Scuff Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 We're getting the hardwoods refinished soon. The house is 80 yrs old and has plaster walls and 6" baseboards. (I like it, character) the problem is that the baseboards and the floor do not meet. There's a small gap that is 1" wide in some spots. What are some ways to resolve this? I know we could put up quarter round. DH really dislikes this idea. He hates quarter round and thinks it'll look bad. -But- his idea is to take off the current moulding and reinstal it at the floor level. :scared: This sounds like a disaster to me. The house is 80 years old, with 80 years worth of paint. Even if we did manage to get the moulding off without ruining the plaster wall, there will be a noticable edge where it used to be. And I can't imagine getting that off without ruining the walls. We cN't be the only people who have had a gap between their baseboards and floor. What are some practical ways to solve this, without ruining our home? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momma2three Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 We have gaps all over the place, and just chalk them up to old house character. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne_in_TX Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 We live in an 85 year-old house with those same baseboards and we love them. We have a gap in places, and quarter round trim was our solution. I would agree that removing them will cause plaster damage and the repair for that might be more unsightly than the new trim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 When the hardwoods are being put in, can you add another layer of subfloor so the floor is raised up higher to meet the molding? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuff Posted August 15, 2012 Author Share Posted August 15, 2012 We're not putting in hardwoods, we're refinishing the existing hardwoods. So, no raising the floor. I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't think this needs to be fixed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 We're not putting in hardwoods, we're refinishing the existing hardwoods. So, no raising the floor. I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't think this needs to be fixed! Sorry, I worded that poorly. When the floors are being refinished, can the boards be lifted, a new sub-floor put in, and then put back at a new height? What caused the gap in the first place? Is the floor even? Does it just need to be jacked up and leveled? I grew up in a house from the 1800s. My father had to adjust the floor periodically due to it settling on clay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fhjmom Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Daughter of a trim carpenter here that has worked alongside dad for years. He has trimmed houses almost as old as yours when they were new (shhh... don't tell him I said that! LOL!). Quarter round along base boards is not merely decorative, its main purpose is to cover that gap you are talking about. A six inch baseboard doe not have much give so if a hard surface floor is the slightest bit uneven, there will be a gap. Quarter round will flex a bit more and allow you to cover it nicely. Now if the gap is HUGE, then there is a bigger problem and some leveling might be in order, but even then, I think most tall baseboards on hard surface floors look unfinished without quarter round, but that's JMHO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Use the quarter round, agreed that is what it is for. We have original hardwood floors and original baseboard without quarter round. Dh opted not to put it down when he redid the floors, but we don't have gaps. Or enjoy the gaps and character. I love old houses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 I totally understand where your husband is coming from. I, generally speaking, am not a fan of quarter round. However... Our house is 150 years old, with the original pine floors and 6 or 8 inch baseboards. On the top of the baseboards is cove, on the bottom is quarter or half round. When you have 150 years of paint on them, it really reads visually as a piece of milled trim, as opposed to new construction with the puny little trim pieces at the bottom (I can't even bring myself to call them baseboards); a piece of quarter round there looks like someone's trying to hide an error. We've had the issue of replacing door and window trim - we removed it while remodeling the kitchen, and were going to have it dipped, but my FIL decided he would "help" and took it to the dump... Because who would want century old trim, right? :glare: - and we couldn't even "get creative". We had a local woodworking shop mill new stuff, based on measurements and sketches they made sitting in my living room (because I put the kibosh on pulling off another piece as a sample). So, if you want to fix the gap - and I don't you necessarily have to, but if there are drafts etc - quarter or half round is an historically legitimate way to approach it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 BTW I think the quarter round looks sharp. It's not ugly at all. :iagree: We've used quarter round for the same purpose. Our house is 97. And it really can be hard to impossible to find matching trim. We're getting ready to do some remodeling and our instructor has proposed several solutions to one problem to avoid needing to match up baseboard trim. Love old houses too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plink Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 (edited) Another quarter round grumbler here. Can't stand the stuff. We had a similar problem in our 120 year old home. We fixed it in some places by removing the baseboard, shaping the bottom to match the floor, and moving it down (then doing a lot of sanding to even out the walls); others by milling our own reproduction trim and, again, shaping it to match the floor; and in other places with little custom fit pieces of wood that we slid into the gaps. In other places we just left the gaps. :tongue_smilie: Edited August 15, 2012 by LibertyH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventureMoms Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Our entilre house has hardwoods and 8" baseboards. The entire house also has quarter rounds, and has for many, many years. I pulled out a set of built-in bunks in one room that was at least 70 years old and there was quarter round behind it I'm reasonably sure that it is original equipment, lol. If you drop the baseboards down, there will still be gaps, because the floor won't be perfectly level. That is the whole point of quarter round! Mine is stained to match the floors, and really not noticable. In some houses the quarter round is painted to match the baseboards, which works too. But really, I think you either have to live with the gaps or use quarter round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackson'smama Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 our house is 215 years old. we have slopes and gaps all over the darn place. alot of it is just character to me and not something i'd try to perfect. that said, if i were restoring or installing baseboards, they would not be "complete" until the quarter round went in. i think that's what gives them the finished look and it serves the purpose of covering inevitable gaps. just a word of off-topic caution: keep in mind that whatever you are doing in this home is likely disturbing lead-based paint and take proper precautions. that's been my biggest headache in our home b/c every.single.painted.surface had lead-based paint on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Our house is 130+ and has large baseboards and quarter round. I don't think your dh understands the magnitude of the project. It's not simple. Once you do a small section of baseboard moving, you'll probably embrace quarter round enthusiastically. g Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nono Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 If he's dead set against quarter-round, remind him that's a lot of caulk! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 3 options: ignore it quarter round or another small flexible wood trim you can stain wood putty or caulk if you're painting instead of staining can close the gaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Our house is 130+ and has large baseboards and quarter round. I don't think your dh understands the magnitude of the project. It's not simple. Once you do a small section of baseboard moving, you'll probably embrace quarter round enthusiastically. g Another great point. You can't just lower the baseboards; they're not just applied over a piece of drywall. Dropping the baseboards will involve a LOT of fiddly plaster restoration, and that is a job for someone who really only does plaster restoration. I will also add that the contractor friend who put in our new trim used and recommends Poly Seam Seal (caulk aisle) in the joints. It really does make the whole thing appear seamless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuff Posted August 15, 2012 Author Share Posted August 15, 2012 Sorry, I worded that poorly. When the floors are being refinished, can the boards be lifted, a new sub-floor put in, and then put back at a new height? What caused the gap in the first place? Is the floor even? Does it just need to be jacked up and leveled? I grew up in a house from the 1800s. My father had to adjust the floor periodically due to it settling on clay. That sounds scarier than the moulding! Not a diy project! I assume the gap is from settling, though i really don't know. It's not even, bu it's not terribly uneven, either. We do have clay here, but the foundation seems fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuff Posted August 15, 2012 Author Share Posted August 15, 2012 First time multiquoting. Let's see if this works. Daughter of a trim carpenter here that has worked alongside dad for years. He has trimmed houses almost as old as yours when they were new (shhh... don't tell him I said that! LOL!). Quarter round along base boards is not merely decorative, its main purpose is to cover that gap you are talking about. A six inch baseboard doe not have much give so if a hard surface floor is the slightest bit uneven, there will be a gap. Quarter round will flex a bit more and allow you to cover it nicely. Now if the gap is HUGE, then there is a bigger problem and some leveling might be in order, but even then, I think most tall baseboards on hard surface floors look unfinished without quarter round, but that's JMHO! Thank you for this. The voice of experience! The gap isn't even, so you're right, it's still not going to have gaps. Plus, some of the floorboards are short. So, we'll still have gaps in the floor without the quarter round. We did the quarter round. No way would I take those old baseboards off. There is a good chance you will break them trying and trying to find replacements can be harder than you think AND quite expensive. Not to mention you will likely damage the walls. We have removed newer trim without major issues, but that huge wide stuff is not quite the same. Our house is 92. We had an issue in one of the rooms where the previous owners cut the molding on one door to put a sink in front of it. We wanted to take the sink out and replace that section of molding. We could not find a matching molding anywhere. We had to get very creative. I have a sink like that in the bathroom I want to replace with a pedestal. I have no idea how we'll find matching molding. Use the quarter round, agreed that is what it is for. We have original hardwood floors and original baseboard without quarter round. Dh opted not to put it down when he redid the floors, but we don't have gaps. Or enjoy the gaps and character. I love old houses. I love old houses, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuff Posted August 15, 2012 Author Share Posted August 15, 2012 Thanks for the caulk/wood putty suggestions. Perhaps he'll be more willing to try that. Our house is 130+ and has large baseboards and quarter round. I don't think your dh understands the magnitude of the project. It's not simple. Once you do a small section of baseboard moving, you'll probably embrace quarter round enthusiastically. g :D I told him last night that he could try with the small section behind the door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Have you asked this on an old house forum? They might have suggestions or pictures. For instance, I wonder if cove, rather than quarter round, might be more palatable to your husband, and authentic to boot? Someone on an old house forum is sure to know. There is an old house forum over at Gardenweb, but I have no idea how active it is. Anyone on there, though, is going to vote against lowering the existing trim, 'cause that's just crazy talk. ;) Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuff Posted August 15, 2012 Author Share Posted August 15, 2012 I didn't know about cove moulding. That would look nicer. Perhaps he'll go for it. :lol: it is crazy talk! Sigh. Now to convince him that there's nothing wrong with the doors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenangelcat Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 We did the quarter round. No way would I take those old baseboards off. There is a good chance you will break them trying and trying to find replacements can be harder than you think AND quite expensive. Not to mention you will likely damage the walls. We have removed newer trim without major issues, but that huge wide stuff is not quite the same. Our house is 92. We had an issue in one of the rooms where the previous owners cut the molding on one door to put a sink in front of it. We wanted to take the sink out and replace that section of molding. We could not find a matching molding anywhere. We had to get very creative. Ditto to that. I would love to put nice baseboard moulding in our living room, but there is no way we can remove the original trim without making a huge mess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 We are re-building from a house fire. Check your wall surface- is it plaster board or plaster. Plaster has a lath behind it, plaster board doesn't. Plaster board is more even but plaster is more stable, though it chips more easily. Get a sense of the medium you are working with before you get in so deep you can't back out. I second the quarter round. It is a lovely look and makes things look really finished. You can see a pic of it in the first pic and second pic here (not the best on the quarter round so look really hard). Also, total wood floor brag here- it is totally worth re-finishing, but it is a TON of work. We took off all of our trim because we gutted the basement and first floor and then had to remove all of the wood due to smoke damage on the second and attic. We invested in quarter round for all of it! (our house is really level- even the window guys commented on it- we sit on a gravel pit-lol). But most older homes aren't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackson'smama Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Wow, is this in the US?! yes. 1797 log home in Virginia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One Day At A Time Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 We had the same issue in our home and went with the quarter round option. You can get it in many finishes now, or get the plain and stain it yourself to match. I would never try to remove the baseboards as it's likely that they would be damaged and would definitely leave an "edge" in the plaster. We have plaster walls too, and patching and sanding is always a fairly major undertaking. Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 We had the same issue in our home and went with the quarter round option. You can get it in many finishes now, or get the plain and stain it yourself to match. ! This is what we did. We used poplar throughout and stained the trim wood an espresso color, the cabinetry a golden honey color. The assessor thought the trim was walnut :001_smile:. The kids and I stained ALL of the trim for our house. It's do-able, just get an assembly line going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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