Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - Click lock floors under baseboards ?
Doityourself.com community forum was created to provide answers to all questions related to home improvement and home repair. Doityourself community can help you find information about how-to topics on small fixes to large remodeling projects. With comprehensive how-to content and expertly moderated community forums DoItYourself.com makes it easy to tackle even the most complex home improvement projects.View Full Version : Click lock floors under baseboards ?
bcarwell
03-04-08, 07:20 AM
Can you install click-lock flooring underneath baseboards that have the lower part trimmed to receive them ?
I'm flooring a 10x12 room and want the more professional look of the floor going under the baseboards. (Actually I'm lazy and cheap too- don't want to pull the baseboards off or have to paint and trim quarter round or shoe moulding).
Seems when you start a new row no problem. You install the click-lock board in the normal manner OUTSIDE the baseboard and then tap it sideways until it slides under the baseboard (leaving of course the 1/4 inch expansion joint).
BUT: what happens when you get to the end of the row at the other side of the room ? Seems to me you can't do the same thing, e.g. install it normally and then tap it sideways until the end is under the baseboard because it will be too long to install.
I know you can trim the tongue sometimes so a piece slides into place without having to first angle it up 20 degrees or so and maybe glue it (since you've destroyed the "click" and the "lock". Is this how you do it ? The I guess you'd start there with the next row going back the other way ?
Or should I gut up and pull the baseboards or use quarter round ? I'll be disappointed since I even have the tool for trimming the baseboards...
Bob
I'm flooring a 10x12 room and want the more professional look of the floor going under the baseboards. (Actually I'm lazy and cheap too- don't want to pull the baseboards off or have to paint and trim quarter round or shoe moulding).
Seems when you start a new row no problem. You install the click-lock board in the normal manner OUTSIDE the baseboard and then tap it sideways until it slides under the baseboard (leaving of course the 1/4 inch expansion joint).
BUT: what happens when you get to the end of the row at the other side of the room ? Seems to me you can't do the same thing, e.g. install it normally and then tap it sideways until the end is under the baseboard because it will be too long to install.
I know you can trim the tongue sometimes so a piece slides into place without having to first angle it up 20 degrees or so and maybe glue it (since you've destroyed the "click" and the "lock". Is this how you do it ? The I guess you'd start there with the next row going back the other way ?
Or should I gut up and pull the baseboards or use quarter round ? I'll be disappointed since I even have the tool for trimming the baseboards...
Bob
DIYaddict
03-04-08, 01:46 PM
Hello Bob. :) Not the pro around here, but:
Take the baseboards off. Even if you don't and you slide it under the baseboards, how in the world do you know there's that 1/4 gap there? Just curious!
When you install the rest of the boards...there WILL be movement and it will get pushed in even further, (no more 1/4 gap) unless of course you're not tapping or pushing and just laying the flooring gently. Get what I mean?
Don't be lazy...do be cheap! Taking off the baseboards is the "non-lazy" way to go :D and "cheap" b/c you don't have to get quarter rounds AND the pro way! ;)
Take the baseboards off. Even if you don't and you slide it under the baseboards, how in the world do you know there's that 1/4 gap there? Just curious!
When you install the rest of the boards...there WILL be movement and it will get pushed in even further, (no more 1/4 gap) unless of course you're not tapping or pushing and just laying the flooring gently. Get what I mean?
Don't be lazy...do be cheap! Taking off the baseboards is the "non-lazy" way to go :D and "cheap" b/c you don't have to get quarter rounds AND the pro way! ;)