Raised base or not?

[Floorist]

I have been trying to explain to a "carpenter" that putting the base on the floor makes it easier to tuck in the carpet without scrarching the base. If the base is raised, many times an installer will damage the base cramming the carpet under with a stair tool. Besides, with the base raised, sometimes the trimmer will hang up on the base. When the base is on the floor, I always tuck with the trimmer. What is your preference?

 

[Ernesto]

Raised base is fine if it is at the correct height. Tucking with the trimmer is hillbilly. I used to do it but it has issues.

 

[DarisMulkin]

Raised base is fine if it is at the correct height. Tucking with the trimmer is hillbilly. I used to do it but it has issues.

What you say Billy Bob? I prefer it on the floor. And I also use my trimmer most times or a plastic stair tool.

Daris

 

[rugaddict]

one day i hope to graduate to hillbilly--i havent used a wall trimmer in maybe twenty years--maybe thats why im so slow---slow ass wannabe hillbilly---thats me

 

[Polestretch]

Gotta be raised! So much faster. 3/8 is my preferred height. I think the transition from floor to wall looks a lot nicer also.

 

[DarisMulkin]

Gotta be raised! So much faster. 3/8 is my preferred height. I think the transition from floor to wall looks a lot nicer also.

You know that tackless is designed to hold carpet pinched to the base to lock it in? That is why it is beveled. Base off the floor doesn't allow the locking.
Yes it is much easier with the base up but.......

Daris

 

[highup]

You know that tackless is designed to hold carpet pinched to the base to lock it in? That is why it is beveled. Base off the floor doesn't allow the locking.
Yes it is much easier with the base up but.......

Daris

Goofball carpenters don't always nail the base well, and if you cut a tad long with the base on the floor, it can pop loose at the top, where often, it's caulked. Less pressure on the base when it's raised......... besides, with thick carpet that baseboards can look cheap because the bottom 20% of it is hidden by the carpet.
3/8 does wonders, and even 1/4 is good. Much faster to trim and tuck.

 

[Ernesto]

I have carpel tunnel so doing that with my wrist hurt, it hurt to much. You hillbilly's have at it.

 

[highup]

I have carpel tunnel so doing that with my wrist hurt, it hurt to much. You hillbilly's have at it.

There's a cure for carpel tunnel............ move to the Oregon coast. With one day of work per month, them sorta things heal up quick.

 

[DarisMulkin]

Goofball carpenters don't always nail the base well, and if you cut a tad long with the base on the floor, it can pop loose at the top, where often, it's caulked. Less pressure on the base when it's raised......... besides, with thick carpet that baseboards can look cheap because the bottom 20% of it is hidden by the carpet.
3/8 does wonders, and even 1/4 is good. Much faster to trim and tuck.

I would say it is more the drywallers that cause the base to tip. They are starting a full sheet on the floor and the mud area is recessed letting the base tip out when pressure is put against it.

Daris

 

[Polestretch]

You know that tackless is designed to hold carpet pinched to the base to lock it in? That is why it is beveled. Base off the floor doesn't allow the locking.
Yes it is much easier with the base up but.......

Daris

You do realize that the tackless also has pins on it that are angled to hold carpet. I set the wall that I stretch away from with a kicker and that holds just fine. I do understand why the tackless is beveled, base up is my preference. I really like the finished look!

 

[FloorMaven]

Base up is my preference for many reasons. I've heard the argument that it defeats the purpose of the gully to hold the carpet secure by pinching it between the strip and base. That argument doesn't hold water as far as I'm concerned because whether it's pinched between the strip and base or base and sub-floor makes no difference. The gully spec is slightly less than the thickness of the carpet but no more than 3/8". The same thinking should apply for base above the subfloor. Unfortunately the carpet thickness isn't always known when the base is installed.

 

[LeePelletier]

Base down, please. Base down, please. I've had too many homes where base has been placed on top of carpet (and over tackstrip). Try pulling that carpet up afterwards. Uggghh.

Base should be placed down first. If we go from very thick to thin carpet or vice-versa, we carpet installers can move the tack-strip. We shouldn't need to get a carpenter involved too so we can move the wall base. They should be two separate entities.

Now, there is wall base and there is wall base. We have older homes that have WALL BASE. The base goes up flat for six inches before getting to the routed part.

But if you are buying pre-made base with barely an inch of flat, then yeah, it's not going to look great. But then, if you are buying that cheap stuff, it wasn't going to look great anyway.

 

[FloorMaven]

This thread mostly covers base up or down prior to carpet install. I don't think anyone is an advocate for base on top of tack strip. Though sometimes base is an after-thought and that creates the problem you describe.

I've never had to adjust the height of the base when in this situation. Not that I couldn't because you really don't need to be a carpenter to install base...cut doors either for that matter.

I have either pulled the strip out or collapsed the pins to create a gully. Most times I can install as is with the only modification being to back-up the strip. There is usually some room between the top of the pin and bottom of the base. While I can't use a wall trimmer I do take the extra hand-cut labor into account when qualifying the project.

 

[Ernesto]

I remember when carpet installers put quarter round on top of the carpet. It was considered p[art of the installation. Gawd, am I that old? I have had to pull quarter round on jobs when I was a young-in. Then we had to put it back on cus well, it would look like $hit if you didn't.

Here's the deal, I think GC's should again let the floor covering guys do the base after the install or wait untill all flooring is installed. Course some idiot will always set the base to tight on the carpet.

 

[DarisMulkin]

I r&r'd a lot of 1/4 round in my day. Always hated oak. 9 times out of 10 it would break. Especially around the bottom of those birdcage stairways.

Daris