# Cutting in baseboards



## Dorman Painting (May 2, 2006)

I've been painting and running my own business for almost 12 years and today a builder called me out on my baseboards. He said they looked terrible to him and he wanted them redone. 

When doing baseboards, we usually come up on the wall about a 1/16 of an inch and make a straight line out of it. I think baseboards are the hardest piece to cut in and make look good on a new construction job. I also think my way looks good and this is the first time I've ever been called out on my baseboards. I've had compliments on them actually. 

This guy is picky, it's his first house he's ever built besides his own and he's a good friend of mine. In the morning, I'm going out there and actually taping the lip of the baseboard off all through the house, then I'll cut the wall into the tape. I'm using Frog tape and it works well if you get it tight to the surface. I told him he'll have the straightest lines in town. I just think this is overkill though and it's the first time I've had this issue. 

I'd like to hear from some of your other pros about how you do your base. It's the last thing we do in a new house.


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## thom (Nov 3, 2006)

I paint the base onto the wall then cut the wall to the base. 

The base gets gloss and the flat wall paint doesn't want to stick well so you end up with two coats unless you time it right. If you cut the wall in about an hour after the base is painted, the gloss paint is sticky enough to hold the flat paint in one coat.


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## CarlW (Feb 2, 2006)

I paint the baseboards with the rest of the trim, tape them off and then paint the walls. Why do you need Frog Tape? The standard 3M blue or PaintersMate green has worked just fine for me for years. Also, why are baseboards the last thing you do?


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## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

I have done them both ways depending on the profile of the baseboard.



> Also, why are baseboards the last thing you do


?

If rolling, it can be a way to avoid splatter.
On chair rail, I have stuck the edge of tape on the top to avoid splatter and or drips.


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## CarlW (Feb 2, 2006)

boman47k said:


> I have done them both ways depending on the profile of the baseboard.
> 
> ?
> 
> ...


Oh yes....but if they are taped, that is not as issue.


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## Dorman Painting (May 2, 2006)

When I do new construction, we do the ceilings first, spray the vertical trim second, cut and roll walls and then cut in the baseboard last. I realize there's different ways to skin a cat but this is how I've always done and made money at it. 

We've got several issues with this house, first off the wall colors are fairly deep colors in every room and the trim color is velvet white. It's a nice contrast but it's fairly difficult to get perfect lines when cutting in the base, even for guys that have done for fifteen years. I'll figure something out in the am, been doing it long enough to know that.


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## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

To each his own. Taping properly takes time. I am not talking about having to seal the tape along the base board. Sometimes I will just drag my drop cloth up against the base board to block what little splatter or drips might hit the board. I do that more than tape the base board. But I wll place tape on chair rail and just let it stick out over the edge.


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## festerized (May 19, 2007)

Just my 2 cents as a general contractor/framing contractor/trimmer I always have the trim painted before we install it! HO”S love the concept, as most opt out to paint themselves to save a few bucks LOL


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## JumboJack (Aug 14, 2007)

festerized said:


> Just my 2 cents as a general contractor/framing contractor/trimmer I always have the trim painted before we install it! HO”S love the concept, as most opt out to paint themselves to save a few bucks LOL


IMO that usually ends up looking like dog balls.After you fill the nail holes the touch up looks bad.YMMV


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## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

Prepainting works with new construction.


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## festerized (May 19, 2007)

Dang no love in the painters corner, I’ll just head back to the framers section sorry
LOL


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## CarlW (Feb 2, 2006)

festerized said:


> Just my 2 cents as a general contractor/framing contractor/trimmer I always have the trim painted before we install it! HO”S love the concept, as most opt out to paint themselves to save a few bucks LOL


The pros can't really do this because we need to caulk the gap between wall and baseboard and we also need to paint that caulk. Skipping the caulking or skipping the painting of the caulking would be considered an unprofessional or incomplete job.


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## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

festerized said:


> Dang no love in the painters corner, I’ll just head back to the framers section sorry
> LOL


Hahaha, didn't mean to offend you. I was just making a point. Wouldn't want someone pull the trim off just to paint it! :jester:


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## festerized (May 19, 2007)

I personally don’t like the look of the caulked edge.I like the crisp sharp transition between colors. I pay my sheetrocker pretty well and he knows what my pet peeves are, so my walls are straight and sheetrock hung low so the trim doesn’t roll
As far as the touch up goes the paint is only a day old before installing. I myself never seen a flaw in the paint, nor did the HO saving money complain about it either


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## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

CarlW said:


> The pros can't really do this because we need to caulk the gap between wall and baseboard and we also need to paint that caulk. Skipping the caulking or skipping the painting of the caulking would be considered an unprofessional or incomplete job.


 
Good point. You can prime before install in new construction.


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## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

Caulking provides fewer hiding places for critters!:jester:


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## jchomes (Mar 3, 2010)

I caulk all trim ,cut wall in then coat trim all by hand never had problem yet! its funny that we put so much care and concern into something that most people just cover up with soffas,desks,chairs,ect...


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## JKBARR127 (Jan 13, 2010)

base board is a tough cut. imo it would be allot easier, faster and get a cleaner line if u painted the base board and then cut in on the wall


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## Mellison (Aug 3, 2008)

thom said:


> I paint the base onto the wall then cut the wall to the base.
> 
> The base gets gloss and the flat wall paint doesn't want to stick well so you end up with two coats unless you time it right. If you cut the wall in about an hour after the base is painted, the gloss paint is sticky enough to hold the flat paint in one coat.


Ditto.


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## Dorman Painting (May 2, 2006)

Mellison said:


> Ditto.


What do you mean "hold the flat paint in one coat"? I always thought it was harder to cut a wall into the baseboard, but being it's still tacky it may not be? Elaborate please.


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