Photo: shutterstock.com

It should be easy, right? Just measure the boards, cut the miters, and nail the trim in place. Well, not exactly.

If you’ve ever tried to install baseboard on your own, then you would probably agree that looks can be deceiving. All too often a DIY baseboard installation is compromised by gaps or ill-fitting joints, resulting from walls that aren’t flat, floors that aren’t level, or corners that aren’t square.

Inside corners can be especially tricky to pull off. For a tight fit, use a coped joint. A mitered corner might be ideal for an outside corner, but an inside corner joint will be better formed if you cope the profile of one baseboard to fit snugly against the contours of its mate.

COPING A CORNER JOINT

A coping saw is used to cut baseboard for a corner. Photo: diynetwork.com

1. Make a miter cut on one board, then clamp the piece to a worktable.

2. Using a utility knife, file, or sander, trim the pointed edges left by the miter cut to help prevent slips.

3. Turn the blade of your coping saw 90 degrees to the frame of the saw and back-cut along the lead edge of the miter cut.

4. Finish shaping contoured portions of the cut with a half-round rasp. (Use a flat rasp or file for square edges.)

5. Test the fit by butting a square-cut piece of molding against the coped edge of your baseboard, making any necessary adjustments with your saw or file.

FITTING AN OUTSIDE CORNER

Illustration: oldhouseweb.com

Whereas a coped joint is recommended for inside corners, a mitered joint is appropriate for outside corners. For a clean mitered corner, it’s a good idea to cut your baseboard about 1/16-inch longer than necessary. Doing so ensures a tight fit by enabling you to “spring” the next board into position.

As you install baseboard, or any trim for that matter, expect to do some re-cutting. It’s all part of the game. Be careful to not leave yourself too short, though.

MORE TIPS AND TRICKS

• Prior to installation, use a putty knife or paint scraper to clean excess material from the wall and floor.

• If you are working in a room that will have carpeting, make sure to install baseboard at least 1/2-inch off the floor. That way, the carpet installer will be able to tuck the carpet edges beneath your trim.

• To speed the work (and avoid unsightly hammer marks), buy or rent a finish nail gun in combination with a compressor, or use a cordless finish nailer.

• Standard 3/8-inch baseboard is a lot more flexible than 3/4 or 5/8. Greater flexibility means greater success when trying to fit baseboard snugly against an uneven wall. Construction adhesive helps, too.

• Do everything you can to make the trim fit tightly, but when you can’t, it’s okay to fill small gaps with caulk prior to priming and paint.

For more on trim and molding, consider:

Bob Vila Radio: Ceiling Medallions
Quick Tip: Installing Crown Molding
Hang Time: Making a Case for Picture Rails

How To: Install Baseboard Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Photo: remodelista.com

mp3_link

Listen to BOB VILA ON CEILING MEDALLIONS or read the text below:

Medallions may be circular, oval, or square, and are available in lots of sizes and in all kinds of patterns, from Baroque to contemporary. And because today’s medallions are often made of plastic, polyurethane, or wood, they’re lighter and less expensive than their plaster or marble forebears.

In addition to choosing a style, you’ll need to make sure the medallion is the right size for your space. One rule for estimating your medallion’s diameter is to divide your room’s area by seven. A 15-by-15 room is 225 square feet, so you’d need a medallion about 32 inches in diameter. This assumes a nine-foot ceiling, so if your ceiling is lower, scale down a bit.

Choose a medallion that’s either wider or narrower than the light fixture’s overall diameter—not the same width. And make sure the hole in the center of the medallion is the right size for your fixture’s canopy.

Bob Vila Radio is a newly launched daily radio spot carried on more than 75 stations around the country (and growing). You can get your daily dose here, by listening to—or reading—Bob’s 60-second home improvement radio tip of the day.

For more on ceilings, consider:

How To: Install a Ceiling Fan
How To: Paint a Ceiling
10 Great Looks in Tin Ceilings

Bob Vila Radio: Ceiling Medallions Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Photo: americantinceilings.com

mp3_link

Listen to BOB VILA ON TIN CEILINGS or read the text below:

You can recapture the victorian charm of a tin ceiling today. Manufacturers produce metal ceilings in tin, aluminum, and copper, as well as hand-painted or powder-coated finishes. In the old days, tin ceilings were usually painted to create the look of plaster, but many people today leave metal ceilings unpainted.

Tiles can be nailed up to a plywood base or dropped in to a suspended ceiling. There are do-it-yourself systems out there, but be careful of those sharp metal tile edges! For a less expensive option, consider pvc tiles with the look of tin. These can be glued onto a flat ceiling or dropped into a grid system.

Bob Vila Radio is a newly launched daily radio spot carried on more than 75 stations around the country (and growing). You can get your daily dose here, by listening to—or reading—Bob’s 60-second home improvement radio tip of the day.

For more on ceilings, consider:

10 Great Looks in Tin Ceiling Tiles
How To: Paint a Ceiling
The Walls and Ceilings – A Crash Course

Bob Vila Radio: Tin Ceilings Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Photo: Johnson + McLeod Design Consultants

Install wood paneling in any room to inject architectural detail, warmth, and character into your home. Traditionally used on the walls of kitchens and entryways, many homeowners have begun to install wood paneling in less likely places—bedrooms, for example.

All you really need is a wall, and the process is simple enough to be tackled by intermediate DIYers. Here are a few tips for success:

Photo: newenglandclassic.com

1. Choose Your Paneling: Sheet paneling is inexpensive and easy to install, but in older homes, it can accentuate uneven and wavy walls, plus it’s difficult to install over plaster. So I recommend tongue-and-groove paneling, which is a bit more expensive and takes a bit more effort to install. It’s worth the investment, though: Tongue-and-groove paneling will look better and add more value to your home.

2. Create the Framework: Install wood paneling over one-by-two-inch furring strips installed horizontally at sixteen-inch intervals. Complete the furring portion of the job by cutting the strips to length before nailing them into wall studs. If you notice any unevenness in the wall, fasten scrap wood behind the furring in these areas in order to keep your tongue-and-groove planks in plane. Minor protruding areas can be sanded away or flattened with a handheld block plane.

Related: 5 DIY Wood Wall Treatment Ideas

3. To Finish or Not to Finish? Before you install wood paneling, first decide on a finish. While a paint finish can be added post-installation, it’s easier to apply stain and clear coat beforehand (on account of all the grooves). It’s possible to purchase pre-finished paneling; just be cautious not to chip it.

Photo: Dorling Kindersley / DIY Network

4. Nail It. There’s an easy technique for working with any tongue-and-groove product. Start with a single plank. Once you’ve made sure that it’s level and flush, nail the plank to the furring with finishing nails. (If you don’t have an air nailer and compressor, rent one; it makes quick work of tasks like these.) Next, nail into the tongue of the plank at a 45-degree angle, making sure your compressor is set to sink the nail head just below the wood surface. (If using a hammer, you can sink the head with a punch.) Sliding the groove of the next plank onto the tongue of the first, repeat the process above.

For more on walls, consider:

Bob Vila Radio: Historic Trim
5 Things to Do with… Beadboard
Quick Tip: Installing Crown Molding

Tips for Installing Tongue-and-Groove Paneling Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Photo: treehugger.com

mp3_link

Listen to BOB VILA ON DRYWALL COSTS or read the text below:

While this is jaw-droppingly cynical timing for the beginning of the housing recovery, and painful for builders and do-it-yourselfers alike, it’s all the more reason to carefully calculate the amount of drywall you need before you buy.

Measure the square footage of the area you need to cover and divide by thirty-two to get the number of sheets you’ll need. Figure on a half-gallon of ready-mix compound and forty feet of drywall tape per hundred square feet. You’ll need about three pounds of drywall screws for every thousand square feet. Cut the big pieces first to minimize waste, and you’re looking at between two and three hundred bucks to finish a twelve-by-twelve bedroom.

Bob Vila Radio is a newly launched daily radio spot carried on more than 75 stations around the country (and growing). You can get your daily dose here, by listening to—or reading—Bob’s 60-second home improvement radio tip of the day.

For more drywall, consider:

Drywall 101
Quick Tip: Choosing Drywall
How To: Install a Drywall Anchor

Bob Vila Radio: Drywall Costs Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Photo: Fougeron Architecture

Picture rails are strips of molding that adhere to walls and run horizontally around the room, typically aligning with the tops of any windows. This type of molding was once an elegant way of hanging artwork on hard-to-penetrate plaster walls.

Popular in New England and Southern townhouses during the Victorian era, picture rails may seem like a quaint throwback, but they can also look fresh today and serve a purpose.

For an art collector who often rotates works, rental houses and apartments with frequent tenant changes, and those who simply like walls free of nail holes, picture rails offer a practical solution.

Home stores typically carry a couple of options when it comes to picture rails, so it’s easier than you’d think to track down this material. It’s affordable, too. This 1-3/4″ primed option from The Home Depot runs just $1.05 per linear foot.

Woodgrain Millwork Pine Finger Jointed Picture Molding from The Home Depot

House of Antique Hardware carries Colonial Revival, Classic Ogee, Craftsman and Victorian picture molding options, if you’re looking to match your home’s original profiles.

8' Craftsman-Style Picture Rail Molding in Stain Grade Hemlock from House of Antiques

Once the molding is in place, you’ll need hardware that hooks around the molding’s profile and carries the weight of the artwork. These hooks can be tough to find. Some local hardware shops carry options in their picture-hanging section, but you shouldn’t rely on big box chains to have this specialty item.

Online sites Van Dyke’s Restorers, House of Antique Hardware, and Rejuvenation carry great and affordable versions. Most common are 1/2″- and 1/4″-wide versions, with the 1/2″ tending to be more stable.

The standard finish is brass, but House of Antique Hardware carries a few satin white-, antique white-, and satin black-painted options. Use metal or invisible hanging wire (think fishing line) of the proper gauge to create a loop between the frame’s hardware and the picture hook above.

Decorative Picture Rail Hooks from House of Antique Hardware

Victorian Picture Hanging Medallion and Tassle from Rejuvenation

If you really want an authentic Victorian look, these same sources also carry cord kits with a medallion plus hook, cord, and tassel. This look is not for the modern design aficionados among us, but rather for the preservationists and historically minded.

With a little bit of planning and forethought, existing homes and new construction alike can benefit from nail hole-free walls.

For more on moldings, consider:

Creating Custom Moldings
Quick Tip: Installing Crown Molding
Bob Vila Radio: Historic Trim

Hang Time: Making a Case for Picture Rails Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Photo: etsy.com

mp3_link

Listen to BOB VILA ON FOAM CORE or read the text below:

A handful of manufacturers have found a way to sandwich extruded foam in a water-resistent coating that can take the place of cementitious backer board. Now, instead of lugging a couple hundred pounds of cement board to redo your shower, it’s so lightweight your kids could carry it for you.

In thicknesses anywhere from 1/4″ to 2″, some boards come with a reinforcing layer that allows them to serve as framing as well as backer. It cuts with a utility knife, takes standard fasteners, and you can glue pieces together or to the wall with a specially made adhesive.

Foam backer board costs more, of course, and you may have to search for it online, but what else can you use to frame, back, and tile a tub surround all in the same day?

Bob Vila Radio is a newly launched daily radio spot carried on more than 60 stations around the country (and growing). You can get your daily dose here, by listening to—or reading—Bob’s 60-second home improvement radio tip of the day.

For more on bathrooms, consider:

How to Install Ceramic Tile
Quick Tip: Laying Bathroom Tile
How to Install a Faucet

Bob Vila Radio: Foam Core Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Photo: buymoldings.com

mp3_link

Listen to BOB VILA ON HISTORIC TRIM, or read the text below:

If your home already has historic holding elsewhere, you can usually find the same or similar stock at your local lumberyard. If not, some will make knives to reproduce your molding exactly and offer drawings that explain how to combine several elements — from triple crown moldings to chair rail and base — for maximum effect.

Historic designs for plaster details are making a comeback in new, lightweight polymer reproductions. Lightweight and easy to ship, missing or damaged cornice moldings, friezes, corbels, brackets and ceiling medallions are easy to cut and install, and they hold paint well.

For a really big impression in the dining room, try building a china cabinet into a corner or a closet. In a couple of weekends, you’ll have a dressed-up but very practical conversation piece!

Bob Vila Radio is a newly launched daily radio spot carried on more than 60 stations around the country (and growing). You can get your daily dose here, by listening to—or reading—Bob’s 60-second home improvement radio tip of the day.

For more on wall treatment, consider:

How To Paint Trim
5 Things to Do… With Beadboard
Quick Tip: Installing Crown Molding

Bob Vila Radio: Historic Trim Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Photo: jkrooms.com

mp3_link

Listen to BOB VILA ON CROWN MOLDING, or read the text below:

It can mask any imperfections between the wall and ceiling and add formality, polish, and a sense of history, literally “crowning” the room. For those with basic carpentry skills and some patience, it can be a very satisfying do-it-yourself project.

Before you start, set up a short scaffolding using sawhorses and planks, so you can reach the ceiling and move easily while you work. Most pros use a compound miter saw on the outside corners, which are the most visible. For inside corners, use a coping saw to carve away the back of the cut for a clean joint.

How do you know which edge is the top of the molding? Look for the ogee, the common element in most crown molding that looks like a wave. It goes closest to the ceiling.

Bob Vila Radio is a newly launched daily radio spot carried on more than 60 stations around the country (and growing). You can get your daily dose here, by listening to—or reading—Bob’s 60-second home improvement radio tip of the day.

For more on walls, consider:

Wallpaper Basics
5 DIY Wood Wall Treatment Ideas
Quick Tip: Installing Crown Molding

Bob Vila Radio: Crown Molding Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Photo: certainteed.com

mp3_link

Listen to BOB VILA ON BEADBOARD, or read the text below:

Real beadboard is solid wood milled with a tongue and groove and a bead detail down the middle that gives a 6″ board the look of two 3″ boards. New beadboard paneling, on the other hand, is plywood sheets with the same detail milled into the face, so it goes up that much faster.

Besides its obvious usefulness as wainscoting, I’ve seen beadboard paneling used with stock trim to great success on lots of projects you could do in a weekend. A headboard for the master bedroom, a new kitchen backsplash, cabinet doors, knee walls in the attic, window seats or the back panel of a bookcase… anything you can build with plywood, with a little character added.

Bob Vila Radio is a newly launched daily radio spot carried on more than 60 stations around the country (and growing). You can get your daily dose here, by listening to—or reading—Bob’s 60-second home improvement radio tip of the day.

For more on wall options, consider:

Wallpaper Basics
5 Things to Do with… Beadboard
5 DIY Wood Wall Treatment Ideas

Bob Vila Radio: Beadboard Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com