How to Install Quarter Round Molding with or Without Nails

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Quarter round molding is very useful in hiding the gaps betwixt pieces of wood, such equally baseboards and flooring. Information technology is commonly attached to the walled corners of wooden flooring to provide an elegant finish to the edges.

It can get a piddling complicated to install given the type of wood used and the angles to exist covered. While it is unremarkably attached using a blast gun, it tin can too exist stock-still using other materials such as gum.

Beneath, let'south take a wait at the different methods of installing quarter round molding.

How to Install Quarter Round Molding with Nails

The nigh common mode to install quarter round molding is using nails. You lot can either practice this manually or use a nail gun.

Method #i: Using a Hammer

Let's showtime by looking at the transmission method:

  • Step 1: Sweep the clay and debris off the wall. Ensure that the surface is clean, including the edges of the wall where the molding will be placed.
  • Step 2: Cut the molding to fit the length of the baseboard. To practice this, lay the entire molding confronting the baseboard and use a pencil to mark the edges of the baseboard. This indicates the corner of the wall. Take your marked quarter rounds and use a miter saw to cutting at the marks. Identify your miter saw at a 45-caste angle to brand the cutting. Make sure that the next quarter round has an opposite 45-caste cut and so the 2 pieces come together without any gaps. For creating a straight joint between two quarter rounds y'all can cutting at either 45 degrees or thirty degrees in the opposite direction.
  • Footstep 3: Lay the quarter circular flush against the wall. Brand sure to support the molding securely against the wall or the corner.
  • Step iv: Betoken a ane-1/4-inch nail at the middle of the molding. This should be placed around 2 inches from the border. Hold the boom so it is parallel to the floor. Hammer the smash through the quarter round into the baseboard. You should stop hammering when about xviii-inch of the nail is sticking out. Now take hold of your nail setter and align it with the elevation of your nail. Hammer the nail setter until your nail is all the manner inside the circular.
  • Step 5: Continue hammering the remaining nails around 2 feet apart from the first, until you lot have covered the length of the baseboard. Make certain you nail the quarter round to the wall and non the floor. The nails should exist driven all the fashion into the quarter round so there's a slight hole left on the quarter round
  • Stride 6: Comprehend the nail holes with woods putty. Let the putty to fully dry
  • Step 7: One time completely dry out, sand the wood putty lightly, and so paint the wood, if needed, to alloy the color with the rest of the rounds.

Method #2: Using A Smash Gun

When using a nail gun, Instead of using a smash set and nails, you can attach the kind of nail y'all want on your gun and use it to drive the nails across the quarter round. Make certain that you position your nail gun at a 45-caste bending and insert your first nail starting from the corner of the flooring.

This method makes the procedure of nailing much easier and requires less effort and precision from the worker. Overall, notwithstanding, it is like to the previous method.

Quarter Round Molding

How to Install Quarter Round Molding with an Adhesive (Without Nails)

In case you don't want to or cannot work with nails for 1 reason or another, your next best option is to employ an adhesive. The process is fairly simple:

  • Stride 1: Clean the area. This is peculiarly important when using this method since the adhesive won't stick properly unless the surfaces are perfectly clean.
  • Step 2: Measure out the quarter round and cut it to fit the length of your baseboard.
  • Step 3: With medium-grit sandpaper, scuff the side of the quarter round that will exist set against the baseboard. You should make roughly v strokes. Make a like number of strokes on the baseboard side where the quarter round will go. This volition improve adhesion between the two pieces.
  • Pace four: Utilise agglutinative or gum evenly on the scuffed side of the quarter round.
  • Step v: Adhere the quarter round forth the baseboard and press tightly. Concur the molding confronting the baseboard for at least a minute to permit the pieces to bond strongly.
  • Footstep 6: Clean up the mess. Employ a damp sponge or cloth rag to wipe off the backlog glue at the seams of the baseboard and the quarter round.
  • Footstep seven: Repeat the steps above to attach the remaining quarter rounds to the baseboard.

Mistakes to Avoid, Tips & Tricks

When using quarter rounds, make certain you cut at the correct angles for corners and joints. Incorrect angles can crusade quarter rounds to protrude or look messy. For a regular xc-degree bending you should cut your two molding pieces at 45-degree angles at contrary sides, yet for less precipitous corners, for example, a 45-degree corner, the bending will be halved to 22.5 degrees.

In add-on, it is likely that despite cut along the correct degrees, there is a minor gap between the two pieces. This is commonly the case when working on older baseboards which are likely to contract or expand with wear and tear. In such cases, apply wood putty to fill the gaps. Save the final coat of paint for the end, and then that it covers all blemishes and small-scale color differences betwixt the putty and the quarter round.

When using glue it is likely that the mucilage will ooze from the edges or joints in the baseboard. Make sure that any excess gum is immediately wiped off before allowing the pieces to dry. You lot would too need to scuff the rounds advisedly with sandpaper to matte out any protrusions in the wood.

Frequently Asked Questions Nearly Installing Quarter Round Molding

Lastly, permit's take a look at some of the most oftentimes asked questions about installing quarter round molding.

Should Yous Glue or Nail Quarter Round Molding?

Y'all should ideally use a nail gun for a long-lasting finish. This is because nailed quarter rounds are more sturdy and durable than glued quarter rounds. In addition, poor quality adhesives tin can lead to chipping of the molding forth the corners of the wall.

Tin Yous Apply a Brad Nailer for Quarter Round Molding Installation?

Yes, you can utilise brad nails for installation. These are more often than not thinner than regular nails with a narrower head, which makes them easy to hibernate on the wood. They also create smaller holes that can be covered.

Should You Caulk Around Quarter Circular Molding?

Caulking is not essential when installing the quarter round molding, but it helps to give a make clean finishing touch to the quarter rounds. You should use caulk where in that location are visible thin lines or gaps between the quarter round and the baseboard. Since caulk too contains agglutinative, it strengthens the bail between the board and the quarter rounds, making the installation more durable.

Caulking is not recommended for larger or roughly shaped gaps or dents, which are better inconspicuous using wood putty.

Summary

While yous can use both nails or adhesive to attach quarter rounds, both methods require a different type of expertise.

When using an adhesive, you have to ensure that the bond between the pieces is strong past scuffing the two surfaces properly and ensuring that the high-quality glue is applied evenly across the surface. In dissimilarity, using a nail gun requires more steps to create a clean finish. Yous need to brand sure that the smash holes are completely covered and camouflaged by the pigment or woods terminate.