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Installing base molding before carpet

boxbuilder | Posted in General Discussion on September 14, 2004 07:23am

Hi everyone,

My ongoing master bedroom project which you can see here has me next installing some of the base moldings and door casings. I’m not installing the trim that will be stained, but I would like to install all the stuff I will end up painting (I’m going cheap and using paint-grade trim inside the closets). So, the order of business is:

  1. Install paintable trim.
  2. Paint walls and trim.
  3. Stain/poly the uninstalled oak trim.
  4. Attach oak trim.
  5. Fill nail holes.
  6. Order carpet (main room area and stairs to receive carpet), work on bathroom, etc.

When I install the trim, should I hold it off the floor to make for easier carpet installation? How much? Or should I just install it all the way to the floor?

And do you think my plan of attack here should be changed in any way?

Scott


Edited 9/14/2004 10:41 pm ET by BoxBuilder

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Replies

  1. User avater
    IMERC | Sep 14, 2004 07:34pm | #1

    1/2" off of the floor..

    Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

    WOW!!!   What a Ride!

    1. Shep | Sep 15, 2004 03:15am | #7

        A question for all-

            I was taught to install base directly on top of whatever flooring was there- plywood or hardwood.

          What's the reasoning for leaving the base up off the floor? Just allowing more of the profile to be exposed?

          BTW, in all the remodeling I've done I've never seen it up off the floor either. Maybe its some kind of regional thing?

      1. User avater
        IMERC | Sep 15, 2004 03:36am | #8

        Base goes directly on top of the finished floor...

        Held in suspension above a sub-floor.

        If the carpet is going over a finished floor... carpet goes to the base face and not under it...

        Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

        WOW!!!   What a Ride!

        1. User avater
          Sphere | Sep 15, 2004 03:43am | #9

          why is it called finihed floor if ya cover it with carpet? ain't the carpet "FINISH FLOOR"?...{G} 

          Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

          Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations. 

          1. calvin | Sep 15, 2004 03:58am | #11

            That damned regional thing.

            Or perhaps, so if you yank the carpet later................then the base is done to the finished.Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

            Quittin' Time

          2. User avater
            Sphere | Sep 15, 2004 04:08am | #13

            Yeah it's finished when ya also yank up the tackless...LOL

            which I believe is WHY ya hold up the base, so after stretching the carpet tucks under. at least that's what I did recently. 

            Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

            Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations. 

        2. Shep | Sep 15, 2004 03:56am | #10

            I was just wondering why.

            Around here the carpet guys run the carpet to the base, not under it.

            And they've never said anything about doing it differently. 

          1. User avater
            IMERC | Sep 15, 2004 04:11am | #14

            Cleaner..

            Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

            WOW!!!   What a Ride!

      2. Mitremike | Sep 15, 2004 04:47am | #17

        I have always followed the finish/subfloor line . I always understood it this way.

        Directly on hardwood,etc so in the future when the carpet is gone the base is done and not 3/8 off the floor,,, 3/8 off of subfloors to tuck the carpet.

        I can always tell a base job that is hard down on the floor because the base is short and there is telltale tuck crease right along the base from the carpet curling down over the tack . IMO tucking under looks much better . but that is just me. Mike

  2. dIrishInMe | Sep 14, 2004 07:41pm | #2

    Hold the base up 3/8" to 1/2" depending on what the thickness of the carped and carpet pad will be. 
      

    Matt
  3. ripmeister | Sep 14, 2004 07:48pm | #3

    paint your paintable trim before installation then go bak and touch up.

  4. User avater
    Dez | Sep 14, 2004 08:19pm | #4
    BB,
     
    Hold the door leg casing up the same amount you do the base.
     
    Dez
  5. User avater
    JDRHI | Sep 14, 2004 08:38pm | #5

    I was unable to link the pics...so`s I gotta ask. Is the carpet being installed atop a subfloor or a finished floor. On top of a subfloor I`d hold it up a half inch or so... finished flooring I`d sit it directly on top of.

    As to your plan of attack, the only consideration to keep in mind is a possible final coat of poly after installation and putty.

    J. D. Reynolds

    Home Improvements

    "DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"

    1. boxbuilder | Sep 15, 2004 05:42am | #20

      Sorry about the link, it's fixed now.

  6. User avater
    JeffBuck | Sep 15, 2004 02:46am | #6

    fat end of a shim ...

    Jeff

    Buck Construction, llc   Pittsburgh,PA

         Artistry in Carpentry                

    1. CarpenterPJE | Sep 15, 2004 07:58am | #24

      Or the thickness of the base.

      1. User avater
        JeffBuck | Sep 16, 2004 01:05am | #25

        there ya go ...

        off cuts are a good thing ...

        JeffBuck Construction, llc   Pittsburgh,PA

             Artistry in Carpentry                

  7. maverick | Sep 15, 2004 04:05am | #12

    There is no good reason for raising the base other than to make up for the height of the carpet.

    Just start at the high point on the floor (if there is one) and run the base level.

    The carpet guy is gonna scratch the hell out of the base, Expect to touch up.

    1. User avater
      james | Sep 15, 2004 04:12am | #15

      maverick

      a good carpet layer may put a ding or two in the base or a scratch or two but i have never had my base or case trashed by the carpet guys, especially when you let the carpet contractor know that there will be a back charge for any damage caused during the installation ( although i have never actually had to charge back, i figure i will give you three oops's, after that it is on you)

      maybe you need a better installer

      james

      1. maverick | Sep 15, 2004 04:51am | #18

        No, Just suggesting a fresh finish is a little soft.

        My carpet guy did three rooms in my house with a single piece of berber, No seams. 2 bedrooms and a central study area and a couple of closets. The doorways between rooms are at 45 degrees. All one piece.

        The casing and base was a little scuffed up. Ya think I need another carpet guy?

        1. User avater
          james | Sep 15, 2004 05:19am | #19

          maveric,

          sounds like a tough install, i have been lucky with carpet layers and fresh paint i guess. I figure if they make a good faith effort to not scratch the h e l l  out of the base all is good.

          couldn't ask for more

          james

          1. boxbuilder | Sep 15, 2004 05:53am | #21

            Wow, seems a bit controversial on how high to put it and what you can expect from a carpet installer. Seeing as most of the room will have stained trim, would it be best to wait on installing the base? That is, make it really easy for the carpet guy by only installing the door casings and painted trim inside the closets, but not give him any nice expensive red oak base trim to potentially scratch up?

          2. SethArgon | Sep 15, 2004 06:09am | #22

            Round here the base is raised up and the carpet guys tuck it in. Not saying its the right or wrong way its just the way I've seen it done.

          3. User avater
            NickNukeEm | Sep 15, 2004 06:22am | #23

            Around here the base goes in first, about 1/2" off the subfloor.  I've never seen base installed after the carpet, but it seems to me baseboard installation would be a little more difficult, as the carpet will provide some resistance to where the base may need to go.  Or maybe not; maybe someone else has seen it done that way and can offer more than simple conjecture.

            BTW, if the base is oak, I wouldn't worry too much about scratching it up, it's some pretty sturdy stuff.  Install it, and if you're really worried, place a layer of blue tape over it.  Might not help much, but maybe you won't worry about it so much : )

            I never met a tool I didn't like!

          4. User avater
            JDRHI | Sep 16, 2004 04:45am | #26

            No....definetly install base prior to carpet, otherwise the carpet installers are going to place the tackless strips up against the wall.....won`t matter much now....but when its time to pull up that carpet.....someone is gonna have a bear of a time!J. D. Reynolds

            Home Improvements

            "DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"

          5. Mitremike | Sep 16, 2004 07:30am | #27

            I gotta back up Jaybird all the way , not only will the tack be under the base but you will never get the corners right because the carpet will bunch up and you can't squish it down and nail it and expect it to stay.

            Also where is the guy suppost to work from ? the garage? Boy talk about paying someone to walk back and forth !! You couldn't pay me enough to spend all day walkin with a 12 foot piece of base down a freshly painted hall.

            Well then again maybe the painters would hold off so I wouldn't scuff up their paint job

            O.K. I feel better,,just had to chime in after my brother ignored my advice and didn't move the carpet install. by one day so I could finish the trim.

  8. Shoeman | Sep 15, 2004 04:34am | #16

    One more vote for holding the base up about 3/8"

  9. DANL | Sep 16, 2004 03:18pm | #28

    Don't know about base, but I agree with Ripmeister--I would paint trim first, then istall, easier to do when its sitting across saw horses than later when its in more inaccessable places. I even back prime trim, though don't know if it's necessary because moisture shouldn't be a problem inside the house.

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