Baseboards may seem like a pretty small detail, but they play a big role in tying the whole room together in a neat little package. A baseboard that is placed too high or too low above the floor can make the room feel a little off. Your first instinct might be to place the baseboard directly on the floor, but is that the right step?
Baseboards should only touch the floor if you do not plan on covering your floors with rugs and if you have already installed your other flooring. If you still need to install the rest of your floors, carpet, or the like, you will need to consider the height of the installed flooring.
In this article, I will discuss when it is acceptable and when it is not for your baseboards to touch the floor. I will also provide some tips on how to find the right distance from the floor to install your baseboard, and I will offer a few tips on how to fill the space between the floor and the baseboard.
Contents
When baseboards should and should not touch the floor
Whether or not your baseboard should touch the floor depends entirely on the condition of your room’s current flooring and any future additions you may have planned.
If your floor has already been installed: If you have already installed your flooring and do not plan on laying carpet in your room, you can go ahead and install your baseboard to touch the floor.
By installing the baseboard flush with the floor, you will have a clean, gap-free space along the wall. It also makes the installation process relatively easier.
You should make sure that the floor on which you are installing your baseboard is completely level to avoid any minor irregularities that may arise during installation.
If you still need to install your flooring or carpet: If you have not yet installed the flooring for your room or plan on laying carpet, your baseboard probably should not touch the floor.
If you install the baseboard directly on the floor before laying carpet or the final flooring, you will end up with a baseboard that is overall uneven and slightly too low compared to the floor around it. This can make the entire room look sloppy and aesthetically unpleasant.
This can be particularly important with carpet flooring.
According to this article by Interiorsplace, it is generally recommended to install your baseboard before placing your carpet so that the edges of the carpet fit neatly under it. Additionally, it allows you to paint or supplement the baseboard without dirtying or damaging the carpet.
However, this means you will need to make appropriate provisions to leave enough space between the floor and the baseboard.
Having the baseboard unable to be placed flush with the floor definitely makes installation a bit trickier than if you were working with a finished flooring; however, with the right measurements, you can easily determine where to place your baseboard for the cleanest surface.
How much space should be between the floor and the baseboard?
To measure the distance between your floor and the baseboard, you will need to pay close attention to the type of flooring material you will be using in the end.
For materials like hardwood or tile, this is straightforward enough; take the thickness of the material you are using and place the baseboard directly above it.
But this can be a bit trickier with carpet flooring. When measuring the thickness of the carpet, Home Depot recommends taking both the carpet itself and its padding into account. The baseboard should sit “snugly” on top of the carpet without squeezing it in.
In short, make provisions and allocate only as much space as your material’s thickness requires.
How to fill a gap between the floor and the baseboard
Let’s say you have already installed your baseboard and flooring, only to your dismay realize that you have overestimated the necessary space between the two! Or perhaps you’ve just moved into a new apartment or house where the baseboard was installed much too high above the floor.
For scenarios like these, here are some options you can try to narrow the gap between the floor and the baseboard.
Sealing
This is the easiest option for filling small, isolated areas gaps between baseboard and floor. You can use caulk (and a suitable caulk gun if needed) to fill in the problem areas. You can even use a caulk that matches the color of your wall/floor, or wait for the caulk to dry and paint over it.
However, there are some things to consider with this method.
If your floor is carpeted, you should probably avoid this method, as the caulk can dirty and ruin any carpet it is laid on.
You should also stay away from this method if you need to fill larger gaps between the floor and the baseboard. While caulk can be quite handy to use in small areas, it can become expensive to use over large distances or to fill gaps with greater height.
Still, sealing is a fairly practical and straightforward solution; if you would like to give it a try, you can click here to purchase Gorilla Caulk, available on Amazon.com.
Shoe molding
In case you need to fill larger gaps that span over greater distances (or even the length of an entire wall!), you should consider using shoe molding. Shoe molding, also known as “base shoe,” is a thin strip that runs along the bottom of the baseboard, giving it a neat, finished look.
For our purposes, it can also work wonders in terms of hiding unwanted gaps between the baseboard and the floor. Shoe molding looks neater than sealing, especially when filling large gaps with sealant.
Installing shoe molding can be a slightly time-consuming, intricate process that could warrant its own article.
To make things easier for you, why not check out this short video by OMG Home Stuff that shows you how to attach shoe molding to the bottom of your baseboard to close a gap?
Reinstall the baseboard
While it may not be the solution you probably want to hear, sometimes the simplest (and best-looking) solution is to simply reinstall the baseboard. This is especially true if the baseboard is in a house or room that you own, rather than one you are just renting.
When reinstalling the baseboard, make sure to properly plan the height of your flooring to avoid future issues.
Final thoughts
When installing a baseboard on your wall, only let it touch the floor if you have already installed your flooring and do not plan on carpeting it. Otherwise, you will need to consider the thickness of the flooring material used and adjust the height of your baseboard accordingly.