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[Q] Recessed baseboards

kynn | Posted in Construction Techniques on May 26, 2003 08:27am

I’m redoing my apartment, a 1920s vintage unit in Cambridge, MA. I want to have recessed unpainted-wood baseboards throughout (I don’t like traditional mouldings in general; I particularly dislike traditional “projecting”–as opposed to recessed–baseboards because they tend to collect dust and get grimy).

Has FHB ever published anything on recessed building recessed baseboards? (I searched for it and nothing came up, but hope springs eternal.) Assuming the answer to this is no, can someone tell me where I can learn the details of building recessed baseboards? (I’m relatively new at building, so please don’t make your answer too brief!)

Thanks!

Kynn

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Replies

  1. DougU | May 26, 2003 08:41pm | #1

    Kynn

    I found this interesting, I've never heard or seen any such creature. Maybe I just havent been around.

    I think that you would defeat the purpose of the baseboard if it were recessed, not to mention the problem with the plaster walls that are above the baseboard. If the appartment is 1920's than you probably have plaster walls, if you try to "recess" the base there is no place to recess it to. You would have to make the wall proud of the base, but that opens up a whole new group of problems.

    Maybe someone else will have a idea that will help.

    There are other ways to solve the problem with traditional base.

    Doug

  2. Piffin | May 26, 2003 09:29pm | #2

    This design detail is more common in commercial wall systems. It does require that the entire wall be designed to accomadate it. to retro it into an older wall, you would have to plan to pull the upper plaster surface forward. That means losing three to six inches from each room dimension and re-wiring- a total renovation project. You could include sound insulation in such a project. As a matter of fact, the wall surface materials are often an acoustic panel that mounts to hat-track on the studs or plaster wall above the baseboard.

    .

    Excellence is its own reward!

  3. jimmythetoe | May 26, 2003 09:32pm | #3

    sounds like your looking for ultra-contemporary .the only time I have seen this is when the bottom of the wall was recessed and only painted to create a shadow which appeared to look like base.sounds like your opening a can of worms I'd stick with the original design of the house if I were you.

  4. Schelling | May 26, 2003 09:45pm | #4

    We are just now completing a house that has virtually no trim. There are drywall returns for the windows, the drywall butts up to the door jambs which sit 1/8" proud of the drywall and the baseboard is a small recess between the drywall and finish floor. This recess is 1/2 to 3/4" depending on the floor. We covered the bottom plate of the framing with painted sheet metal and drywalled over this, ending the wall surface with a piece of L channel trim.  I think that the look is a little stark but the customer is happy with it.

    If you wanted a bigger recess, you could pad the wall out with wood the thickness of the baseboard and drywall over these furring strips. End the bottom piece of drywall slightly above where you want the top of the recess to be and finish with L channel. Try this look in one room first to see if it is really what you want.

    1. Piffin | May 26, 2003 09:50pm | #5

      I believe this is more complicated than some suggestions make it seem because of fire codes required in an apartment building in a city. .

      Excellence is its own reward!

      1. kynn | May 26, 2003 10:08pm | #6

        Thanks for all your comments and suggestions.

        Yes, the stark look that SCHELLINGM describes is just what I'm after.

        I'm glad to hear that recessing baseboards is something that lends itself to soundproofing, since this is something I want to do in a few walls.

        piffin, could you elaborate on the issue of building codes as they may affect recessing baseboards?

        Thanks again,

        Kynn

        1. Piffin | May 26, 2003 11:37pm | #7

          Are you DIYing this or have a designer who knows your local codes?

          Any walls that separate one living unit (your apartment) from another unit ( your neighbor's apartments) must be a firewall.

          Any framing that has any connection to the space of another unit must also have fireblocking. Suppose that you are burning candles in you bedroom or living room and you fall asleep. a breeze from the window blows a copy of the National Enquirer off your lap and onto the candle. Since it is near the bookcase mounted on the wall between your room and your bathroom, a fine fire soon ensues. The fire spreads to the ceiling space of your bathroom. Therein are contained vents to exhaust moisture from your hot steamy showers.

          Codes and designs must prevent that fire and dangerous gasses from that fire from spreading to other units to the sides and above or below you.

          I think it's USG that has some good details online.

          http://www.usg.com/Product_Index/_product_index.asp?vProdCat=23&vFamily=1&vGreenLink=23

          Shannon Corp has acoustic wall products in Boston area shannoncorporation.com

          another - http://www.nrc.ca/irc/ctus/ctu01e.pdf

          http://www.gypsum.org/pdf/Fire%20Safety%20Information.pdf

          as it pertains to your design requirements, it is important to note that an entire wall assembly be tested to certify compliance. If you are trying something not listed already, you have a snowballs chance in hell of being approved. I will sketch up a potential solution to present to your inspector or designer for consideration if you want.

          .

          Excellence is its own reward!

          1. kynn | May 26, 2003 11:45pm | #8

            I see what you mean. It's getting complicated. Thank you very much for all the info. It looks like I may have to hire a designer familiar with the codes around here, even if I do all the building myself (this is not the only thing that I'm doing that I could use some professional input on).

            Regards,

            Kynn

          2. Piffin | May 27, 2003 12:45am | #9

            The wall on the left might represent a typical wall with plaster. If it were an aproved firewall, one might then be able to add acoustic material or an additional plasterboard over a stained baseboard as shown on the right wall to provide the look you want without compromiosing the integrity of the system.

            Notice that the wall is now thicker. Electrical devices would need to be pulled further out. The room becomes smaller. Other details such as windows and doors become complicated..

            Excellence is its own reward!

          3. kynn | May 27, 2003 02:16am | #11

            piffin, that's a good idea. It's probably the easiest I'll be able to get away with (not that it will be a cinch either, as you point out).

            cork, thanks for the advice. The sun is finally rising over Marblehead, as they say around these parts... It's now clear that this is a much trickier idea than I had foreseen.

            K.

          4. KRettger | May 27, 2003 01:10am | #10

            The commercial interior finish out contractor I work for did the Pizza Hut national headquarters in Dallas Tx. They had recessed baseboard on top of terrazo and slate floors, also some carpet. Looked great, but I agree with Piffin in that you are cruising for a bruising.

            I was the follow-up forman on the job doing the doors and hardware, any left off walls or ceilings, bathroom accesories, ect. Do to millworkers being behind schedule we had  to retrofit aprox. 200' of recessed baseboard. This was done as the custumer was moving into these highend corporate offices. What a nightmare!! If you think anybody was happy about having a dozen sheetrockers cutting into the walls, down to the steel studs, blowing drywall dust allover everybody's furniture, computers, carpets, ect., then having painters remuding, sanding, and painting walls,just as the G.C. instead wanted the custumer and his employees walking around with big smiles you are truely mistaken.

            Look very carefully at the link Piffin provided and pay real close attention to the USG details required to kill off the drywall/ plaster to the baseboard. First, you will need some type of trim on bottom of existing wall wedged down on top of the base, this means replastering or mudding bottom 2' of existing walls, and then repainting the walls.

            A "semi-recessed" baseboard gets by this problem, (Z profile) where the top of the baseboard acts as a lip and is exposed gets past this problem, but I've got to tell you  anyway you go with this you're going to have one big headache after another, it will be messy, time consuming, code violations, reduced acoustical value of walls, and cost right out the nose.

            Do yourself a big favor and take all the money you are going to spend on this project and spend it on something else for the apartment.

            Don't want to pour cold water on you, you did right in checking the breaktime forum, but please consider the opinion of someone who has been there, done that, and never wants to get caught up in it again. Any way you go GOOD LUCK!

            Cork, in Dallas

  5. NYCframer | May 27, 2003 04:05am | #12

    I rocked a house once that had recessed baseboard ( 4") and then used a trimtex shadow bead  (1/2") above that then the rock on top of that, looked pretty wicked.did the same thing around the windows

    1. Piffin | May 27, 2003 04:22am | #13

      That sounds like you're describing a flush set base instead of recessed?.

      Excellence is its own reward!

  6. timkline | May 27, 2003 03:00pm | #14

    Don't forget to consider your existing flooring materials. If you have hardwood floors, they probably won't extend far enough under the wall to be covered by the recessed base.

    carpenter in transition

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