Installing Floor Trim Before Carpet

This will help prevent some of the minor scratches the edge of the carpet can cause before it is chiseled behind the tack strip.

Installing floor trim before carpet.

Leave about a half inch at the bottom of the trim uncovered then remove it after the carpet is installed. Cut the baseboard get your baseboard cut to the exact length of the space you ll be putting it. In some cases this will not be possible since. Baseboard trim before or after carpet baseboard first set on 3 8 wood lath strips tack less set between 3 8 1 2 inch away padding brought up to tack less and carpet installed and stretched over tack less and tucked under base.

My advise install the trim and doors first and stress to the carpet installers to be as careful as possible. Baseboard is usually installed before the pad. The pad is great to kneel on but the tack strips aren t. Pushing your trim back into the corner place a nail about 2 to 3 inches out and nail it off.

The pad is cut to fit against the tack strips. Install the carpet install the carpet all the way against the wall. They will need to be careful not to damage the baseboard when installing the tack strips. If you do you ll likely end up with wavy uneven molding.

3 8 is the maximum needed. When installing baseboards before carpet ask the installer how large of a gap to leave between the floor and the trim e g. Installing base molding before carpet is like installing window door casing before the window door. For most installers this is not a problem and can be done easily.

Keeping the base off the floor helps the carpet installers to tuck the perimeter. However consult with your installer to be sure they have no concerns. The trim will be installed on top. The carpet installer can run the tack strip up to the trim then roll excess carpet under the trim.

The molding should be installed after the floor covering and should be adjusted any time the flooring is changed. Then touch up base if need be. Remove your pencils and continue all the way down your wall. When installing baseboard before carpet the easiest thing to do is to install it even with the bottom edge of the drywall as previously described.

When installing the molding don t simply follow the flooring.