rubber base moulding

[gpsman]

I got a volunteer, but he don't know what he's doing, and I can't tell him.

It ain't sticking too good and the out corners are a mess.

Who got the tips?

Thanks! -----

- gpsman

[dpb]

...

Best tip is -- use something else; the stuff looks terrible at best.

--

[DanG]

Use cove base cement to apply. Outside corners are problematic, so they make outside corners - this may be the simplest solution. They can be installed through the corner, but will require back skiving to get a clean corner. Hot melt glue will give nice sharp outside corners - use it a few inches each side of the turn.

Inside corners can be back skived with a notch in the toe to continue through. They can be cut, but require care or the wall will show in the joint. Pros tend to base through the corners.

[gpsman]

Bump.

Good info, sorry for the belated thanks.

The big problem of the former volunteer was getting it to stick to the wall. We bought whatever they call the standard adhesive, probably "rubber base molding adhesive" (big caulk-like tube that fits a gun with several nozzles) which I don't think is labeled as "cement", so perhaps that is the issue.

Looks like it's going to fall to me and I'm not going to be able to avoid the task.

I watched the guy attempt to install it and could detect no fault with what might be considered his basic "technique".

I mean, the wall was clean, recently painted. The base is new. He applied what I considered as a former tilesetter sufficient adhesive and pressed and J-rollered the snot out of it, stepped back and we watched it slowly separate from the wall and fall on the floor.

The process seems to must be fairly straightforward, but perhaps not. I guess I might try the hot glue along near the entire top edge but I'm not wrestling with it all freaking day getting nowhere like that poor bastard did.

Thanks again. -----

- gpsman

[DerbyDad03]

But the question remains:

Why rubber?

With all the hassle you are going through, and the fact that it doesn't (IMHO & other's) look all that great, why not go with stained or painted wood?

I content that it would be easier to use wood than rubber anyway, especially if it's painted. Caulk can hide a multitude of seam sins.

My parents just had vinyl installed in their kitchen. There was carpet before, including on the toe kicks under the cabinets. The installers put rubber under the cabinets and I put wood on the walls.

I'll just say that it's a good thing it's dark under the cabinets.

[gpsman]

My bad. x2. In haste I guess I assumed everyone was familiar and sufficiently fascinated by my previous "Adventures in (commercial) drywall" post or would deduce from the material that this is a commercial application and so failed to mention that in this thread.

Message-ID:

or In no other than numerical order:

1. Cost, I guess. I haven't a clue what they paid for this petroleum- based stuff but buying some 3/4-way decent 1x3 dropped my jaw and it wasn't my money.

1. It matches what remains of the few walls I didn't move.

2. That's the spec.of the owners to whom I am deeply indebted and who are paying me well above what my work is worth.

Otherwise, I'd send them to Labor Ready.

The bright side is I own so many pine trees that including them among my assets as dimensional lumber seems likely to allow me to leverage a few ocean view homes on Diamond Head to flip. -----

- gpsman

[gpsman]

Yeah, we tried that, some, but we don't have nearly enough stuff around to do that and this stuff seems to be overly influenced by gravity, or something about the wall is repelling it. It seems extraordinarily determined to form gaps.

It seems to me it just cannot be so labor intensive. I'm sure I'm missing something somewhere... probably something obvious and simple that is not included in any reference I've been able to find.

I didn't notice any evidence of hot glue on what was removed, but I'm going to examine it better.

I'm going to try laying it out on the floor for awhile to eliminate any effect of being coiled in a box for who knows how long.

If that fails I guess I'll try the hot glue and/or changing adhesive. -----

- gpsman

[aemeijers]

Nobody else said it, so I will- does the base molding need to be wiped down with something first, to get the manufacturing lube off of it so glue will stick to it? Last time I painted a plastic car bumper cover, I had to wipe it down with a degreasing solvent- some sort of 'liquid sandpaper' stuff- for the paint to get a bite. New extruded plastic oozes and outgasses- I suspect the surface is just too slick or greasy for the glue. If you are afraid solvent will turn the base molding to goo, maybe scuffing the back up with a industrial scotchbrite pad (the brown kind, not the green kind like for kitchens) would give a better bite.

Of course, I could be full of crap, never having worked with plastic base before. I'll need to if I ever fix up the main bathroom here, though, so I am interested in whatever solution you come up with.

-- aem sends...

[DanG]

gpsman, I've not ever had problems installing other than working bullnose corners, or any corner that did not use outside corner pieces. I own a roller, but seldom use it. I use the quart tubes from the commercial supply house where I get the base and other floor tools and adhesives. By choice, I prefer Henry's brand, but others are fine. I've not ever cleaned or prepped fresh base out of the box. I do like to use a spreader tip if I'm doing much of it for the speed of application. Avoid getting the adhesive too high on the base as it can ooze out the top and require clean up. A damp rag for clean up and to wipe the base to the wall is normally all that is needed. The toe of the cove base rests on the floor. The adhesive remains soft with a long open time, though I only apply one strip at a time. I just can't envision the problem unless the adhesive was old or some off brand junk.