Baseboard Installation to Brick Walls

Glue Installation

• Gluing the baseboards to the brick wall is by far the easiest installation method. The brick must be completely cleaned before this process, to ensure a solid bond between the brick and the wood. A construction-grade adhesive must be used as well, as it is a stronger grade and offers a more durable seal. The downside to this method are the fumes. Keep all windows in the room open while gluing in the baseboards and be aware that the odors may linger for several weeks after installation.

Masonry Screws

• Masonry screws can be used to attach baseboards to bricks, but this approach does present a problem with the appearance of the wood once you are finished. You will need a special impact drill, as well as a masonry bit to complete this project. Older brick walls may crumble under the impact, and this method should not be used on such walls. In addition, you will need to patch over the screw holes with wood putty, then stain over the putty to hide the marks.

Easier Alternatives

• Instead of installing real wood baseboards, consider the newer alternatives that are made of polystyrene foam. These "boards" are as hard as real wood, but much lighter weight. They come either finished to look like real wood, or you can paint the foam before you install it. The foam baseboards can be glued directly to the brick. This is a cheaper alternative to real wood, and the installation process is much easier because the "boards" are lightweight and take adhesive very well.

What to Avoid

• Inspect the brick wall before you determine which installation method to use. If the mortar between the bricks is old and crumbling, or if the bricks themselves are cracking, do not screw in the baseboards. You could cause structural problems with the wall at the floor level, which could bring down large sections of brick. Replace any crumbling mortar before you install the baseboards, even if you are gluing them in. Crumbling mortar could cause adhesion problems and may later cause the brick-baseboard bond to degrade.