Do I Install Baseboards First or Floor Tile?
Do I install baseboards first or floor tile is what this DIY howto video is about. VideoJoe has seen baseboards installed both ways. If you install tall baseboards after the floor tile is installed then the best thing to do is to install a quarter round trim at the bottom of the baseboards so you can push the quarter round down as tight to the floor tiles as you can. You will still see a slight gap in different areas but the gap will be way less than if you would not have installed the quarter round at the base of the baseboards. If you install baseboards first then you would need to decide how close to cut the floor tiles to the edge of the baseboards. I've seen it where the tile floor installer cut the tiles short of the baseboards about the same gap as you would have between the floor tiles then they will grout between the edge of the floor tiles & the edge of the baseboards to keep that reveal even. It's a lot harder to install the floor tiles after first installing baseboards as you will need to do better measuring & cutting a few floor tiles two & sometimes 3 times to get a nice straight line at the baseboards. I would suggest talking to the floor tile installers first & decide which way would be best to install the baseboards first or install the floor tiles first. I've even seen floor tiles go in first then tall baseboards without using the quarter round trim at the bottom & if there are any gaps under the tall baseboards then you could put some more tile grout down there & mimic the tile grout lines between the floor tiles for instance but that would only look as good as how flat your floors are before the floor tiles are installed like 18" by 18" travertine floor tiles let's say rather than an 8" by 8" floor tiles for example. Pick & choose the way you think will look best for you. The quarter round then takes more material & more time to cut & install but if you do the entire tile floor areas it will still look fine & most people don't even notice it after it's been painted. You decide. Installing baseboards & floor tiles is easy...when you know how. Watch & learn as VideoJoeShows you a few things to consider before installing your floor tiles & baseboards.
