Baseboard and Quarter Round Molding Installation

Preparation

• The first step in installing baseboard is to find your wall studs. You'll nail the baseboard to the studs. Mark each stud with a pencil, near where the top of the baseboard will be. Use a level and chalk line to make a horizontal plumb line on the wall the same height as the baseboard. A plumb line serves as a guide to ensure that the baseboard is straight even if the floor isn't. The final preparation is to measure your wall sections to see what length baseboard and quarter round molding pieces you need. Mark each baseboard and quarter round piece where it needs to be cut.

Corners

• A section of wall consists of the space from a door trim or wall to the next door trim or wall. The walls end in corners. Two pieces of baseboard or quarter round will meet at each corner. You'll miter the end of each piece -- cut it at a 45-degree angle -- so that the pieces fit neatly together. The baseboard and quarter round ends that butt against door moldings are easier to deal with, as they can be cut straight. If two pieces meet in the center of a wall section, they can be cut straight as well.

Cutting the Baseboard and Quarter Round

• Although you can use a hand saw with a miter box to cut the moldings, the work will be much easier and more accurate if you use a coping saw that has guides for cutting the angles. For each miter, cut inward beginning with the mark you made when you measured the molding strip. The back of the strip, which goes against the wall, will be longer than the face. Remember to miter the right end of the strip that goes to the left of the corner and miter the left end of the strip that goes to the right of the corner. Your room corners probably aren't perfectly square, so the mitered molding corners won't fit perfectly. You'll compensate for that later.

Installation

• Use tack nails and a nail gun to attach the baseboard pieces to the wall. Align each baseboard along the plumb line, push it against the wall and nail it to the studs. Continue in this manner until you've installed all of the baseboard. To install the quarter round, push the point at the rear of each strip in the corner where the baseboard meets the floor. Use 1 1/2- to 2-inch nails and drive them at an angle to attach them to the lower frame of the wall, behind the drywall.

Finishing Touch

• Caulk the space between the top of the baseboard and the wall by running a bead of caulk along the top of the baseboard, where it meets the wall. Wrap the head of a screwdriver with a damp cloth and use the sharp edge to push in and neaten the caulk. Wipe the bead line with the cloth, if necessary, to remove any residue. You can also use caulk to fill gaps where the molding pieces butt together.