Gap Between New Floor and Baseboard

Hages

Hi All,
I had engineered wood installed over concrete, and it appears to have laid flat but now I am installing the baseboard(wood) that is 5" tall and squared edged and I am installing them at the longest possible lengths.

I am seeing some gapping despite lengths of baseboard(BB) of 11 feet and I do try to push down the BB at the biggest gaps and that helps to some extent. That now leaves a gap of maybe 1/8th to 3/16th.

1. Should I use caulking to fill this void or there is a better technique to solve this issue?
2. BTW, I am using 2" brad nails with a pneumatic nailer, should I instead you nails instead?
3. I butt the BB for the inside corners, should I miter the outer corners although we are using square-edged BB?

Thanks for your knowledge!

JazMan

You have to miter the outside corners of course. I'd caulk the tops of the base to fill any small gap there too. As for the gap at the floor, you need shoe molding or quarter-round, it's standard procedure for wood floors, even when the floor is flat.

Jaz

Hages

Thanks for the response!
This is a new home, I was hoping to avoid the quarter-round solution...thinking it is not an elegant solution in this day and age.

Caulking at the floor to baseboard a definite no-no??

JazMan

Many builders and homeowners eliminate the shoe molding to save money. If you don't like the way it looks, well, maybe the crack isn't too bad? I've never seen a quality wood installation without shoe or quarter round.

The slab is supposed to be flat within 1/4" of the required plane in 10 ft. Your slab may not meet this spec? Floor coverings such as yours are supposed to be able to slid under the moldings as temps and humidity changes. You could caulk it, but may still show, and might break loose if things move?

Jaz

send_it_all

If you really want to have fun you can scribe all the base to the floor. It shouldnt take you more than a couple of weeks to do....if you have some tools.

ron schenker

Hages

The floor is brazilian cherry, should I use the same or match the baseboard which is white?

Scribing...ouch, I don't that long to live!

send_it_all

Ive scribed plenty of base. Had to do it on hotel jobs. Solid cherry or mahogany, slabs that look like rolling hills and commercial grade carpet. Bad combination.

Jeekinz

Caulking on the top is normal practice for finish trim....NOT on the floor though.

"Standard Procedure" 90% of the time, quarter round is used to hide bad workmanship. I can't stand seeing that crap in a house or anywhere.

Use a block plane to make the piece fit as close as possible. Maybe not eliminate the gap totally, but minimize it enough to where it's acceptable for you.

Good work takes time.

KUIPORNG

I also have same problem at one wall at my basement.... but since it is a basement... I don't bother quater-round it.... after a while... the gap doesn't look too bad may be used to it...