How to Install Baseboards

Baseboards can be an easy way to add changes to your room. It is so simple and minor; however it creates such a deepness that you will enjoy for years to come. Not to mention really add value to any room or house. I have set up an easy to follow step by step guide for you to take on this home improvement project.

Step 1
Measure accurately the linear footage over the area that you will be trimming out. You always need to either add 5 to 10 percent to have room for error. Sometimes the extra wood you will have can be sold back to some lumberyards for half the price.

Step 2
There are so many shapes and sizes to choose from when it comes to picking out the right baseboards. My best advice to this would be is take a picture of your room and take it down to Home Depot, Lowe's or your local home improvement store and ask them to pick out the top 3 baseboard materials and allow you to visualize and pick which one would look best in your room.

Step 3
Once you have purchased your baseboard material it is now time to personalize it. You can either paint it white with a high-gloss enamel color, or paint it a different bold color to match your room. You may want to antique your baseboards. if you have hard-wood floors, antiquing them can really add character to the floors as well. No matter what you decide to do to personalize your baseboards, make sure you do this step before installing it in the room.

Step 4
Mark the studs in the wall using a stud finder and a pencil.

Step 5
Cut the baseboards to the size of your measurements. Slide the baseboard against the bottom of the wall and hammer in, slowly, finishing nails into the baseboards and into the studs. Make sure you do not hit the baseboards because this will damage your material.

Step 6
Put putty over the nails and sand them down. Carefully again not touching the baseboards.

Step 7
Stain or paint, and fix up any imperfections as well as over the nails that were puttied.

Step 8
For a finishing touch you can add shoe molding against the floor at the bottom of the baseboards. Shoe molding is flexible quarter-round trim that can be bent easily to fit into corners.

I told you it was simple. No need to get all antsy about this project. However, I do have some tips to make it even easier.

1. Pre drill all your nail holes into your baseboards to prevent splitting and damage.
2. Corner block to add more decorative detail to your baseboards.