Baseboard Moldings

Many of us who are not in the field of remodeling wouldn't have heard about baseboard molding. This is an overlooked design detail as it plays an important part in the protection of the walls. It also helps in making the rooms look polished. Along with the baseboard molding, there are other types of molding such as the crown molding, door and window casings etc.

What is baseboard molding?

Baseboard moldings are the decorative trim boards which are used to cover the seam or to cover a joint. Usually, these joints or seams will be present between an interior wall and the floor. The baseboard moldings primarily hide the area which sees the joining of the walls and the ceiling. This is also done by the crown moldings. Apart from this, the baseboard moldings are also used to cover the area which is basically the joint between the walls and the floor. They are also used as a protective agent for the walls safeguarding the walls from all kinds of damage.

In addition to the mentioned uses, they also serve as a decorative accessory. These moldings come in handy to protect the plaster walls from the damages that can happen through boots, shoes and vacuum attachments. The vacuum cleaners create more damages to the wall than we can imagine. Talking about the decorative purpose of the baseboard molding, there are various sizes, styles, and types of moldings to serve this purpose. While choosing the baseboard molding it is important to choose the one which will not only fulfill its purpose, but will also blend well with the decorative elements in the room. 

Compared to the crown molding the baseboard trim will be less decorative or ornamental. But in the case of modern houses both the moldings will be suitable. One has to remember that the molding which is more streamlined will acquire a lot of dust and dirt. Since the baseboards are usually present next to the floor, it is important to make sure that both the materials will go hand in hand, in terms of texture and color.

The materials

Since the baseboards are open to a lot of stains and dirt, it is ideal to keep a hard and string material as the baseboard. In this case, the solid wood is the best option. While wood is the most preferred option, there are instances where the medium density fibreboard might also be used. This is mainly because the fibreboard is less expensive and is more resistant to mildew and mold in the case of water intrusion.

What about the colors?

In most cases, the preferred color is white when the baseboard is used for trim and ceilings. This is usually followed by the painting of the wall, or simply substituting it with wallpaper. The apt way is to make sure all the walls are painted in the same color. This will work well if the room has detailed castings. There is also the option to give the finishing or staining in the same color as that of the floor.