we are remodelling our house and have removed vynal floors and carpeting. Not sure what to do with the baseboards - remove before installing tile or leave in place. If we remove them which will make it easier to install the tile (don't have to be perfect where it meets the wall), then where we have left the carpeting, the baseboards will not line up. Any suggestions from someone who's been there and done that????????
2007-03-02 10:51:41 · 5 answers · asked by SWH 6 in Home & Garden ➔ Decorating & Remodeling
The only right way to do it is to remove the baseboards...I will tell you that most people don't. It looks better when you do though. I see your dilemma with replacing them and they not lining up with the baseboards in the carpeted areas. The suggestion to go ahead and take them up and trim off the bottoms ( so they will line up with the carpeted areas) was a good one and right on the money. It is however very hard to get it just right. What most homeowners in your predicament do is go ahead and lay the tile right up to the baseboard and grout. If you come back with additional wood trim called quarter-round or "shoe" molding. it gives a nice finished look. It nails right on to your existing baseboards and lays on top of the tile. It's not very big and covers up the "gap" between your tile and baseboards. This is the way most hardwood/laminate floor installers do. Just remember if you tile right up to your baseboards and ever want to remove them later they are a lot harder to get off/out in one piece...good luck!!! Hope this helps!!
2007-03-02 11:30:39 · answer #1 · answered by texasfixit 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Definitely disagree with the other responders. In new construction the trim, which includes base board molding, is installed and painted and the tile and carpet laid much later on. I will agree with the use of the shoe mold ( 1/2" w x 3/4" h). The tile is laid up to the base boards. You can safely leave a 1/4" gap since the shoe mold covers the gap up to 1/2". Where carpet and tile intersect at walls, the dividing line is typically placed halfway (1/2 carpet and 1/2 tile). At doors the bottom of the jambs are cut with a special saw that allows the floor tile to go underneath the jamb and door casing, since shoe mold cannot be placed there. It can be done with a hand saw but it is harder to do accurately. As for the grout, you don't have to grout the tile at the walls where the shoe mold will cover. When they do, they sometimes don't get the grout flat and the shoe mold doesn't fit to the floor correctly and the shoe mold has to be shaved at the bottom to make it fit.
2007-03-02 19:44:34 · answer #2 · answered by Turnhog 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋
definately remove the baseboards then replace them after your tile installation is complete. The job looks one hell of a lot better with the baseboards overtop of the tile than when the tile is butted against it. Makes for a far better job. Just be careful when removing the basboards than can be reused.
2007-03-02 21:55:19 · answer #3 · answered by idak13 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you definately want to remove baseboard for a finished look. If you have a table saw you could rip down the bottom of the base so it lines up at the miters.
2007-03-02 19:16:43 · answer #4 · answered by TALLEYMAN 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Whenever you can, use the corner blocks you can buy at Lowe's, Home Depot, or any home improvement store. They eliminate the need for mitering the corners as well as make differences in height or even style of wood trim less noticeable.
2007-03-02 19:37:01 · answer #5 · answered by bobcat97 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋