Baseboards in the garage: is it needed and how to install them? ANSWERED

A lot of people wonder if it is necessary to install a garage baseboard. A baseboard is also called a floor trim. It is a strip of material with which you cover your garage’s walls.

Baseboards are prominent where the wall adjoins the ceiling or the floor. They are typically made out of stone, vinyl or wood. This post will tell you why you should install a baseboard in your garage. Also, find out how to install a garage baseboard.

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Benefits of a garage baseboard

You might be wondering what is the use of putting a garage baseboard or floor trim in your garage. The advantages of a floor trim make the baseboard important for your garage. 

  • The garage wall will be protected from all kinds of spillages – chemicals, grease, and oil.
  • The gaps between the wall and the floor will be hidden.
  • Insects will not be able to crawl through the gaps and infest the space.
  • It will be a visual aid in parking your car.
  • Your garage will look nicer.
  • Water splashes will not affect the garage wall. 
  • Your garage space will be more defined.
  • Most impacts will not have as much effect on your garage.

As you can see above, there are several reasons why you should consider installing baseboards in your garage. Even if you have a special drain in your garage, baseboards are still useful as they protect your walls from water and other damage.

How to install baseboards in the garage?

It is not very difficult to install baseboards, but the difficulty level depends on the type of material and size of the garage. Baseboard installation can take over a day.

The angle measurements and the cutting are the most difficult parts. First, get all the materials that you need, and follow the steps given below. If you follow the instructions, you can install floor trims in any room of your home. 

Step-by-step instruction on how to install garage baseboards

Before you start the DIY project, you should take all the necessary safety precautions. You will use a nailer or a miter saw, so put on your earplugs, gloves, and safety glasses. Check the manual of the power tools that you use for more information.

And remember to keep a couple of extra baseboards to use in case of mistakes. Clean the working surface so that there is no debris. Also, if you’re replacing the existing baseboards, you need to first remove the old baseboards.

Step 1: Measuring, numbering, marking & cutting the baseboards

We start by cutting the baseboard to size. This takes some time but makes it easier to install the baseboards. Let’s take a look at the steps below:

  • Use the tape meter to measure the garage’s perimeter. 
  • Double-check the measurement of each wall.
  • Leave some room (about 6 inches) for outside corners.
  • Cut the baseboards according to the wall measurements.
  • Cut the boards a few inches longer for the boards that meet outside corners. You can cut these to size later on.
  • Apply a coat of semigloss paint on the baseboards if they are made out of wood and allow them to dry.
  • Find the wall studs and mark them. It is important that you don’t damage these.

Step 2: Installing the baseboard

We can start to install the baseboard now:

  • Use the leveling tool to check whether the floor is level. This makes sure that the end result will look nice.
  • Go to an inside corner and place the first board against the wall. Use one or two nails to temporarily tack it in place. If your baseboard is made out of stone, you can use glue or cement for this as well.

Step 3: Connecting the different pieces

Connecting two pieces of baseboard can be quite challenging. Especially the corners can require some attention. You have to make sure that they fit together properly.

Depending on the material, you can use glue, nails, or cement to connect these different pieces. You can also cut them at an angle to get a better end result. The following steps can help you with this:

  • Fit one end of the board against the casing or inside corner of the wall. At the other end of the board back, draw a vertical line. Use the baseboard corner’s an outside edge to guide the pencil. Now marking the top of the board will indicate the miter direction.
  • Place the other board against the adjacent wall and mark it in the same manner. 
  • Set a compound miter saw to 45 degrees and cut each miter a tiny bit longer than necessary.

Once you have cut the different pieces, you can test and install them.

  • You can use sandpaper to smooth out impurities and make the edges less sharp.
  • Dry fit the baseboard to make sure that everything fits together nicely. If it’s not tight enough, trim the wood or stone beneath it using a saw or block plane. If it’s too tight, you might have to take another piece and cut it at another angle.
  • Use finishing nails, glue, or mortar to keep everything into place.

Step 4: Finishing things up

Repeat the previous steps until your whole garage has baseboards. Once this is done, we can finish things up.

  • Caulk along the nail holes and edges. This makes sure that dust and dirt don’t get between the wallboard and the wall. We have discussed how to use a caulk gun here.
  • Apply a coat of primer and a final top coat of paint after that. This is not needed if your baseboard is made out of stone.

To conclude, we can state that a baseboard can be useful in a garage. It takes some time to install but protects your walls. This will make sure that moisture and dirt don’t get between the floor and the wall. It is a lot easier to clean a garage floor if you have baseboards as you don’t have to check where the water is going.

If you want to install baseboards in the kitchen, you can take a look here.

Baseboards in garages are generally made out of stone. In some instances, you can use wooden baseboards as well. The most important thing is that the baseboards are installed level with the wall and that they are properly connected.