Questions about baseboards for new aggregate floor

[Doug Lowe]

Hi everyone, I'm have an epoxy aggregate floor put in my entry room, dining room & living room.

The company doing the work suggests that I install baseboards before they pour, either flush with the existing concrete or no more than 1/4" up. Then, they'll pour right up to the baseboards. As an alternative, they say it's OK to install the baseboards afterwards, over the top of the concrete.

Which do you think would be better? Seems like if I put the baseboards in first, I'll never be able to get them out if I want to replace them. So I'm thinking about putting them in after the floor is poured.

--Doug

[Eric Tonks]

I would do the baseboards after the coating. Don't try to install quarter round, you cannot nail it into the floor as normally recommended and it will be difficult to nail into the baseboard without scuffing the floor. I don't like quarter round as it always gets worn on outside corners and furniture is always scraping it when they are moved.

I prefer to use a "door stop" moulding. Trim the width if it is too wide and nail it into the baseboard. While baseboard will not follow the ups and downs of a concrete surface, the door stop will and will prevent unsightly gaps at the bottom.

[Mark Leininger]

I'd put the baseboard up after the pour. It will get beat up pretty good when they trowel the floor, even if you cover it with something. Either profile the baseboard to the floor contour or use some kind of trim.

Doug Lowe wrote: