulk both faces to get a seal to the floor and then use a damp cloth to clean up the squeeze out - just don't plan on tearing it off any time soon (lol)
good luck