Inside/Outside Baseboard Corner Blocks

pmbarber

Hello everyone, I'm having a hard time getting tight miter joints on my baseboards (5 1/4 Height). The walls of course are not perfectly straight, but I thought the joints would be a little tighter than what they are. The gap always seems to be at the top where the basboards meet on the 45 angle. I didn't want to have to go back and putty all of these angles so I was thinking about installing the Inside/Outside Baseboard Corner Blocks so I could just make the cut nice and straight instead of 45. My question is has anyone installed these before and if so do they look to generic or cheesy? This is a new construction house I have built for myself and really don't want to screw up the look of the baseboards. Thank you for your help in advance.

Mike Finley

Sounds like all you need are a few shims.

Big Dave

I would cope the corners. It will help with the gaps. Also if you use the corner blocks you will still need to adjust your cut to fit tight to the corner block as it too will not be perfectly verticle. They do look nice just make sure you cut them so they do not rise more than an inch above the baseboard. I saw a job once where they just put them in and left them full length and they stuck up above the baseboard about 2 1/2 inches and looked like crap.

Dave.

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maj

Inside corners I cope with a 15* back bevel. I keep a scrap of base at the saw table to check the fit before taking the piece to where it will be installed. Outside corners I cut to about 46*. This seems to work because the cornerbead on the drywall is a little proud of the wall itself. The 46* degree angles will usually match up pretty close for most corners. If not, I will adjust in 1/4* intervals.

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RowdyRed94

I've done many types of corner blocks, and I can tell you with complete certainty that they're more difficult by far than a simple miter. First, you have drywall irregularities. That means that almost no corner is 90* and you'll have gaps. Secondly, it's much harder than you think to keep everything vertical. If you set the block tight to one baseboard, it'll likely be out of square with the second. Those things are made of wood by human hands and are rarely true in the first place.

Trust me, your best bet is to get better at miters. A few simple tips can make your life easier. Here are a few: If the top of your miter is open, one piece (or both) is too short. You should fit your lengths at the top and adjust the backing at the bottom to fit. If the bottom is open, remove some drywall so you can get both pieces square with the floor, and then they should be tight. If the top is tight and the bottom overlaps, use plenty of glue, align the two boards and shoot them on. A small gap at the bottom back of the boards at the corner won't hurt a thing. Always overcut the first board by a degree. Most drywall corners are less than 90*, and you'll be off to a better start that way.

Oh, if you're mitering inside corners, stop. Coping is the only way to get satisfactory results.

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Ansel

Here's my two cents...Run the first piece long and scribe the end with a sharp pencil, when you cut it leave the line. Move it aside and do the same for the next piece. This will insure that both are cut to the sheetrock cornerbead, and if anything are each maybe a 1/32 of an inch over. Because longer runs of baseboard will shrink a minimal amount over their length, it is better by far to go just slightly long. If the corner is glued and nailed well any shrinkage will translate to the inside corner where it will not result in a visible gap. I do renovations (mostly) in old New England homes, and I can't even remember the last time I was able to just cut a couple of boards at 45 and get them to fit.

widco

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DaveH

Are you measuring from the bottom? Sounds like it. Make sure your top is tight and float the bottom in. It might take 2 people to measure the top, but you can get a better fit and move faster that way. Usually the drywall is held up a 1/2" or so this might cause some of your problem. Also Drywall is tapered on the edges. The edge against the floor is tapered so if you measure along the bottom of the wall it will be slightly smaller than the top especially with a 5-6" base. This taper will make your miters all too short.
Dave

jgmillzy00

I would never use corner blocks. I believe those are for the do-it-yourselfers. To make things look easier for the home owners so they dont have to higher out the job, but it doesnt work. Because I'll be in there a week later ripping it out and doing it the right way because I recieved a call from someones wife.

So what you have to do like they said above is have a piece of scrap with you. take that to the joining wall and butt it against the other piece of base. Then take a piece of thin scrap and scribe the angle of the base you already have up on to the scrap base. Take that to the saw and find the angle that you need.(left or right) You would have to bevel(tilt) it at an inside 45 or what ever that corner angle is. If your coping lift the saw back to 0 or a little past to get a small bevel but keeping the same angle and Cut, but stop before you get to your coping area. Cope it. Check it, and if its good do it to it.
I normally dont tpye direction I usually show someone how so hopefully it make somekind of sense. good luck

415moto

what you can also try is using 12" sections that you cut to fit the corners and adjust the miter after you dry fit the 12" test sections to the corners. I say 12" or a bit longer, because as others said, the corners of drywall edge out more, due the metal/plastic angles they join corners with and subsequently mud and feather out. so using a 4 inch piece wont lay the same on the wall as a it really would when you run a whole section.

And as someone else said shims. practice practice practice (with smaller scraps to test the corner). sometimes you have to back bevel and miter to get the right joint.
Glue the joints and if you have to use a brad nailer to tighten joints up.

i concur that flat blocks look like a DIY job..crown or base.

joedonuts

I stay away from those blocks, i like the look it has without them, the trim lines flow better and the vacuum cleaner does not hit the blocks.

erik edlund

pmbarber,

Good info from all replies...

Definitely use 12" test blocks if space allows, cut, check, re-cut; 46° on outside corners, 44° on inside corners (slight backcut, tighter corners). If you need to adjust the horizontal angle of your cut, stick a shim under your stock on the miter saw at the far end of your fence *or* close to the blade (Q&D- quick and dirty adjustment)

Glue outside miters, pin-nail with 1" nails, NO LONGER ( blow-outs and splits, been there, done that), remove excess glue with damp towel. If paint grade CAULK IT! If stain grade, aren't you glad you've got that 10% over on materials?

That's what experience is all about; talk with the duffers here, they're respected in the forum, they've seen it all...

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jgmillzy00

What I'm really starting to love is that TRUE ANGLE finder. I find my self using those cheap pieces of plastic alot now. They come in a few different sizes from 8'' to around 24''. Its better to use the largest one that will fit into the corner your working on.

I get to a jobsite and the first thing I do is take that tool and go to every corner that Ill be working on either it be for base or crown, do a little math and I have all my corners almost dead nuts. I think its one of my better angle finder in my box. And yes I have a whole tool box just for angle do-ha-ma-hickies and I still dont know how to use have of them. Some of them just looked cool so I got them.

theworx

A lot of good posts with good suggestions... But I have one question which might seem silly but, have you checked to make sure your saw is perfectly dialed in. I personally would have checked my saw first to make sure it wasn't off. As far as dealing with funky corners I have used many of the suggestions posted!!!

jmic

As stated by a few guys above, IMO coping is the only way to go for nice tight inside corners.

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chevy1955174462

I personally like the baseboard corner blocks and have installed baseboard with or without them for 20 yrs. I agree with the statement about them being for the do-it-yourself type but at the same time ive installed them on highend homes so it just depends on the owner . If you are worried about them looking cheesy stay away from the dull looking ones like at lowes .Go to google or ebay and type in baseboard corner blocks and you will find some nice hand turned ones and you wont be disappointed with the looks .

john5mt

Scribe your outside corners. They can always be cut at a greater angle than 45 you know. I never use a 45 on an outside corner...usually its a 45.5 or 46 as they seem to scoop out near the outside corner due to the build up of drywall mud on the corners.

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Mike Finley

How do you scribe and outside corner?

nailkiller1

Its been almost 4 years think the general has the base figured out yet

chevy1955174462

Lol ! I didnt look at the date .