Gaps may appear between carpet and baseboard or between wall bottom and baseboard. Whatever position this gap takes, it is essential you know how to fill it to avoid further damage.
Gaps between carpet and baseboard are mostly unsightly and give the air of incompleteness and imperfection. These gaps can ruin your home’s aesthetic.
You can fill the gap between carpet and baseboard by following these steps; caulking the gap, installing a new baseboards and using expanding foam.
Read on as we throw more light on this.
Related: Are Waterhog Mats Safe for Hardwood Floors?
The Good News Is That There Are Several Ways to Fill This Gap
Table of Contents
However, before we dive into how to fill the gap between carpet and baseboard, let’s take a closer look at a baseboard.
What Is a Baseboard?
A baseboard is a bottom crown molding. In straightforward terms, a baseboard is a board covering the foot of an interior wall.
Crown molding runs the top of an internal wall, standing between the ceiling and the top of the wall.
Both crown molding and baseboard are aesthetically pleasing architectural designs that can lose their beauty if not appropriately managed.
How to Fill Gap between Carpet and Baseboard
There are a few different techniques for closing the gap between your carpet and baseboard. They include:
- Caulking the gap
- Installing new baseboards
- Use expanding foam
Method 1: Caulking the Gap
If the gap between the interior wall and baseboard is relatively tiny, you can seal it up with silicone caulk.
Using caulk is suitable if the gap between the baseboard and carpet is smaller than ½. If it is more significant than this, the caulk will not cover it.
Silicone caulk comes in all kinds of colors and shades. You should pick a color that matches your baseboard to give a seamless, flawless appearance.
While applying your caulk, make sure to tap off your carpet or pull it away from the board as much as possible and add a thin strip of painter’s tape on the topmost part of the baseboard. Do not also forget to clean off excess caulk while working.
Detailed Procedure for Using Caulk
Caulk is one of the most effective ways to fill the gap between carpet and baseboards. Below are detailed steps you should follow if you’re looking to use caulk to fill the gaps between your home carpet and baseboard.
Step 1: Measure Your Gap
Caulk can only be used when the gap between the carpet and baseboard is small. If your opening is more prominent, you might need to try another method, or use foam backer rods, before applying the caulk. This way, you won’t have to apply the excess caulk in the gap.
Foam backer rods are round and flexible lengths of foam that are used as backing in joints or cracks to help control the amount of sealant/caulking/adhesive used.
Step 2: Prepare the Caulking Gun
A caulking gun is a tool for putting caulking accurately in space. If you plan on caulking most of the parts or rooms in your apartment, you should get yourself a caulking gun.
Step 3: Use a Strip of Painter’s Tape
Use a strip of painter’s tape on the top of the basement to avoid uneven edges. This will help secure the other wall areas from getting stained with caulk.
Read: Plush Vs Frieze Carpet
Step 4: Apply the Caulk
This is the stage where you gently apply the caulk from the caulking machine into the gap.
Step 5: Smoothen the Surface
This entails running your finger or whatever necessary tool throughout the caulk.
Method 2:Installing New Baseboards
Suppose the baseboard used in a particular room or space is smaller than the wall length. There are bound to be gaps.
If you need to install new baseboards, you can get them cut to the right size for your carpet.
To avoid gaps caused by smaller baseboards, you must measure the necessary lengths.
Baseboards are usually installed after carpets to bring in some perfection and avoid gaps. However, many homeowners/builders fix carpets before baseboards.
This order is one of the many causes of gaps between baseboard and carpet. It’s important to note that the baseboard can be easily adjusted to close the gap by lowering it.
Method 3: Use Expanding Foam
Expanding foam is a product that is designed to expand and harden against contact with air. In using expanding foam, apply to extend foam into the gap.
Make sure to use enough expanding foam until the gaps are filled so that you can push the carpet tightly under the baseboard.
After applying the expanding foam, please wait for it to dry. Afterward, cut off the excess insulation foam expanding beyond the baseboards, and tuck the carpet under to close every initial gap.
Read: How to Remove Odor from Carpet
Conclusion
Filling gaps between carpet and baseball can be achieved without much stress. It’s a necessary process that has to be done to keep the homeowner free from termites, bedbugs, etc.
Aside from the safety that comes with filling gaps between carpets and baseboards, it is essential to note that filling these gaps will give your home a face-lift and enhance the overall appearance of your apartment.
Whether you choose to go by the caulking method or the expanding foam method, or you choose to replace or adjust your baseboard, you can never go wrong.
Finally, don’t forget that leaving the gaps between your carpet and baseboard will only cause more damage and more gaps. You should swiftly start fixing.
This article was written to help you understand every detail about how to fill gap between carpet and baseboard and to make an informed decision when faced with the choice.
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