Baseboard gaps aren’t just unattractive; they also allow drafts to enter the home.
One solution is to apply caulk to the gaps.
Should You Caulk Baseboards?
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Plus, it’s a look that many homeowners don’t like.
One way to close this gap is to install quarter-round or shoe molding.
Quarter-round is thin enough that it bends to hug the contours of saggy floors.
Paintable caulks are acrylic-latex products that take paint as well.
Silicone caulks shed paint.
Need more help?
If caulking the bottoms, use the putty knife to gently scrape underneath the baseboards.
If the baseboards already have caulk, scrape it away with a plastic caulk scraping tool.
Let the areas dry thoroughly.
This will protect the flooring from excess caulk and establish a sharp line.
The bead should normally be no more than about 1/8- to 1/4-inch in diameter.
Repeat the process with the bottom joint, where the baseboard meets the floor.
check that to force caulk into the joint to fill the gaps.
As the caulk begins to set up, carefully remove the painter’s tape.
Periodically rinse off your finger to remove excess caulk.
Allow to Dry
Caulk may shrink slightly as it dries, sometimes creating pinhole-sized gaps.
After the caulk has dried, examine it carefully and spot-fix gaps in the caulk.
For perfect lines, you may need to paint both the walls and thebaseboardswith different paints.
Installing quarter-round trim is a do-it-yourself project.
Department of Energy (DOE)
Do-It-Yourself Home Energy Assessments.
U.S. Department of Energy.
