How to Cut Baseboards

It often happens that the place where the wall meets the floor looks untidy. So, it becomes necessary to employ some decorative measure to hide that place. The most common way is to make the use of a mold known as a baseboard. It is not only available in wood but also in rubber and plastic that look exactly like wood. Here’s the guide to know how to do the task of cutting and fitting baseboards.


Complexity Level: Moderate

Time Required: 1-2 hours

Estimated Cost: Depends on the size of the baseboard (Usually $5 per foot)

Resources Required

  1. Baseboard
  2. Carpenter’s square
  3. Measuring tape
  4. Coping saw
  5. Electric miter saw


Instructions

1. Take the measurement of opposite walls

  • First of all, you need to take the measure of two opposite walls with the help of a measuring tape.
  • If you have a piece of baseboard that is longer than the wall then just mark the length on it and use an electric miter saw to cut it.
  • But if the baseboard piece is smaller than the required length then you can join two baseboards somewhere along the wall by cutting an angle of 45 degree where the pieces meet.

2. Fit the baseboards on themNow that you have already cut the baseboards as per the requirements then fitting them is not a very complicated task. Make sure that the pieces are not short and they fit in the wall snugly otherwise they may become loose and will degrade the appearance of your house. It might happen that they even come out of their place. For fitting the baseboards in their place you can use nail guns.

3. Measure the wall in between two baseboards and fit baseboard
Once you have fitted the baseboards on the opposite walls then comes the turn of the wall in between the two baseboards. Measure the distance and cut the baseboard as was done earlier in step 1. But do not measure the distance between the two baseboards. Instead you have to measure the distance between the walls otherwise the piece of the dashboard will become too short.

4. Cut a piece of baseboard to fit between two pieces

  • Cut an inside miter on an angle of 45 degree with the help of an electric miter box. Make sure that the back of the angle is at the mark that you made.
  • Once you have cut one of these miters then all you have to do is to cut the shape of the baseboard left by the inside miter with a coping saw.
  • The piece of baseboard you have just obtained will fit correctly in between the two pieces of baseboards that were fitted on the walls in steps 2 and 3.


Quick Tips

1. Use painter’s caulk at places where two pieces of baseboard meet, at corners and against the walls.2. Wood putty has the same color as the stain therefore you can use it while staining the baseboard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What can I do if the walls are uneven in places?
A: In case the walls are uneven at places then after fitting the baseboards it may happen that small gaps come into existence in between the walls and the baseboards. You can simply fill these gaps with some filling material like painter’s caulk. Allow it to dry for some time and once it had dried then you can paint it with the wall color so that the gaps can’t be seen anymore.

Things To Watch Out For

1. Always wear safety glasses while doing jobs involving carpentry.2. Try to carry out painting in a well ventilated area.

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