The caulking width depends on how the trim was installed.

My husband is a high-end painter and caulks all the trim. Of course it is painted to match the walls or the trim so it is almost invisible.

It needs to be the height of the gap, from the floor to the molding, vertically. It shouldnt project horizontally out onto the flooring any further than the face of the molding.

If I'm reading your question right, it sounds like it projects/rolls out out onto the tile floor.

If thats the case, I'd imagine it looks pretty sad.

There's no mention of interior finish caulking in the Construction Performance Guidelines under the government warranty programme I build under.

If the build were done with proper regard to the order of finishing there would be no need for caulking.

I always have the quarter or eighth round installed after the finished floor is in place. So there's no need to caulk that joint, just the miters, nailholes and possibly the joint at the baseboard. On tile or stone floors I either use the same material as a baseboard, or caulk.

Personally, I would consider that gap unacceptable in a new home. It's what you find in older homes after the floors have settled. Then, you either caulk, or remove the quarter/eighth round and start over.

"If the build were done with proper regard to the order of finishing there would be no need for caulking."

So if there is no government standard it is not required?

Rather lame way to build.

I always caulk the bottom of quarter round (or baseboard if no quarter round is used) in bathrooms to the floor.

Clear acrylic latex works very well.

The quarter round should be tight to the tile floor already, so the caulk should be very narrow but still close any gaps at the grout lines.

Some caulk here beats having water dumped into walls when the sink, tub, or toilet overflows.

Instead of using grout on the perimeters where the tile meets the walls, tub, shower pan, etc, we always used caulk that matches the color of the grout in the feild. If you still wanted quarter round, so be it and can be treated as worthy mentioned and one step better, a minute bead at the base of the quarter as brickeye mentioned for extra insurance. That bead would only need to be miniscule to fill the gap, not running out onto the floor tiles.

Thank you everyone, that's helpful and reading your comments I feel sure the width is unacceptable no matter what one's caulking/non-caulking preference is.

I am a total failure at posting photos, or even finding out how. I do know how to email them and if it's OK I may email a photo to a couple of you who have that option on your page.

Also, does anyone know if there is a US building industry standard about caulking width stated anywhere?

Thank you again.

We have a very rough tile in our mudroom. I knew there was no way to get the baseboard or quarter round to fit over the tile without lots of uneven gaps, so we installed the baseboard (raised up 3/4" to match the height in nearby rooms, which have wood) and then tiled up to it. There is a small grout line, just as there is between tiles.

So if there is no government standard it is not required?

I took another look at the Tarion Guidelines, for new homes built in Ontario. If I were the homeowner advocate, I would argue that this clause applied:

10.15
Condition: JOINT QUALITY OF INTERIOR TRIM AND MOULDING WORK
Acceptable Performance/Condition: Joints in trim, where exposed to view, shall be tightly fitted and have aligned surfaces or be filled with a compatible material to achieve the same result; cracks in excess of 1.5 mm are not acceptable.

Warranty: One-Year" Work and Materials ⢠Minor gaps caused by normal shrinkage of materials due to drying after construction are excluded from the statutory warranty.
Action: Joints not meeting the acceptable condition shall be repaired."

I would argue that it is not acceptable to fill cracks greater than 1.5mm (0.059 in.), even if they are of a compatible material.

My impression is that this would be considered a cosmetic matter, which the warranty programme is less inclined to get involved in than it was previously.

Private builder warranties say pretty much the same thing as the Tarion warranty, eg., here.

Maybe a text on trim carpentry would show or describe work to a higher standard.

Here is a link that might be useful: Construction Performance Guidelines