Short wall -- big gap?

[Philip Spencer]

I am replacing some baseboard with 5 1/4 speed-base and have an issue on a short wall. It is very concave. It is too big for caulk to fill so I am wondering how to handle it. Advice appreciated.254460

[Peter Quinn]

Is there movement in the sheet rock? Or first question, is it sheet rock? If so, I'd cut a 2X2 access hole behind the apex of said offending concavity, slide in a strip of plywood, screw through the sheet rock into the plywood on each side of the access hole, replace the baseboard, run a few trim head screws through the baseboard to suck the sheet rock and base board together. Then you may be left with a caulkable problem.

If testing deems that unfeasible, I'd glue a little strip to the back of the molding and scribe it to the bulge, put some 1/2" or so plywood shims on each side of the bulge between the wall and molding to facilitate marking the scribe. It will be less obvious than backer rod and a pool of caulk, which would be my fastest, dirtiest, I need to get out of this corner and on to other things solution. They sell backer rod at most borg locations, it will give the pool of caulk something to bear on.

My house is plaster, I have actually plastered gaps like that post installation, because you can't use screws to suck in plaster like sheet rock IME.

[Mark Bolton]

Peter is spot on with the ply trick. Just be aware that if you pull that bulge out the corner is likely to crack. As long as your willing to touch up the wall paint its no issue. If the crack is not acceptable (dont want to or cant touch up) the scribe'd option would be best. Another possible option is to try kerfing the back of the base in that area but it looks like its too much for that. If you do kerf you have to leave the areas where you plan to screw un-kerfed so you still have some holding power at the screw.

Pretty common with drywall on inside and outsides where the corner is fat or hollow. Its more work, and it still shows, but its why a two piece base is often nicer. If you can pull at least some of the bulge with a flat base stock, then run a separate top trim, the smaller top trim can be drawn tight to the rolling wall. You just spread the problem out over three joints that way as opposed to one.

[Jason Roehl]

That's totally caulkable. I'm a painting contractor by day and I've caulked plenty of gaps that big (and some bigger) in tract homes. If you want the caulk to last, get some backer rod--round strips of closed-cell foam in varying diameters. Select a size that is just larger than the gap and tuck it in until it is just below the top of the baseboard (~1/16-1/8"). Then run the bead of caulk and gently smooth it (don't push so hard that you sink the backer rod). The important thing is to get the cross-section shape of the caulk to an hourglass shape so that it can flex without tearing --> )(

[phil harold]

That's totally caulkable. I'm a painting contractor by day and I've caulked plenty of gaps that big (and some bigger) in tract homes. If you want the caulk to last, get some backer rod--round strips of closed-cell foam in varying diameters. Select a size that is just larger than the gap and tuck it in until it is just below the top of the baseboard (~1/16-1/8"). Then run the bead of caulk and gently smooth it (don't push so hard that you sink the backer rod). The important thing is to get the cross-section shape of the caulk to an hourglass shape so that it can flex without tearing --> )(

the plywood trick may help

but caulking would work too

I would mask the wall above before caulking to make a nice straight line

[Peter Quinn]

Over time the caulk will sag around the backer rod, it will collect dust in a way the surrounding area won't, it may not fail but it will certainly fade in its efficacy. It will last long enough for the painter or trim installer (depending on who is on the hook for the prep) to get paid. I've never seen caulk last except on very small gaps. Now maybe it will be good enough to satisfy your requirements, thats not my call. But it never falls in the category of first rate carpentry. Jason mentioned it, I used to paint some years ago and used my own fair share of caulk, when you are painting its really your only option, you certainly cant go around ripping off millwork and making substantive repairs under most contracts. But as the trim installer, you have the option of taking steps to actually solve this problem instead of just masking it.

Mark wisely mentioned damage to the corner and kerfing. I would proceed with caution concerning the plywood gusset. If it seems it may do more harm than good and result in difficult sheet rock repairs you can always abandon it, it will be covered anyway. Some things pop right out, others rip the wall down with them. You could also kerf the sheet rock. Yup, run a series of razor knife lines up the rock vertically to just above the basemold height, maybe even peel off a little paper and moisten it a bit. This makes it way more pliable. Then you can install the base with the plywood gusset trick, and a few quick skim coats of compound repairs the visible damage. Perhaps a combination of of kerfing the board and the sheet rock might make them compromise in a pleasing manner?

Option D......hit the wall at the plate with a banger block and a 10# sledge. Could be the second stud back has moved forward a bit, a long straight edge can help identify what is happening on the whole run. Just be careful not to knock anything off the other side of the wall....DAMHIK.

[Chris Padilla]

I've used Jason's method on my own house where I have a spot just like that. Maybe a good quality caulk last longer? Mine's working on 5-6 years now and so far, it looks fine. I mean, YOU will always see the gap but it may not be as obvious to others.

[Mark Bolton]

For sure...

Ive caulked joints like this too, Im sure we all have, and its never a great solution though in the world of home building its sometime just inevitable. It WILL fail, it rarely looks good even when its first done. The collecting dust issue is a big one and further that top edge of the base is a major eye catcher. Ive been lucky most of my customers are happy for the fact that I hope the work I do looks as good in years to come as it did when they handed me the final check. I wouldn't have that luxury in spec' homes by any stretch and caulking this joint, or blaming it on someone else (which is more commonly the case) would likely result. Jason's approach is just what you have to do often times in home building today.

I think a dual approach of the ply and a bit of kerfing would be my option even if it got the joint to less than perfect, but caulkable. A few kerfs would take the pressure off the drywall and likely let the base bow into the dip a bit without risking the corner. When I think of cutting/beating on drywall I envision screw pops, joint cracks, and next think your patching, then repaint the room, zoikes..

Pull the base off, kerf it on the miter saw with some 1/2" gaps between the kerfs, make sure to kerf it at whatever depth out the bottom edge but of course not through the top, mark your 1/2" un-kerfed area on the front (hopefully in the deepest part of the dip), install the ply, and put it back up, trim screws. Bunch of time wasted, but thats drywall sometimes.

[Alan Bienlein]

The problem there is that when they tape and floated the inside corner and floated the corner bead they just feathered it out in the middle of that wall back to the sheet rock. In other words they took the easy way out instead of doing a full float there to get that small wall flat.

I would caulk it with backer rod and let it set up and apply another layer of caulk since the first one will shrink. Then paint the caulk the wall color so that you see a straight line on the trim.