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Helping You Make Your Home Your Castle |
Furniture & Furnishing & Decorations
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Choosing the Right Baseboard Molding Size
Suggestions for Choosing Baseboard Molding
Introduction:
For the DIY homeowner
choosing the right baseboard molding size is not an
easy task. If it is too small the finished look
will look tacky and if it is too large it will
gaudy. There are several things to consider before
deciding what size baseboard molding will work best
for your home. Keep in mind that molding can be
expensive depending on the design you choose. To
help you in your selection the following
suggestions are offered.
1.
Consider the door and window casing thickness. The
baseboard molding should always be thinner than the
casing. A 1/8 inch difference is recommended to
create a reveal.
2.
Consider the ceiling height. The trend today is a
height of at least 5 ¼ inches for an 8 foot ceiling
height. Taller baseboards should be considered for
higher ceilings.
3.
Consider the type of flooring
4.
The thickness of the baseboard depends on the type
of flooring installed. Carpeted floors are usually
not an issue but wood floors require a gap at the
walls for expansion and contraction. The baseboard
should be thick enough to hide the gap or a base
shoe added to add thickness along the flooring.
There are many different baseboard molding styles
and sizes to choose from. It is primarily made of
wood and is available in paint or stain grade
versions. It is also available in plastic and
flexible rubber for curved walls. Paint grade will
not take stain well and is only suitable for
painting. Paint grade baseboards can be either
finger-jointed (small pieces joined together with
glue) or solid and is available as primed or clear.
Stain grade woods such as oak, pine, and maple are
clearer (not primed) and are more suitable for
staining in natural finishes.
Baseboard molding can be purchased in many
different widths. The 3 ¼ inch is the most common
used by contractors and DIY homeowners, however it
comes in a variety of designs and widths up to 12
inches. The taller the ceilings in a home the wider
the baseboard molding should be. Homes with
ceilings over eight feet should have at least six
inch baseboard molding.
When buying baseboard molding always add an
additional 10% to the overall length you need to
compensate for waste. Simply measure the length of
each wall for that you intend to install the
baseboard on and add 10% to the total length.
Choosing the right baseboard molding will determine
the final finish of your home interior. It can be a
difficult process as well as expensive. Consider
these suggestions before making your choice.
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