baseboard vs flooring finish in new construction

hard wood then base board and where the carpet is going install base board first held up 3/8 off floor if padding is used under carpet. then install carpet

jaydevries said:

hard wood then base board and base board held up 3/8 off floor

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Why elevate 3/8 above the hardwood?

so the carpet installer will love you :thumbup:
the gap will let him tuck cut carpet under and it will put a little down pressure on tack strip while stretching and tucking
you might want to ask same ? in the flooring section also see what they say

amakarevic said:

Why elevate 3/8 above the hardwood?

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He is referring to the baseboard before the carpet. For the hardwood, you could install it after the floor and just set it on top.

sorry i will edit so not to confuse some one

jaydevries said:

sorry i will edit so not to confuse some one

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now it all makes sense. thanks

We always did both after, If you gotta come to do one better use of time to do both.

jaydevries said:

3/8 off floor if padding is used under carpet. then install carpet

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why not install carpet before the baseboard?

mae-ling said:

We always did both after, If you gotta come to do one better use of time to do both.

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huh?! :huh:

Out of curiosity, is there a benefit to installing baseboard first?

My home has baseboard sitting on the subfloor, same as the hardwood. I'd have preferred to have the baseboard sit on the hardwood and run a little higher up the wall.

Jeff180 said:

Out of curiosity, is there a benefit to installing baseboard first?

My home has baseboard sitting on the subfloor, same as the hardwood. I'd have preferred to have the baseboard sit on the hardwood and run a little higher up the wall.

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As stated, depends on the flooring one plans to go with....

If the floor is going to be hardwood ( or any other solid surface material I imagine ), that goes on first then the baseboard. The entire floor surface can then be prepped and stained right to the wall. Obviously one has to take the necessary precautions with respect to the newly finished floor - proper wait time for the finish to cure AND protection from errant hammer blows, raw wood, saw dust, etc.

If carpet is going down, then it "pays" to put the baseboard on before the carpet gets laid, with the noted gap for tucking the edge under. One could do baseboard post-carpet lay, but I fail to see any benefit in doing so, and I do see potential issues - notably irregular gaps and such.

for hardwood ALWAYS install after the flooring. if you do install it the hardwood guy will either tear it off or it will get damaged during the install

for carpet ive done it before hand but some carpet guys are clumsy when their installing and can hit the baseboard with their tools which can do damage

if you put baseboard down after carpet is installed and it gets pressed down tight to carpet you will have one very bad person who ever has to tear it up before re carpeting due to the pressure being press down in to tack strip. trust me i know i have been that mad person and one time had to take base of to remove carpet due to tack strip being to close to wall and then after carpet base was put on being press down in to the tacks :furious:

When I did new construction, carpet was always the last thing to be installed.
Simply set base board on 1/2" blocks to keep it off the floor, carpet tucked under it.

And yea, stretching berber carpet, they always managed to beat up the base board.

yeah but isn't it simpler to install carpet, then baseboard? that way you avoid the tedious business of tucking carpet under the baseboard.

DUUUHH... :cursing: