Installing baseboards brings so much character to the space. There are many different types of baseboards, and our skilled carpenters can help you decide which would be the best style and material to use depending on your needs. Baseboards generally come into 2 different styles.
Flat Baseboard is exactly as it sounds. It is flat and smooth with varying heights. The flat baseboard has come back into style lately probably due to the modern farmhouse trend and for its clean lines and look. Many early ranch and craftsman style homes were built with flat baseboard. Flat Baseboard looks like a long piece of wood was used to protect the wall near the floor. It has a super clean timeless look to it.
Profiled baseboard is very common as well. Profile baseboard moldings have an element of flat near the bottom and towards the top it will have detail. The detail comes in many different styles. You can choose between simple or lavish ornate. There are so many styles, you are sure to find the one you are looking for. Profiled baseboard provides a quality decorative look. Adding cap molding or shoe molding can take things to a new level.
Generally baseboards come in 3 different materials. Wood, MDF, or Rubber Base. Each material will have its own list of reasonings for choosing it depending on your space and particular needs. A few factors come into play when determining price for installing baseboard. One factor is the type of material used and the associated material price per linear foot. The 2nd factor is how much old baseboard we have to remove.
MDF or Medium Density Fiberboard is the most common material used today, because it is affordable and can be painted. MDF baseboards are made from wood, however it is made into mulch at the mill combined with a synthetic resin adhesive and formed into baseboard. It is more flexible than wood and can be used for curved areas of a room. MDF does not split and is typically a cheaper alternative to wood. The downside to MDF is that it does not stand up to water well and is softer than wood and more susceptible to damage and denting.
The second most popular material when people want to install baseboards is Wood. The most common types of wood used are Poplar, Pine, Maple, and of course Oak. Wood offers extra strength compared to MDF and can be painted or stained showing off the natural beauty of the wood and grain. The downside to wood baseboards is they typically are more costly than MDF, wood can split when nailing to the wall, finding perfectly straight wood can cause its own headaches.
Rubber Base Moulding Baseboards are typically used in high traffic commercial settings like office buildings, hospitals, and restaurant kitchens. Rubber Base baseboards are used in these setting because they are scratch and stain resistant and where they lack in visual appeal they make up for it in durability. These baseboards are extremely flexible during installation and are glued to the wall rather than nailed to the wall. Sometimes the inside corners of the baseboard trim can be bent instead of cut. This can provide a clean sterile look if desired.
Once you have decided on your style and material the process goes very fast. We will install baseboard trim at a very quick pace. Depending on job size most baseboard molding can be installed throughout your entire home in just one day most of the time. Although our professional finish carpenters can handle most jobs in one day and make it look easy, that is not to say it is an easy job. Many DIYers attempt the process and wish they hadn’t. It takes an experienced carpenter to not waste material, which is charged by the linear foot, by measuring inside corners / outside corners incorrectly, or have shoddy looking baseboard joints, dealing with uneven floors, crooked walls, nail holes not filled in correctly, or using wood filler to address the gaps between the wall and baseboard. The right tools also make all the difference. Many DIYers think all they need is a tape measure, wood glue, pry bar, & utility knife. In reality an experienced carpenter has a ton of specialty tools at their disposal. Tools like a compound miter saw, finishing nails, & pneumatic finish nailer. When we are finished with your project, all that will need to be done will be to paint baseboards.