NLwoodworks Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 just wondering if anyone can provide a tip or solution to question. I'm planning on installing board and batten to the interior walls. For the most part I have the design and height figured out but I need to figure out what to do with the current baseboard. It's not old(less than 3 yrs) and probably a waste to remove and discard it, so I'm looking for some ideas on how to work around it. The top of the current baseboard angles inward toward the wall, (I attached a pic as I'm sure there's an actual name on the trim) and I do not want to place the board and batten on top as it will be sticking out further than the baseboard. Most pictures online just have a piece of 1x4 or 1x5 running along the floor, then have the vertical pieces going up from that. Im just looking for ideas on how to incorporate the current baseboard so that it can look like its a part of the board and batten. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 Got pictues? Most base molding these days is likely too thin to look right under the b&b you described. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NLwoodworks Posted February 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 I think your molding will look fine with board and batten, but I think what you might want to think about doing is removing the molding and place a spacer material of some sort behind it that is the same height as the molding and same thickness as your board and batten. Put the spacer down do the board and batten and then replace the molding. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheperd80 Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 I think your molding will look fine with board and batten, but I think what you might want to think about doing is removing the molding and place a spacer material of some sort behind it that is the same height as the molding and same thickness as your board and batten. Put the spacer down do the board and batten and then replace the molding. Yep, this. Weve done it both ways and both look good as long as the baseboard stands proud of the battens. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NLwoodworks Posted February 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 Yeah I thought about that but if I place a spacer behind the existing base, the outside corners will not meet as the spacers are creating a larger surface area. Am I correct in saying that? What's the best way around that? Then again, that will cause the baseboard to extend out much farther than the door trim too. The more I think about it, I may have to remove the baseboard, it just seems like waste of base that's still in good shape!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 You could re-float the the texture on the walls so it is smooth and then just do the battens...making the battens no thicker then the top of the molding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 8 hours ago, Chet K. said: I think your molding will look fine with board and batten, but I think what you might want to think about doing is removing the molding and place a spacer material of some sort behind it that is the same height as the molding and same thickness as your board and batten. Put the spacer down do the board and batten and then replace the molding. Putting the spacer will make your baseboards to short when you reapply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Wright Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 7 hours ago, RichardA said: Putting the spacer will make your baseboards to short when you reapply. That is partially correct. Your best option is probably to remove the base and reuse as much as you can, but you may have to replace some of it. 1) If you have an inside corner on one side of the baseboard and an outside corner on the other end then no cut required 2) if you have an inside corner on both sides the basebard will be too long and you will need to trim it 3) if you have outside corners on both sides the baseboard will be too short and will need to be replaced I do think you also have the option to go without baseboards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT Proctor Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 I would plinth block the corners, that will fix your molding being too short. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NLwoodworks Posted February 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 11 minutes ago, CT Proctor said: I would plinth block the corners, that will fix your molding being too short. Yes that's a good idea. I thought about placing plinth blocks under the door trim as it gives a nicer look to the overall door trim but I have 2 outside wall corners. Can you put plinth blocks in those areas. What I mean is, will it look nice or out of place? Also, what's the best trim to use inside the squares? Not a fan of just plain squares, I'd rather the extra trim inside. Any suggestions on a that? Thanks for the responses. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT Proctor Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 When we trimmed my parents house we plinth blocked inside corners, outside corners, and the door frames, looks good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 10 minutes ago, CT Proctor said: When we trimmed my parents house we plinth blocked inside corners, outside corners, and the door frames, looks good. I am a big fan. Mitered outside corners almost always open up. Our humidity swings in the chicago area are for real. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JosephThomas Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 42 minutes ago, CT Proctor said: When we trimmed my parents house we plinth blocked inside corners, outside corners, and the door frames, looks good. Also a fan. Haven't figured out all the best ways to do it without it being too ornate in smaller rooms, though, I still prefer it. This is a link with a lot of photos and ideas...I'm sure they're selling something, but it's still a useful place to start: http://www.thejoyofmoldings.com/about-plinth-blocks/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NLwoodworks Posted March 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 I thought I would post an update on what I decided to do after the posts. We went to Home Depot, found some tile on sale and decided to add some board and batten to the main bathroom, I used a backer piece in behind the baseboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Sure brightened the room up! Looks good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 Looks good, but don't call it board and batten. Call it Flat Panel Wainscoting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 Tom whats the difference between the two? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NLwoodworks Posted March 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 Thanks for the comments. I'd much rather call it flat panel wainscotting. I was using the term board and batten because that's what was used in some pics I saw online. I'd like to know the actual difference between the two. Having said that, everything was pieced together with pieces ripped from a sheet of 4'x8' MDF. And 1/2" cove moulding installed inside each section. Chair rail on top to create the ledge. I know that they have "premade panels" of different patterns at the local hardware stores. I personally, prefer to do it from scratch and make it to my own specs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 I hope you sealed the bottom & concealed edges of all the MDF. In a bathroom it's just a matter of time until a sink or toilet leaks or overflows. Yea MDF is cheap, flat and paints well but it's a sponge and swells like one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JosephThomas Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 1 hour ago, wdwerker said: Yea MDF is cheap, flat and paints well but it's a sponge and swells like one. @wdwerker What would you use if you were making a similar feature for a "wet zone"? I'd be worried solid wood would crack the paint and caulking constantly as it swelled and shrank, and plywood a pain to edge-band everywhere so the ply edges didn't show (and then after all that you'd be painting it).... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 Poplar and 1/2" MDO ply . MDO is sign painters board, made to be exterior & exposed. It has a waterproof high reisn content MDF face on exterior ply core. The trick is to put spacers under the base so no standing moisture can soak in. Prime, sand , clean away dust and then caulk. Paint with an acrylic enamel , several thin coats. Paint the quarter round on all sides before installation. Put a dab of caulk in each joint. I have only used it once but the solid PVC exterior trim might work in a situation like this as well. Tommy on TOH seems to love the stuff so I gave it a try. Baseboard and Qtr round should be enough to be safe . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JosephThomas Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 Thanks @wdwerker. As usual, your sage advice is worth its weight in gold... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 You are welcome. I have done this long enough to learn the hard way that it's just a matter of time before MDF and particleboard fails especially anywhere near water. It's just a matter of time. Many clients want something done inexpensively because they are going to sell the house in the near future. I pass on having my name on something that's going to cause problems for the next owner . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NLwoodworks Posted March 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2016 Yeah that's great advice. The baseboard was installed when the house was built. Most all trim used in homes around here are MDF. I never gave it much thought about the moisture in there. But having said that, I used a bath and kitchen paint and applied numerous coats. I'm hoping that will work. The bathroom is not used much either which is probably good. The baseboards sit on ceramic tile, should I put a bead of caulk along that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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