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Baseboard cracks

7.3K views 21 replies 8 participants last post by  abrowning  
#1 ·
I just bought a house and putting new baseboards on. I read and heard it from a few people to use 33 glazing compound on nail holes so I went out and bought it. I was under the impression that I could also fill in big cracks and gaps to mold and sand to look nice. I'm on a tight budget so don't really want to have to buy something else but will if I absolutely have. So can I use it for that or no?
 
#3 ·
It's the dap 33 window glazing compound. I'm new to the diy stuff so don't really know much but I was just reading other posts and people use spackle. I was told the glazing compound absorbs paint at the same rate and won't shrink like a spackle. But I got scared reading others posts and not seeing anybody else using that. Thanks for your reply. Any information helps
 
#4 ·
If that is a window glazing compound..... no it won't be sandable... never fully drys...(will get firm with time)....

I'm really not sure exactly what your doing..... for nail holes... i will just use spackle.... or often... MD Ready patch (both dry quickly/ sandable/ paintable).....for a caulk line where the baseboard meets the wall... I use a good latex caulk.....

If 33 is a window glazing compound, I've sure never used it for your application... maybe others have tried.

PS: Some spackles will shrink in a larger nail hole... but they dry so quickly you just hit them twice.
 
#5 ·
Painter's putty is the correct product for filling nail holes but glazing will work. I prefer SWP's 66 Glazing, mainly because it's not oily and keeps my fingers cleaner. The putty only goes into the nail hole. You use caulking for the joints. If something needs to be shaped you'd use a wood filler.
 
#6 ·
I have caulk to fill in the small gaps but there are parts where the gap is pretty big. Any suggestions on what to use to fill in big gaps in between the wall and baseboard and to fill some inside/outside joint gaps?
 
#9 ·
Post a pic or two so we can better understand what you have going on.

Ideally the carpentry is done in a manner that minimizes gaps that need filling BUT I've spent a lifetime making some 'carpenter's' work look professional.
 
#10 ·
Yes, photos will help. "Large gap" is a subjective term. Caulk, spackle, putty, etc. will not normally fill really large gaps effectively. You might be reduced to re-doing the baseboard with more careful measurements. Depending on the type of tile, a gap of some degree - even with 1/4-round, may be unavoidable in your entrance area.
 
#11 ·
We are eventually replacing the floor in the kitchen and entry way but need something for time being. The previous owner did everything half ass so the corners and walls are all messed up leaving gaps that I can't close. This is also my first time doing this and I'm no professional.
 

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#13 ·
For your baseboard corner, I'd use a latex caulk. (Remember it is not sandable and you'll want to put it in smooth ... smooth it out with a wet clean finger)

For your baseboard... something is wrong... why do you have such a wide crack... is the top o that baseboard nailed in....???
 
#14 ·
the glazing compound you plan on using is perfectly fine for nail holes.. however not so much for large cracks. the reason i say this, the oily nature of the product doesnt accept paint as well as spackle or wood fill does when used in larger areas.. the paint will "flash" and you will see those spots where you used the compoiund.. for joints no more than 1/8 painters caulking is fine but for larger ones use either drydex spackle or plastic wood
 
#18 · (Edited)
Yes it's nailed in but won't go in further. I guess the previous owner had water damage and the bottom corner of that is wavy. I was hoping I could put a putty and mold and sand to close the gap
Z20: Do recognise fillers have different capabilities and characteristics... that's why there are so many. Putty is not going to be sandable.

No big deal, I've successfully caulked thousands of gaps like those. Fill the gap with caulk, smooth with a wet finger and paint when dry. I prefer to use a siliconized acrylic latex caulk [it's paintable] like White Lightning.
Maybe my eyesight is bad, but on that running baseboard, that sure looks like a wide gap to me..... but if you can't close that gap and don't want to RR it.... then I'd be with MARK as to caulking it. (Remember caulk has to be put in smooth, it is not sandable)

But I think you'll have to lay in a first coat of caulk, let it set/dry, as a base for your finish coat. I too like a latex silionized (NOT SILICONE CAULK). I like Alex Plus Fast Dry.

You can get a cheap painters caulk (99cnts a tube) but that will yellow out over time even after painting)..

(Just as a note, they do make a paintable silicon caulk... but it skims over quickly and is difficult to work for someone unfamiliar, and a waste of money for your application.... in my opinion.)

Good luck
 
#17 ·
No big deal, I've successfully caulked thousands of gaps like those. Fill the gap with caulk, smooth with a wet finger and paint when dry. I prefer to use a siliconized acrylic latex caulk [it's paintable] like White Lightning.
 
#19 ·
The gap along the top of the BB is awfully wide for caulk. If there is drywall 'wavy-ness' underneath caused by water damage, , it should have been knocked down before the BB was installed.

The gap at the corner is likely caused by out-of-plumb or out-of-square walls and easily filled with paintable caulk and a wet finger.

The gap from the floor is simply caused by the BB being installed too high.
 
#20 ·
Photo #1. Is that taken from above looking down? Wow, that's a big gap. You need to secure the baseboard to the wall where the studs are. If you just nail through into the drywall it won't hold it. You should also make sure that the baseboard is the right length. If it's too long and being forced in then it will spring out like that. The gap as it is right now is just too big for caulk to hide.

Photo #2. Corner miters like that are fairly common in old houses. That you can just fill with some caulk. Alex fast dry will do just fine here. If you want it to be really square, use a putty knife to smooth it square to the corner.

Photo #3. Is that a 3/4" gap to the floor? Baseboard is nailed too high up or the floor is really sagging there. Caulk won't fill a gap that big without backer rod, and even then it's still too big of a gap to fill with caulk. Best solutions are to either reattach the baseboard at the correct height with no gap, or to add another piece of trim to the bottom like a quarter round or something similar that can flex a little and be tight to the floor hiding the gap (not nailed to the floor! Always nail to the studs).
 
#22 ·
I used DAP 33 when restoring the windows in my last house. It is very soft which makes it easy to bed the panes of glass and trim whatever squeezes out. Also makes it easy to shape into a bevel with a putty knife.

Maybe replacing panes of glass then was so common that it was better to have a putty that came out relatively easy than one that hardened quickly? Repairs would be much easier?

It stays soft for a long time so I don't think it would be suitable for dents or large gaps. The Benjamin-Moore dealer had me priming the wood with alkyd primer before applying it and painting it with alkyd after it was toiled. A lot of work to use that stuff back then.

I guess it would be okay for nail holes but there are better products for that.