Carpet Baseboard Gap

The answers to these questions will determine if you can put the baseboard flush or if you need to leave a gap as much as between subfloor and baseboard.

Carpet baseboard gap.

In some cases these gaps are wide enough that they allow air infiltration and can seriously impact your energy consumption. In other cases these gaps are unattractive or they trap debris. Baseboard first reduces the risk of getting paint or wood filler or any building material on the new carpet. I am told by the carpet company they never do this and they are pretty unhappy about my request.

I want to go over each question individually and demonstrate how the answers can affect the spacing or lack of spacing used when installing your baseboards. My local carpet store asked for 1 4 gap meaning put 1 4 spacers on the floor and then install baseboard. Pull the carpets back a little cram some pad under the baseboard put the carpet back in. When this carpet is removed and replaced with hardwood vinyl or other floor coverings you might spot a gap between the bottom of your baseboards and your new floor.

Carpet installers often tuck the ends of the carpet under the baseboards for a clean finished look. A thick carpet will tuck nicely along the baseboard and so will a thin low profile carpet such as a berber or thin looped carpet. Over time as joists sag and foundations recede gaps develop under the baseboard. Their reasoning is that thicker carpet can be trimmed if it can t be jammed under but the other way looks ugly with a gap.

I had them do this in one room as i came home and saw the gaps this seems to work and look fine. A bead of caulk is applied to the area where the baseboard meets the floor. The baseboard at the bottom of a wall should always be installed slightly raised from the floor s surface.