Replacing baseboards and casing. Need help with sizes.

dwalls32

So I am replacing my 25+ year old carpet with new laminate flooring. I have a combination of 8 ft walls and with vaulted ceilings, some 13 ft walls. I wanted to use 5 1/4 tall baseboards with 3 1/4 inch casing throughout the house.

However, after measuring, there are many instances where the 3 1/4 inch casing would just be too large. It would but up against most of the switch plates, I would have to rip at least one edge of it on 3 doorways in my hallway and I would have to relocate my thermostat or notch the trim to fit it.

So if my only alternative is 2 1/4 casing (still upgrading to a colonial from a clamshell) how weird would that look with the 5 1/4 baseboards? Seeing as how I have some high walls, I would have to go to 4 1/2 base.

joecaption

What's tall walls have to do with having to use 4-1/2" base.
I'd bet at least 90% of home are done with 5-1/4 base and 2-1/4 casing and look just fine.
Sure would look better then cut down or notched casing.

firehawkmph

DW,
check a real millwork shop for your trim. Around here, 2 1/2" casing is readily available and is 3/4" thick at the outer edge. It looks a bit bigger on the wall than 2 1/4" without looking near as wide as the 3"+ casing. The full thickness also gives you something to butt the base into. The base is 5/8" thick.
Mike Hawkins

woodworkbykirk

i specialize in interior trim for custom new homes and remodels.typcially designing the trim package.. most often you want the baseboard 2" taller than the casing is wide. and mike is right about having the base thinner than the casing though..

as for having to rip the casin this is very common when the framer doesnt allow for the casing width... you can either go with a narrower casing or just go with a 3" or 3 1/2" casing and rip it down as needed. i have to do this all the time on the inside of closets

princelake

2 3/4" casing is extremely common here and a store in town carries 5 1/4" baseboard for next to nothing. i've done my own house with it and it looks great. i also do alot of restoration work and do lots of floods. when we pull 4" baseboard and it was caulked to the wall we up size it to 5 1/4" because its the cheapest. i find every base has a matching case. put them up to each other in the store and decide from there and yes check to make sure the baseboard is thinner then the casing or it will look a little funny having to miter the base where it butts up to the casing.