Greetings all!

I am about to install about 150 feet of rubber cove wall base in the
bottom floor of my house in Southern California, USA. We call this
floor the "basement" since part of it is about four feet below ground
level, but in truth it really isn't much like a basement. There is
some moisture, but not so much as to be a problem. The floor is
stained concrete and the walls are mudded and painted drywall.

I have never installed wall base before. The brand we have is Flexco,
and we have it as three 50 ft. rolls, as opposed to 4 ft. strips. We
also have Flexco cove base adhesive.

I see on the back of the carton that they like the product to be
installed when temps are between 65 and 85 degrees. That is not a
problem. However, the carton also says "maintain room temps between
55 and 95 degrees thereafter." Forever? Sadly, I can't control SoCal
temps -- I assume that temps on that floor will occasionally dip below
55 (winter) and above 95 (summer). Oh well.

On at least one site (associated with a different brand of cove base)
I saw that they recommended that their product be laid flat for 48
hours prior to installation. Flexco rubber cove base seems very
flexible -- once uncoiled, it demonstrates no burning desire to
recoil. Any thoughts as to whether I do or do not need to lay this
product flat for some amount of time prior to installation?

Also...perhaps most importantly...how should I handle "inside" and
"outside" corners? Do I need to use separate pieces which meet in
beveled cuts at the corner, or can I bend...perhaps with the aid of
some deft X-acto knife preparation...an uninterrupted piece of rubber
cove base around these corners? Should I cut a little "v" in the base
of the cove base for inside corners? Should I carve out a little
"half of the thickness" channel on the back of the cove base where it
bends around an outside corner?

Do I need some kind of specialized "wall base roller" tool to push the
cove base consistently and firmly into the adhesive, or can I just do
that by pressing with my hand?

Are there any online sources I should consult for advice concerning
this project?

Thanks in advance for any advice at all!

Chuck

From the Flexco Site:

Inside and Outside Corners can be formed using the same techniques required
for wood crown molding and wood baseboard profiles. Obtain the desired
length and angel mark the piece of Base Sculptures accordingly. Set the saw
blade to the required, obtained angle. Place the Base Sculptures so that it
is laying flat on the saw table with the design facing up. Align the
predetermined marks with the saw blade and make the required miter cut.
Repeat procedure for other side of corner. Place the mitered Base Sculptures
in the corner and check for the required fit. Trim or cope if a tighter fit
is desired. Apply the adhesive to the back of the Base Sculptures, position
in place, and roll with a hand roller to ensure an excellent bond.

http://www.flexcofloors.com/installer_corner.asp

----------------------------------------------

On 4 Jul 2004 00:35:31 -0700, (Dolchas) wrote:

Greetings all!

I am about to install about 150 feet of rubber cove wall base in the
bottom floor of my house in Southern California, USA. We call this
floor the "basement" since part of it is about four feet below ground
level, but in truth it really isn't much like a basement. There is
some moisture, but not so much as to be a problem. The floor is
stained concrete and the walls are mudded and painted drywall.

I have never installed wall base before. The brand we have is Flexco,
and we have it as three 50 ft. rolls, as opposed to 4 ft. strips. We
also have Flexco cove base adhesive.

I see on the back of the carton that they like the product to be
installed when temps are between 65 and 85 degrees. That is not a
problem. However, the carton also says "maintain room temps between
55 and 95 degrees thereafter." Forever? Sadly, I can't control SoCal
temps -- I assume that temps on that floor will occasionally dip below
55 (winter) and above 95 (summer). Oh well.

On at least one site (associated with a different brand of cove base)
I saw that they recommended that their product be laid flat for 48
hours prior to installation. Flexco rubber cove base seems very
flexible -- once uncoiled, it demonstrates no burning desire to
recoil. Any thoughts as to whether I do or do not need to lay this
product flat for some amount of time prior to installation?

Also...perhaps most importantly...how should I handle "inside" and
"outside" corners? Do I need to use separate pieces which meet in
beveled cuts at the corner, or can I bend...perhaps with the aid of
some deft X-acto knife preparation...an uninterrupted piece of rubber
cove base around these corners? Should I cut a little "v" in the base
of the cove base for inside corners? Should I carve out a little
"half of the thickness" channel on the back of the cove base where it
bends around an outside corner?

Do I need some kind of specialized "wall base roller" tool to push the
cove base consistently and firmly into the adhesive, or can I just do
that by pressing with my hand?

Are there any online sources I should consult for advice concerning
this project?

Thanks in advance for any advice at all!

Chuck

Rubber base is more forgiving than vinyl. Roppe and Flexco are
good brands. A wet rag makes an excellent "tool" to smooth the
base to the wall and can also clean up any glue tracks, although a
small roller works well.

If your are going to attempt going through corners, you need to
skive out the back side about 1/2 or more of the thickness. Yes,
inside corners require skiving the toe on one side.


Continuous strip will be hard for a beginner. Did you buy the
adhesive in caulk tubes so you can use an adhesive spreader like
this:
http://www.brunsflooringsupply.com/p...products_id=87

It would be to your advantage to buy preformed outside corners.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Keep the whole world singing. . . .
DanG


"Dolchas" wrote in message
om...
Greetings all!

I am about to install about 150 feet of rubber cove wall base in
the
bottom floor of my house in Southern California, USA. We call
this
floor the "basement" since part of it is about four feet below
ground
level, but in truth it really isn't much like a basement. There
is
some moisture, but not so much as to be a problem. The floor is
stained concrete and the walls are mudded and painted drywall.

I have never installed wall base before. The brand we have is
Flexco,
and we have it as three 50 ft. rolls, as opposed to 4 ft.
strips. We
also have Flexco cove base adhesive.

I see on the back of the carton that they like the product to be
installed when temps are between 65 and 85 degrees. That is not
a
problem. However, the carton also says "maintain room temps
between
55 and 95 degrees thereafter." Forever? Sadly, I can't control
SoCal
temps -- I assume that temps on that floor will occasionally dip
below
55 (winter) and above 95 (summer). Oh well.

On at least one site (associated with a different brand of cove
base)
I saw that they recommended that their product be laid flat for
48
hours prior to installation. Flexco rubber cove base seems very
flexible -- once uncoiled, it demonstrates no burning desire to
recoil. Any thoughts as to whether I do or do not need to lay
this
product flat for some amount of time prior to installation?

Also...perhaps most importantly...how should I handle "inside"
and
"outside" corners? Do I need to use separate pieces which meet
in
beveled cuts at the corner, or can I bend...perhaps with the aid
of
some deft X-acto knife preparation...an uninterrupted piece of
rubber
cove base around these corners? Should I cut a little "v" in
the base
of the cove base for inside corners? Should I carve out a
little
"half of the thickness" channel on the back of the cove base
where it
bends around an outside corner?

Do I need some kind of specialized "wall base roller" tool to
push the
cove base consistently and firmly into the adhesive, or can I
just do
that by pressing with my hand?

Are there any online sources I should consult for advice
concerning
this project?

Thanks in advance for any advice at all!

Chuck