How would you fix this...

[Mike Shields]

...gap between baseboard and cloth wallpaper?

The wall has a nice bow, in a short distance. The SO has told me she has no way to fill the gap, without making a mess of the cloth wallpaper.

Any suggestions on preferably a way to fill the gap, and not have to start over with a new baseboard piece?

Thanks!

[Frank Snyder]

If there's a stud in between the inside and outside corner, I would use a trim head screw to pull the base molding tight against the wall, then fill the screw head hole with a quality wood filler, sand, prime and paint.

[David DeCristoforo]

Limited options but I don't see why you could not apply some of that blue masking tape to the wall and calk the gap. The tape should not mess up the paper and as long as you let the calking set up before peeling the tape, you should be OK. Frank's idea is good but I'm betting there's no stud in there....

[Matt Hutchinson]

I used to be a professional wallpaper hanger. The ideal situation is to always install, caulk, and paint the trim before hanging the wallpaper. Obviously that can't be done here, but your best bet might be the taping off method already mentioned. There are a few different tapes out there, (blue, green, and purple) but there are also some that are completely different. I can't remember the brand, but there was a whitish tape that had an unbelievably low tack, and might be perfect for this application.

Hutch

P.S. If the wallpaper surface it more papery than vinyl, you will need to be even more careful with the taping pressure.

[Joe Jensen]

I would think there must be a stud behind there, or why else would the dryall be so crooked? If there is a stud, screw the trim to the stud with a countersunk screw, fill and paint. If no stud, I'd consider a toggle bolt. You would need to drill a pretty large diameter counter bore first, say 3/4", and then the 1/2" hole for the toggle bolt. Use a fender washer to sit inside the counterbore. Once tightened up, cap the hole, sand flush, and paint...joe

[Joe Chritz]

If it is possible to remove the baseboard you could remove some drywall between studs and put in 1/2 plywood. Then you could use a trim head screw like mentioned above wherever needed.

Obviously if there is already a stud then screw it down and go to town.

Joe

[Jerome Hanby]

Caulk covers a multitude of sins...

[Jesse Cloud]

There's an old saying, a little caulk, a little paint makes a job what it ain't;)

[Paul Girouard]

If there's a stud in between the inside and outside corner, I would use a trim head screw to pull the base molding tight against the wall, then fill the screw head hole with a quality wood filler, sand, prime and paint.



Frank's got it , you maybe can do a counter sink hole then just bore thru the base board , then use a screw to pull the sheet rock TO the base to close the gap , then caulk using clear caulk. And as has been stated install base , caulk / fill , paint , THEN wallpaper. Sequence , sequence , sequence!

[Frank Drew]

If there's no stud there's certainly a bottom plate you could probably catch with a screw, maybe angled slightly downward.

[Steve Clardy]

Whats the distance [length] of that wall?
If its 16" or so, more than likely there is not a stud there.


Either the blue tape and caulk method, or plywood installed behind the base onto the wall as mentioned above.

Or, you might be able to draw the base molding close, by putting a screw or nail into the bottom part, hitting the lower plate in the wall framing.

Should be a 1.5x3.5 plate there.

[Brian Brown]

Looks to me like a great place for a potted plant... a nice leafy full one.

[Reed Wells]

Mike, If you can carefully remove the base, you can countersink an eighth inch toggle bolt. It should pull the drywall and base together.

[Alan Schaffter]

To those who are wondering why the wall is bowed . . . it is not. The drywall installer just built up the transition on the inside and outside corner beads too much.

1. If there is a stud there no problem, screw it to the stud.

or

2. Tape the wall to protect it, then fill the gap with caulk (might need 2 -3 applications, then paint.

or

3. Like Joe C. said, use a forstner bit to drill a counter bore in the baseboard. Then drill a hole in the center of the counter bore, through baseboard, through the drywall. Install a molly (toggle) bolt, pull the baseboard/wall together, then fill the counter bore.

or

4. Remove baseboard, cut an access hole, install a ply backer, and use a countersunk woodscrews to pull the baseboard/wall together. Fill and paint the screw hole.

5. What is on the other side of that wall? Any chance of going at it from the back with a backer and screws?

[Jason Roehl]

I see this all the time in new construction. That "bow" is because of how far the metal/vinyl corner bead stands proud of the drywall surface. The drywallers simply float it out enough to make it look good at their stage of the game.

Like others said, for the future, the trim should be caulked, puttied and painted before the wallpaper.

As to your situation, you could probably pull the piece tight to the wall with a screw of some sort screwed into the bottom plate (not likely to be a stud there, but there should be a bottom plate). The downside to this is that it will open up the miter on the outside corner.

My vote would be for taping and caulking. 3M 60-day tape shouldn't hurt the cloth wallpaper at all (blue with an orange label on the cardboard roll). If you can find it, the 3M purple tape is even lower-tack, but may not stick at all. You may need to caulk it twice--the first time will shrink, then that little dip becomes a dirt collector.

On edit: Upon closer examination of the picture, it looks like the inside-corner end of the trim piece isn't tight to the wall, either. My guess is that there is a pretty good lump of drywall joint compound at the bottom of the inside corner (also very common--were I to ever build a new house, the drywallers would probably hate me by the time they were done...I know where all their common short-cuts and oversights are...)

[Richard M. Wolfe]

Before trying to pull the trim flush with a screw, you might first take something that won't mar the molding and see if it's possible to push it flush with the wall. If you can't push it flush a screw may not do a great job of pulling it flush either. If you think that will work push it flush against the wall and then put a screw in it. Screws will hold in place better than pulling something down. If the molding is soft material you stand a chance of pulling the head deep in the wood without pulling the molding flush.

[Jim O'Dell]

If you can remove that section of base, I'd recut, about 1/16" longer to let it bow in, then use one of the methods of drilling and screwing the base down where it pulls into the wall board. I'd be careful about doing something that would pull the wall board toward the base board for fear that it might crack and show through the wall paper. Jim.

[Larry Fox]

I am with the others who say find the stud and draw it in with a countersunk screw. If there is no stud, pop the molding off drill hole for toggle bolt reapply and draw it in. From there it becomes a caulk / paint job.

That said - I also like Brian Brown's idea as well and it is certainly the easiest. :)

[Rod Sheridan]

Replace the baseboard, once you bend it, you'll find it's too short.

The other suggestions about trim screws or toggle bolts are what I'd do, once I replaced the baseboard.

I also don't normally mitre inside corners, I cope them, which can help in these situations.

Rod.

[Scott Banbury]

YES! Cope your inside corners!

[Dennis Lopeman]

how about a shim, of sorts?

pull the baseboard off, eyeball how thick a shim you'll need, glue it on, re-attach... and THEN caulk!!

the caulk will have something to stick to...

but the screw trick is also good to close that gap as close as possible, after shimming... Sure is a big gap. You'll have to put that screw in at a downward angle - countersink it - and caulk up that too. Good thing here is that you can hide everything since your painting is white...

good luck

Take AFTER pix so we can see how you made out.

[Jerome Hanby]

YES! Cope your inside corners!

Is their a trick to coping? My one attempt was an abject failure! It was basically cutting a 45 degree miter then using the "finished" line to back cut away from the mitered part.

[Terry Sparks]

You can do this project on 9/13/08...Cut out that section of drywall, square it up and put in another section of drywall. I'm guessing it will be a 4 hour project tops, from start to cleaning up (minus the wallpaper).

Afterwards, you can sit down with your favorite beverage and watch the USC Trojans beat the tar out of the Buckeyes that afternoon.

[Dennis Lopeman]

YES! Cope your inside corners!


hmmm - did think of that til now... so why not shave off the ends until the whole back is touching...

do you have a bandsaw?

Somehow, you could get the EXACT shape by taking a casting, or something like that... then you can draw it on the bottom edge of the baseboard (reversed since its the bottom of course!) and trim that off...

So how to make a cast????

Anyone, Bueller?? Beuller?