Rugs, Carpets and Carpeting - new carpeting and base molding.

i have a den that is in the middle of remodeling. I just finished the drywall and do not have any base molding on. i will be having carpet installed soon. Do i need to install the molding before the carpet or after? if before, do i need to leave a gap below the molding so that the carpet can be tucked under it? if so, how large of a gap?

thanks,
mitch.

Baseboard is typically installed prior to carpet installation. You can take a couple of scraps of the baseboard and place on floor. Rest baseboard on top these when installing baseboard. This should give you the spacing you need for tucking carpet beneath.

so the spacing that i need should be equal to the thickness of the molding? maybe i misunderstood what you are saying...

I recently helped someone trim out four houses, and that's the way the carpenter did it. The thickness of the baseboard provided an adequate space for carpet. The little scraps of baseboard also kept the baseboard in line for nailing.

If baseboard is installed flush with the floor, tack strip is placed approximately 3/8" out from baseboard and carpet is installed up to the baseboard, even though it looks like it goes under it. A piece of plywood can be placed between baseboard and tack strip to protect baseboard when tack strip is installed.

Actually, I think you will find that you will get a mix of opinions on which approach to take. Discuss the issue with your carpet installer and see which method he recommends.

Installed before the carpet is installed

The thickness of the carpet works great!
1/4" to 3/8" is about right.

it doesnt make much sense to me to installt he molding first and have to tuch the carpet under it. I will be installing the molding last regardless of how "everyone does it" It just seems much more logical to me.

Either way is fine, but logical or not, if you put your tack strip too close to the wall, then install the baseboards too low, you will pinch the carpet, and you will have to remove the baseboards to ever remove the carpet.
so keep the tackstrip far enough away.

whi8le your poitn makes sense, removal is simple. cut the rug at the basemoard and pull out. simple removal. in theory. ;) I will keep in miond your suggestion regarding the tack strip.

thinking way outside of the box never hurt nobody.

When it comes time to replace the carpet or an unexpected water leak, your going to cuss yourself, by putting that baseboard, crimping the carpet on the tackstrip!

Ya, you just think cut the carpet out! What is going to happen to the razor blade everytime you cut across a tackstrip pin? Because the tackstrip will stick out farther then the baseboard is thick. Then you have to contend with that tackstrip that is sticking out. It has to be chiseled out to allow the new tackstrip to have a gully to tuck into.

I would at least take a piece of baseboard scrap and a pencil, and run a gauge line down the wall, telling the carpet guys, that is where the baseboard is going to be. Or have them use a scrap to gauge off of to nail there tackstrip out far enough, not to trap the carpet. If they have installed long enough, they will know what you mean.

It would be easier for all involved to have the baseboard in place prior to the installation of the carpet.

If I had to follow a pencil mark to install a carpet I would charge accordingly.

If you sell the home and the second owners want to replace the carpet, they will have to pull the base to remove the carpet, worse yet they would have to pay for the removal and replacement of the base.

AHX - Now maybe you will understand why "everyone does it this way"

it is a free world though. thank goodness.

Good post, glad I came across this one. Does the thickness of the padding make any differeince as to how much gap you should leave?

The pad height makes no difference, as the tack strip that goes around the edge of the room And is between the pad and baseboard.