I recently removed some white wooden baseboards (drywall) to install
flooring. For re-installation, I need to 'finish' the edge between
baseboard and wall. Previously, some form of caulk achieved this...but
it made the removal of the baseboards difficult (paint peeling, drywall
paper tearing, etc.). In addition, the top of the baseboards were
really difficult to keep clean..grime seemed to accumulate there, and
removing the grime seemed next to impossible.

For the re-installation, I'm looking a smooth, straight line between
baseboard and wall, but I would like to avoid the problems mentioned
above (dirty, difficult to remove baseboards after the fact). Any
suggestions on how to achieve this? What type of filler/material
should I use as interface between wall/baseboard? Lightweight
spackling? Some special type of caulk?

What about method of application? What's the best way to get a smooth,
straight line?

Cheers,
Dave

EMPLOY A BUILDER
wrote:
I recently removed some white wooden baseboards (drywall) to install
flooring. For re-installation, I need to 'finish' the edge between
baseboard and wall. Previously, some form of caulk achieved this...but
it made the removal of the baseboards difficult (paint peeling, drywall
paper tearing, etc.). In addition, the top of the baseboards were
really difficult to keep clean..grime seemed to accumulate there, and
removing the grime seemed next to impossible.

For the re-installation, I'm looking a smooth, straight line between
baseboard and wall, but I would like to avoid the problems mentioned
above (dirty, difficult to remove baseboards after the fact). Any
suggestions on how to achieve this? What type of filler/material
should I use as interface between wall/baseboard? Lightweight
spackling? Some special type of caulk?

What about method of application? What's the best way to get a smooth,
straight line?

Cheers,
Dave

wrote in message

For the re-installation, I'm looking a smooth, straight line between
baseboard and wall, but I would like to avoid the problems mentioned
above (dirty, difficult to remove baseboards after the fact). Any
suggestions on how to achieve this? What type of filler/material
should I use as interface between wall/baseboard? Lightweight
spackling? Some special type of caulk?

What about method of application? What's the best way to get a smooth,
straight line?

Filler? Caulking? What kind of crappy job did you have or crappy walls?
If the walls are reasonably straight all you have to do is nail the
baseboards in place.

wrote:
I recently removed some white wooden baseboards (drywall) to install
flooring. For re-installation, I need to 'finish' the edge between
baseboard and wall. Previously, some form of caulk achieved this...but
it made the removal of the baseboards difficult (paint peeling, drywall
paper tearing, etc.). In addition, the top of the baseboards were
really difficult to keep clean..grime seemed to accumulate there, and
removing the grime seemed next to impossible.

For the re-installation, I'm looking a smooth, straight line between
baseboard and wall, but I would like to avoid the problems mentioned
above (dirty, difficult to remove baseboards after the fact). Any
suggestions on how to achieve this? What type of filler/material
should I use as interface between wall/baseboard? Lightweight
spackling? Some special type of caulk?

What about method of application? What's the best way to get a smooth,
straight line?

Cheers,
Dave

If you are re-using the old baseboard first step is to make sure it is
cleaned up. The old caulk should come off fairly easily. Scrape the
back of the molding with a paint scraper or putty knife, then sand
everything where needed. I like to paint the trim before installing it
even though it will need to be painted again after it is installed. At
a minimum nail into every other stud to pull the molding tight to the
wall. The inevitable gaps can be filled with a latex based painter's
caulk, I like Alex latex plus.

Use a good gun ($10) that releases the pressure when you let go of the
trigger. Cut only a small amount off of the tip so only a little comes
out. Then dip a paper towel in some water and smooth out the caulk.
Only one wipe per towel! I take two buckets along, one for the water
and one for all of the paper towels I am going to use. The latex based
caulk cleans up very easy with water and gives a smooth flexible
surface. Use painter's putty to fill in the nail holes. Now all you
need to do is paint the trim again when the caulk and putty dries,
paint right over the caulk.

The old caulk was probably tuff to clean because it was silicone which
is difficult to get smooth and seems to be a magnet for dust. It also
doesn't hold paint as well as the latex based caulk.

If you are replacing the baseboards consider the MDF trim. It is
smoother and easier to cut and paint than wood. It also bends easier
and will conform to a bowed wall better than wood. It does however get
chipped a lot easier than wood so don't use it in an area where it will
get a lot of abuse like around doorways.

When you are removing trim, painted or not, take a utility knife and
make a shallow cut where the trim meets the wall. This will break the
'seal' between the trim and the wall where years of paint have glued
them together. Sometimes you need to cut deeper especially on the
older drywall because the paper wasn't attached as well as the new
stuff and it will come right off.

EMPLOY A BUILDER

I do, for jobs that I feel I can't tackle. For everything else I
prefer the DIY approach. I suspect that most on this NG feel the same
way. As it is, I still help employ the tool sellers and tool
manufacturers.

Filler? Caulking? What kind of crappy job did you have or crappy walls?
If the walls are reasonably straight all you have to do is nail the
baseboards in place.

The walls are reasonably straight (nobody's perfect), and all of the
baseboards were caulked on installation. Simply nailing the baseboards
in place does not provide a smooth, straight line between wall and
baseboard if there are imperfections in either.


If you are re-using the old baseboard first step is to make sure it is
cleaned up. The old caulk should come off fairly easily. Scrape the
back of the molding with a paint scraper or putty knife, then sand
everything where needed. I like to paint the trim before installing it
even though it will need to be painted again after it is installed. At
a minimum nail into every other stud to pull the molding tight to the
wall. The inevitable gaps can be filled with a latex based painter's
caulk, I like Alex latex plus.


remainder of post snipped

That is quite an answer! Thank you. Many of the boards ( 2' long)
are happy to stay in place without any form of fastening due to the
friction-fit in corners. I'll still probably nail 'em.

Good advice here. I'd add that I like to use a putty knife to finish
off the new caulk. That way you don't have any rounded caulk joints,
they're all square.

Try to find an "elastomeric" latex caulk. DAP makes a good brand, sold
by HD.