I’ve just installed primed-white pine baseboard in three bathrooms, and feel that I should chalk where the baseboard meets the tile floor to prevent any water from an overflowing toilet from ruining the baseboard, if it got underneath. I put chalking down and attempted to squeeze it in, but after wiping it clean, it looks like haven’t protected anything. Does anyone have some thoughts on this matter? Thanks!
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I'm going to pull a "rez" and give you a bump, so it will go back to the top.
I'll add that your spell checker may have hindered you a bit, as you want to know about "Caulking" a baseboard, not how to cope with a paint failure, or using it as writing surface or the like.
Using caulk between a bathroom floor and wooden baseboard seems like a simple good thing, it likely wants a bit more attention than a simple bead of clear silicone. The two details that would want resolving is how waterproof (or water resistant) are the floor and the baseboard? Your caulking needs to only be as good as the floor & baseboard, really.
Now, if I were doing it, I would have (with now perfect 20/20 hindsight <g>) put teeny-tiny backer rod between the floor & the bottom of the base as the base went in. That would give some place to run a bead "to," if nothing else.
>>I'll add that your spell checker may have hindered you a bit, as you want to know about "Caulking" a baseboard, not how to cope with a paint failure, or using it as writing surface or the like.ROFLOL
Thanks for the info! I guess I need to learn the difference between chalk and caulk....
Paint the baseboard for now. If it holds up, fine. If it gets water damaged, pull it and put in tile.
-- J.S.
I too thought you were having a problem with the paint chalking off.
but now that I know what the question really is, I use my ploane to get the base board to fit close before nailing it, then i run a bead of caulk to seat the baseboard into, and nail it.
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You need some space for the caulk to fit. If you've got the baseboards fit tight to the floor, caulk really isn't going to do much.
And by space I mean only a 1/16" or so, enough for the caulk to be able to squeeze in. But don't worry about it a whole lot, either. Probably most bases in bathrooms aren't caulked, and they last just fine.
I think that caulking at the floor/wall and tub/floor intersections in bathrooms more importantly helps to protect the subfloor from rot out, and is just something that a quality builder does automatically. Whenever you have an interface between 2 dissimilar materials in a wet location you need a flexable sealant between. Be sure the caulk gets painted though - otherwise it will discolor, mildew, etc.
Some people are great at getting water on the floor every time they take a shower... DW says to dry off before getting out of the shower but it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks... :-)
Re the spell checker thing don't worry about that. There are guys who have been here for years who still haven't found that button ;-)
Edited 9/14/2005 6:45 am ET by Matt
There's a speel checker?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
I heard tell there was. Coarse ya got the best speel around... doubt it needs to be checked ;-)
LOL, Wouldn't that be Spiel?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Don't know... Your the literate one...