Installing Floor Molding

The builders knew the advantages of combining small wood moldings.

Installing floor molding. In addition to allowing endless possibilities for customization smaller moldings are easier to cut and install than large moldings and allow more flexibility on wavy or irregular walls. Once the paint has dried it s time to install the molding. Protect your workplace floor with drop cloths move in a pair of sawhorses and set your trim pieces in place so you can stain prime and or paint them all at one time. Nail the floor trim to the studs and then tack the braces to the trim with 1 in brads.

When installing trim such as baseboard and crown molding master craftspeople use this method and you can too. Continue to measure cut and install the baseboard molding around the room. Plus you can often achieve a great effect for less money by combining small wood moldings. If not move the level across the floor to find its lowest point.

Cut the base shoe a quarter round molding that goes at the bottom of the base molding to length and attach it with a finish nailer. Tack the cap molding into studs wherever possible. Install shoe or cap moulding if using. When you get to an outside corner set the first piece to that it extends past the outside corner.

If you have concrete floors you will need to tack it into the baseboard. You ll save time and protect your knees if you completely finish baseboard trim pieces before installing it on the walls. The nails won t hold if they re driven straight into the polystyrene molding. Miter the corners as with the base molding.

Employ the same methods for outside and inside corners scarf and butt joints on the moulding. If you see some cut a few braces from 4 to 6 in. Install shoe molding and cap molding if necessary. Set a 4 foot level on the floor next to the wall to see if the floor is level.

Tack the shoe molding down into the floor with pin nails. At that point tack a scrap piece of baseboard to the wall with a nail. Caulk along the top edge and corner edges and nail holes. Then apply construction adhesive at the top and bottom.

First hold the base molding against the wall after you cut it to length and look for gaps. Nail it at an angle so that the nail goes downward into the wood.