How to Install Baseboards The Easy Way

Most tutorials on installing baseboards make it way too complicated, recommending things like coping your baseboard.

Unless you are installing stain-grade wood baseboard molding, coping is a tremendous waste of time for virtually zero benefits.

So, in this tutorial, I’m going to demonstrate how to install new baseboards the easy way so you can get professional results without it taking longer than necessary.

You can either watch the video or read the directions below the video.

Let’s jump right in…

Required Tools

• Miter saw
• Brad Nailer (18 gauge)
• Air compressor (if not using cordless brad nailer)
• Caulking gun
• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Pry bar
• Hammer
• Sawhorses
• Razor knife
• Paintbrush
• 4″ paint roller
• Circular saw (optional)
• Orbital sander (optional)

Required Materials

• Baseboard
• 2″ brad nails
• Semi-gloss paint (usually white)
• Caulking
• Masking Tape
• Nitrile Gloves
• Popsicle sticks (these are especially helpful)

Step 1: Measure the walls

Before you purchase your baseboards, you need to know how much to buy. So, measure each wall where a baseboard will go and list those measurements on a piece of paper.

You’ll want to get accurate measurements here. Measure to the nearest 1/16.”

Each measurement should have three values. The length, the left cut spec, and the right cut spec. You’ll want to note how to cut each end so you can reference it later. This will help you avoid having to measure again before cutting. It will also tell you what kind of cut to make later.

I recommend watching the video above for more details.

Step 2: Purchase your materials

If you rarely use a miter saw, then purchase 5-10% more baseboard than you need. The most cost-efficient way to purchase baseboards is to buy the contractor’s packs from Home Depot. These packs include ten 12′ sections of either pine or primed MDF.

I recommend purchasing MDF as it is easier to work with and less expensive. Wood is a bit more durable, but it will still dent, scratch, and look bad if damaged, so its extra durability isn’t really even a benefit.

Step 3: Paint the baseboards

Painting the molding before installation will save you from having to mask off the floor to paint later. Using a 4” paint roller with a good semi-gloss self-leveling paint like Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane trim enamel will give you a smooth finish. 

However you can use regular acrylic paint, but you’ll get a bit of stippling (small bumps) or brush marks if you use a paintbrush. Rarely will anyone ever notice this, but if you really want a smooth finish, either get a self-leveling paint or add a bit of Floetrol to your acrylic paint.

Ideally, paint two coats, but one will work just fine with baseboards that come pre-primed.

Once painted, let the baseboards dry overnight.

Step 4: Cut the baseboards to length

Using the cut list that you created initially, carefully and precisely cut each baseboard using a miter saw. Cut the longest pieces first because you’ll be able to use the leftovers to cut the shorter pieces. Label them with the room they belong to as you go. This will save a lot of time.

You’ll need to pay attention to the angles that you cut the baseboards, and this can be tricky if you rarely use a miter saw. So take your time and think things through. Taking your time here will end up saving you time because you’ll make fewer mistakes. 

For outside corners that are 90 degrees (most corners), you’ll want to cut the baseboards at an angle of 45.5 degrees. The extra .5 degrees helps compensate for the drywall mud buildup on the walls.

For inside corners, cut the angle at 44.5 degrees. Don’t worry about coping them, it just takes longer, is more difficult to do well, and doesn’t have any benefits.

Cut all of your baseboards at once to save time. Just make sure to label them, so you know which room they go to.

Step 5: Install the baseboards

Now the fun part: installing the baseboards. This will go pretty fast if you made accurate measurements and cuts.  

First, take your baseboards and test fit them. Chances are that you’ll need to make a few cuts and adjustments.

If the baseboards fit, grab a brad nailer with 2” nails and start nailing the pieces in. Pay extra attention to corners because these can move when nailing.

Inside corners will tend to have gaps after you nail them, especially at the bottom. Use popsicle sticks (you can find them in the paint department) or shims to bring out the bottom of the baseboard on the inside corners. Popsicle sticks (small paint stirring sticks) are the easiest.

Step 6: Caulk the baseboards

Once all of the baseboards have been installed, the next step is to caulk them. I prefer this Acrylic Latex plus silicone because it’s very easy to work with and cleans up easily. 

To apply the caulking, cut a small angled hole in the caulking. You want a small hole because it’s way easier to work with and will reduce your chances of making a mess. 

Apply the caulking, and then go back with your finger to smooth it out. It’s better to apply too little rather than too much caulking because you can easily go back and add more if necessary. But even if you add too much, just have a rag handy to wipe off the extra as you go.

Only apply a small section at a time since caulking can dry quickly, making it difficult to work with and yielding a poor finish.

Step 7: Fill the nail holes (optional)

If you’re looking for a perfectly smooth finish, you can go around a fill each nail hole with some wood filler. Any wood filler will work just fine. Put a little on your finger and push it into the nail hole. Then, go around and sand each spot smooth before painting.

But honestly, unless you are doing this professionally for high-end homes, then you can skip this step. 99% of people won’t even notice. Heck, even you won’t notice unless you are really looking for the holes.

Filling nail holes in most molding makes sense, but for baseboards, it is a waste of time since they are on the floor.

Step 8: Paint the caulking and nail holes the same color as the baseboards

Once the caulking dries, it’s time to get the paint out. Grab a small high-quality brush and paint the caulking. Also, push some paint into any nail holes if you decided not to fill them. This will do a great job of making them much less noticeable.

Don’t worry about getting paint on the wall, you’ll go back and paint the wall later. 

If you skip this step, the caulking will turn yellow over time and look terrible. It will also get dirty faster. While this is time-consuming, it’s worth it in the long run to paint the caulking.

Step 9: Paint the walls above the baseboards

Now, grab some frog tape and mask off the top of the baseboards so you can paint the walls where you got trim paint on them. You can also just cut a line with a paintbrush if you are a skilled painter, but from my experience, it’s faster to mask them off.

Once you are done painting, you can remove the masking tape by pulling away at a sharp angle. No need to wait for the paint to dry.

And you’re all set!

How long does it take to install baseboards?

It will take three days. Day one will be measuring, purchasing, and painting. Day two will be cutting, installing, and caulking. Then, day three will be painting and finishing.

Of course, it can take longer than this if you have a big project, but three days is a good estimate assuming you work efficiently and don’t make any major mistakes. Watch this speed tip video to help you get the job done faster without rushing or compromising quality.

How do you install baseboards on uneven floors?

If you have hard surface floors, chances are that they are not perfectly flat. In some cases, you can simply push down on the baseboard before nailing it in, and it will conform to the floor. This is another benefit of using MDF. MDF is easy to bend.

However, in some cases (like in the image below), the baseboard needs to be scribed to fit properly.

So, grab a shim and a pencil. Then, insert the shim where the gap is the largest until it touches the baseboard. Mark the shim at this depth. Then, take the shim to where you need to remove material and run the shim with a pencil sitting on it along the baseboard to create a pencil mark.

Then, the baseboard out and use either a circular saw or an orbital sander to remove the material up the line. Test fit it again, and keep making adjustments until you are happy with the fit.

How hard is it to install baseboards?

Installing baseboards is a great project for beginners because it only requires basic skills. Even if you’ve never used a miter saw, this is a perfect project to learn. Since baseboards are cheap, mistakes won’t be costly, and the skills you pick up will pay off on other projects.

However, if you are a beginner, it’s probably best to start with a single room to hone your skills. Tackling an entire house of baseboard at once could be overwhelming.