As flooring experts at Cosmaroma, we get asked this question a lot: “Are baseboards really necessary?” Although the simple answer is yes, there’s more to it than that. In this article, we will explain why baseboards are necessary with tips on how to use them properly.

What are baseboards?

Baseboards are a form of moulding or trim used at the base of the wall, hence the name “baseboards”. They come in a wide array of sizes, materials, and designs, allowing you to create the look you desire and apply them to all rooms and wall configurations.

For example, medium-density fibreboard offers an affordable alternative to wood if you plan to paint your baseboards, while wood moulding can be stained to match any hardwood installations.

Why are baseboards necessary?

Baseboards serve several practical and aesthetic purposes, including the following:

Secure Flooring

Floating floors such as laminate require a secure finish along the walls to keep them in place. Baseboards installed with a ¾ round finish keep floors from shifting due to age, changes to the humidity in the room, and foot traffic. Baseboards are also a must for wall-to-wall carpet installation. Without secure baseboards, the carpeting will lift and fray.

Avoid Injuries

This might sound like we’re stretching things a bit here, but in most professional carpet installation jobs, installers use tack board strips along the walls. This is a strip of wood covered in upright sharp tacks that grip the carpet edges to hold it in place.

Although most of us don’t walk along the edges of our walls, the tacks can cause injury, especially to small kids and pets. Having baseboards protects against tack injuries. 

Protect the Walls

Baseboards help protect the lower walls from scuffs and dings caused by vacuum cleaners, brooms and mops, and general traffic. It also guards against things like scrapes from the feet of furniture or scratchy pet paws.

Baseboards are more durable than drywall, making them less likely to show dings. It’s also close to impossible to make an actual hole in baseboards, unlike drywall. 

Prevent Water Damage

Baseboards can help prevent water damage. When something spills, the liquid spreads and can damage drywall quicker than you might imagine. This simple protective layer of baseboard helps redirect water away from the walls, avoiding dampness that can lead to mould growth and water damage. 

Hide Uneven Edges of Drywall and Flooring

As the finishing touch for your floors and walls, baseboards help hide all those uneven floor planks/tiles. Since you need a bit of leeway between the walls and the flooring edge to help manage the constant shrinking and expansion of walls and sub-floors, you need something to cover up the mess. You also have ragged edges of drywall that need to be covered to stop them from crumbling and looking unfinished.   

Aesthetics

Baseboards help merge the two materials on your walls and floors. They create a clean seam along the line where the two materials meet, creating a sense of harmony. They come in various sizes and designs, providing an attractive finishing touch. You can create a higher-end look with substantial baseboards to make a statement or stick with the usual go-to styles used in most homes. 

Baseboards help create continuity throughout the home and can also work as a design feature to add more character. For example, you can install baseboards and paint them crisp white throughout the home or choose different colours for each room to complement your wall colours. Wood baseboards provide a high-end look to add more impact to your expensive hardwood floors, but can look equally as attractive when painted.  

What happens if I don’t install baseboards?

When you don’t install baseboards, you can cause all kinds of unexpected issues, including the following:

  • Wall wear and tear: Without baseboards, the bottom of your walls will quickly become damaged, including crumbling drywall. Scuff marks, kicks, dents, cracks, and more can form within days in high-traffic areas, leaving your walls in need of ongoing repairs and, in worst-case scenarios, replacement. 
  • Loose flooring: As mentioned earlier, because baseboards help secure your flooring, without them, you can expect to see your floorboards or carpet become loose. Planks will shift, carpeting will buckle, and tiles will start cracking along the walls. 
  • Reduced home value: A lack of baseboards is an eye-sore that homebuyers will spot within seconds of entering your home. This will negatively impact your home value, and also make it difficult to sell your home.
  • Less design appeal: Floors without baseboards are like faces without eyebrows—clearly, something is missing! If you opt out of baseboards, your home will appear unfinished and feel untidy and uncared for. The uniform look baseboards provide is just one of those things that help complete the aesthetics of your home. No one wants to live in a residence that feels more like a construction site or needs signs saying, “Excuse the mess. We’re renovating.”
  • Possible water damage: Although you might not have a substantial enough spill to cause water damage, the risk is always there when you don’t have baseboards. 

How to Choose the Right Baseboards

There are a few basic considerations when choosing your baseboards, such as the following:

  • Height: Designers will tell you that, ideally, you want your baseboards to balance with the height of your ceilings. A simple rule of thumb designers use is to choose baseboards that are as close to the same height in inches as the height from floor to ceiling in feet. For most homeowners, this isn’t practical, as this would be 7.25” baseboards, which can get a little expensive. If your budget won’t allow for this, choose the highest boards you can afford to get a more impressive look. 
  • Material: If you’re painting your baseboards, then MDF is fine. However, if you’re staining them, be sure you use stain-grade wood. Many home renovation centres sell “jointed” pine baseboards that are pieces of connected pine strips. This creates an uneven grain and shows the joints, so it isn’t suited for staining.
  • Design: Consider the moulding used for your door and window frames, as well as crown moulding if you have it. These profiles will help you choose a design that creates a sense of flow in your home.

Contact the Baseboard Moulding Professionals

As you can see, baseboard installation is not only a necessity, but also an important design element to complete the look of your home. Although skipping the baseboards might save some money, it will likely cost you more in the end.

Cosmaroma offers a wide selection of MDF and stain-grade wood baseboards that are ideal for your home. Click here to start shopping for baseboard moulding, or contact us here to find a location near you.