Install Baseboard Molding Before Carpet

If you do you ll likely end up with wavy uneven molding.

Install baseboard molding before carpet.

Generally choosing whether to install baseboards before or after the carpet is a matter of preference. Needless to say i am furious that i need to repaint much of the baseboard in 4 rooms and a stairwell due to the negligence of passing this info on to me from both lowes and the installers. Installing base molding before carpet is like installing window door casing before the window door. This means that if the installation company needs to re stretch the carpet at a later date they may need to loosen some of the baseboards in order to pull the carpet up.

When installing the molding don t simply follow the flooring. When installing baseboards before carpet ask the installer how large of a gap to leave between the floor and the trim e g. This can make the carpet installation slightly more challenging and you need to be careful not to damage the baseboard when installing the tack strips. We always install the baseboard after the hard surfaces but before carpet.

The carpet installer can run the tack strip up to the trim then roll excess carpet under the trim. When installing baseboard before carpet the easiest thing to do is to install it even with the bottom edge of the drywall as previously described. This is because when installing the baseboards after carpet installation they tend to wedge the carpet in between the tack strips and baseboards like a vice. They tuck the carpet under it.

For most installers this is not a problem and can be done easily. If installed before the carpet you need to leave a gap between the floor and the baseboard. Otherwise they get the tack strip too close to the wall and you won t get the carpet out years from now without taking the base off again. Just hold it up about 3 8.

Use a laser level to shoot a reference line all the way around the room then do your best to line the molding up with the line.