In a fully-insulated home in N. California SF Bay Area (very temperate climes) is it common to seal the back side as well as the front of kickboard molding? The owner is insisting that the back side be sealed also with organic varnish or polyurethane.
Recommendations?
Thanks.
Only if he pays for it, no its not normal. Do T&M with a 1/4" brush.
Waste of time, money, and material, but if he wants to pay me to do it. I'd take his money and do it. You don't even have to do the front side, but it does look better and is easier to clean. Or his dog is going to pee on it.
If the owner insists, and the owner is willing to pay for it, thne why not?
Do you mean a molding as in "baseboard"? If you don't have carpet, you can seal the bottom with silicon caulk after its nailed up. The top can always be caulked.
Believe the idea behind using varnish or polyurethane is to keep wet rot down if you spill something, and the spill affects the back of the baseboard. The sheetrock doesn't touch the floor behind the baseboard. This creates a cavity just waiting for a spill to happen, and hold that spill for a long time until it finally dissipates. This also affects the sole plate if its not PT.
What I've seen in situations like that, is the customer accepts the price you give him for a normal job then demands that you do double the amount of work for the same price. You better have a contract that spells out exactly what is included for the money.
TDD
HUH ??? That's quite a spill if it rots out the floor and baseboard..You would have to spill alot repeatedly in the SAME spot for several years for that to happen....Sounds as if the owner is a PITA to me...I HOPE you had a contract spelling out the work or are working time and materials...If not you're in for quite a ride....The owner is full of shit....IMHO...
This is common in bathrooms, especially in older homes. May be throughout the house if a flood occurs, but never goes beyond baseboard height. Similar in a water heater closet with a water heater burst. A leaky built-in dishwasher can do similar behind the dishwasher. A leaky sink faucet at its base can do the same. Commonly, its due to a very slight gap between the baseboard and floor. There is no baseboard in the last 2 items mentioned though. Water accumulates between the baseboard and sole plate. The backside of the baseboard wicks the water and may transfer some of it to the sheetrock. If the house has a subfloor with plywood covering, its common for that plywood to take on that water as well. If the floor is covered with carpet, water rot may attack the underlayment.
That may be true Dave but what the hell does that have to do with requiring the painter to seal the back side of the baseboard..With the leaks NOT spills you mention sealing the baseboard won't do diddly squat...You'll have ALOT more to be concerned about then the back side of the baseboard being painted...As I said the homeowner is a PITA and is full of it....But thanks for throwing the Red Herring into the discussion...
Silicon caulk is a bad idea around painted surfaces - it interferes with the paint adhesion. Siliconized (paintable) caulk is better.
R
My take as well. I ran across such customers at a very tender age. My brother started mowing lawns and I helped him out. He agreed on a price for mowing a lady's lawn, we finished the first time and went to the door to collect the money, then she tells us that she wants the lawn mowed in _both_ directions so the tire marks would make a checkerboard pattern! Being young and stupid we did it for the same price.
R
That is why I keep plastic trays/washtubs/whatever in the cabinets under all my sinks. Convenient for holding the cabinet junk so you can pull it out and actually see it, but also acts as a catch basin when (not if) a container starts leaking, or if the sink feed or trap starts leaking. You can usually smell it before it overflows.
-- aem sends...
"Change order" fee, plus 3-4 times the estimated original cost of that portion of the job.
Give 'em whatever they're willing to pay for, nothing they're not. -----
- gpsman
Its an overkill that does not do anything but preserve the baseboard in limited flooding situations. Yes, I agree that this particular homeowner is a PITA. In the event of a limited flooding situation, the remainder I've talked about will have to be replaced.
I was specifying the situations where said source of water logging may occur and what it usually affects. Not defending as to why or why not the sealing of baseboard as you are under the impression of for no apparent reason to me And, if you think it out after reading my input, you would realize that the homeowner is wasting his/her time by my input. Not a digression from the discussion as you suggest, just an expanded picture of why. Same to Rico. Both newsgroup policemen.
Sorry, but it is a digression. The OP asked about applying a sealant to some molding, not waterproofing techniques. Caulking the baseboard is just as likely to hide problems as prevent them. If water is behind the caulk it won't readily seep out and let you know there's a problem (not all 'leaks' are from klutzes spilling stuff inside their houses).
It's generally far easier to convince an owner to modify their notions then to just forget about them. The latter results in resentment and "this guy is taking advantage of me" feelings, which show up when the contractor is looking to get paid, or when a neighbor asks for a referral.
In this particular case the contractor could up-sell the owner to some fiberglass or PVC moldings so rot would never be an issue. It's still a waste of time and money, but it's a scenario where both parties are more likely to be happy with the outcome.
If you provide an opinion, you can expect to get an opinion on your opinion - especially if it is questionable. It's nothing personal, just newsgroup 'business'.
R
is just as likely to hide problems as prevent them. If water is behind the caulk it won't readily seep out and let you know there's a problem (not all 'leaks' are from klutzes spilling stuff inside their houses).
Sorry, but it is a digression. The OP asked about applying a sealant to some molding, not waterproofing techniques. Caulking the baseboard is just as likely to hide problems as prevent them. If water is behind the caulk it won't readily seep out and let you know there's a problem (not all 'leaks' are from klutzes spilling stuff inside their houses).
It's generally far easier to convince an owner to modify their notions then to just forget about them. The latter results in resentment and "this guy is taking advantage of me" feelings, which show up when the contractor is looking to get paid, or when a neighbor asks for a referral.
In this particular case the contractor could up-sell the owner to some fiberglass or PVC moldings so rot would never be an issue. It's still a waste of time and money, but it's a scenario where both parties are more likely to be happy with the outcome.
If you provide an opinion, you can expect to get an opinion on your opinion - especially if it is questionable. It's nothing personal, just newsgroup 'business'.
R-----------
Alright, absorbed.
As I said, I expanded on what happens when water gets behind the baseboard. That in itself explains why just addressing the back of the baseboard by itself is a waste of time. I don't feel I have to defend that portion of my response in any shape, manner, or form.
I know the silicon caulk works here in the bathroom along the floor/baseboard line. Hardly a defense, but I don't feel I have to defend things that I see that work in reality vs. someone's newsgroup opinion otherwise. Believe your opinion is "kneejerk" in this specific regard.
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