https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bcuf66RPlv0

Thanks PPF. I actually had saved this same video to show the contractor. This is the type of baseboard I really want. But to retro fit a 4000 square foot house that is already drywalled would be too expensive I think. But maybe I’m wrong? Thanks!

simple, flat baseboard??

Thanks Oliviag! that is what I am also thinking...also trying to get an idea of size for a very modern home.

Have you considered flat vinyl base?

How tall are your ceilings? Baseboard height is largely dictated by ceiling height, to my understanding.

Or are you asking about thickness, rather than height, when you refer to size?

Thanks mark and odd! I don’t know about the vinyl ones. They have those at work. Have you ever seen them in a house?

Odd my ceilings are 8 feet. I would love to have height and width suggestions. :)

This article might be of some interest: https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/modern-crown-molding-baseboards

I don't get it at all. Baseboards are meant to stand out......not basically with a line. Real baseboards have numerous angles to look great.....IMO. If that's the new modern.....I'm totally against it......Maybe I'm old fashion.....I like the 'real' look.....

Mine are 4" high and rabeted so the 3/4" thickness is partially inset. This makes them thick enough to be rigid but gives a thinner profile.

EZYConcept makes a flat aluminum base called Alubase. That could be another option.

Solid plastic laminate, color to match wall color.

Thank you everyone! Crl this article is great. I like the ones in the pic below with the bench.

Robin, thanks for the input, but an intricate baseboard in a minimalist house would look out of character. I see baseboards as utilitarian...they hide the ugly junction between the floor and drywall and protect the drywall when vacuuming. Kind of like popcorn ceilings in the 70’s. I like how they are artistically built up though in some of the more traditional or Victorian style homes, but that’s not for a modern house.

Pal, by inset, do you mean they inset them into the drywall? I already have drywall up in most of the house. I like the Alubase, but I’m thinking it needs to go in before the drywall?

Virgil, do you mean laminate instead of solid wood? Why laminate? Does it hold up better?

I currently have door frame moldings that are 2.5” x 3/4”. Most of the doors in the house will be moved, and the remaining few will be made into Kerf jambs. Should I stick with 2.5 x 3/4” or go to 2.5 x .5”?

What do you think of these styles? They look like they are 2.5” x .5”?

Yes. they just trimmed the drywall at the bottom, but it did not need to be as precise as fully recessed. Mine splits the 3/4" stock more evenly in halves than I drew here.

We have 3.5"x 0.5" for the baseboards and 1.5'x0.75" for the door trim (just to give you an idea). I like the thinness for the baseboards

"...Virgil, do you mean laminate instead of solid wood? Why laminate? Does it hold up better?..."

Yes. Solid core plastic laminate applied to the gyp board with adhesive. It can be cut to any desired height. It's a very simple and cost effective way to eliminate projecting, bulky-appearing base boards in modern interiors. When a color is selected which matches the wall color, it gives the appearance of flush, "no-base", modern interiors without all the hassle of some of the schemes above.

Virgil - do you have a link to the base you are referring to? Or Mark - the flat vinyl base?

I have to manage the transition between floor and wall and was considering using an epoxy product to integrate the "baseboard" into the floor and cove the edges where floor meets exterior wall - but it's $12/ linear foot - and I'd like to see other options.

THANKS

Vinyl base can be bought at the big box building supply stores or even on Amazon.

Some ideas here. We are considering a 1x1 base of mdf painted the wall color. Not sure that will work out though.

I don't think vinyl base would be incorrect. I have seen it in some pretty upscale older time capsule interiors although now it seems to be more institutional. I guess it depends on how period you want to be.

I am having newfound respect for that utilitarian product - and it might be perfect in my build. I have a white floor planned - and white vinyl might be a perfect complement to the white window trims. I've never seen it in anything other than tan or crappy gray - it takes on a different look in different colors. (Sorry, rockybird for the hijack - timely discussion)

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate the ideas! I just dont know if I can do the vinyl, as it is so close to what we have at the hospital. It also seems to have a lot of bends and curves but that could be the way it is installed.

Justjanni- youre not hijaking at all. This is all great info.!

Rob390, I like that baseboard. That's similar to what I am thinking of.

Robm, I like the idea of the 1x1" but it might be too square for me.

I'm thinking about 2-3" tall x .5" wide solid wood baseboard.

1/2 may be a bit too flexible which is why we went with the solution I showed. It depends on how flat your walls are.

I believe the Alubase comes in a flat thin surface mount variation. Their website is awful for information.

I suggest a simple 3/4" x5" flat base. 5/8" thick can also work but they may be hard to find. I'd avoid the 1/2" thick and 4" tall.

I would not consider vinyl base in your home.

we used a nominal 6 inch base , so 5.5 inches. about .5 thick. 4 inch nominal casing. so, true 3.5.
we used MDF, as environmentally friendly, and takes paint beautifully. But... it is way softer than real wood, and much easier to nick or dent with furniture moving, or even a central vac hose...

Thanks everyone! Naf Naf why do you think 5”?

Hers some pics of the house. I have red rock walls and walls of glass so much of thehouse wont need baseboards.

The new addition:

Ooooooooh I see that little photo-bombing birdie!!!

You sure you don't want 1x1s? :-D I just totally envisioned 1x1s in your space (especially after seeing the countertop in photo #2), and painted/finished to blend with the walls or the floor, they'd be very unobtrusive.

I'm not a pro, though, so don't necessarily trust my judgment, lol!!!

How tall are the bottom rails of the sliding doors and windows? That might be a good dimension to consider

I don't have anything to say about the baseboards, but I wanted to tell you your home is beautifully decorated! The setting is absolutely gorgeous too. Like the birdie :-)

Thank you guys! I was hoping the pics would help! ODD that little bird wants to be a part of everything I do! Do you think 1" thick will be too fat?

Thanks pal. I thought about that too. I'll measure them when I get home, but maybe they should be a little taller so it doesnt look too much like I'm trying to match? In the addition they are around 1.5" but I wonder if I should go a little taller with the baseboards?

Suru11, thank you so much! :)

ODD that little bird wants to be a part of everything I do! Do you think 1" thick will be too fat?

Okay, so here is honestly what I would do... Because I've already done it, lol.

Go to Home Depot and get a single 8'-12' length of everything you might want. One 1"x1" piece, one 0.75"x5", one 0.5"x3", etc. Separately lay each piece along a nice stretch of wall (under the bursty orange clock, perhaps?), take pics for each one, and select your favorite (or have us vote here).

And everything I've read says to go taller with baseboard than with window/door trim. But I read traditional style stuff (Tudor, Spanish, etc.), so the rules may be different for modern stuff.

I don't think it is a negative to try and match things. I would go with the taller version of the sliders or windows.

Personally I think 1" thick is a little thick, expecially when it's flat. Any flat topped baseboard is going to be a dust collector.

(This is one thing that happens a bit less on a detailed base. When I lived in the 1840 house, the overall thickness of the layered baseboard was two inches overall but the tops of each layer tapered toward each other or the wall so they weren't flat.

The tops were tapered like this: I am not recommending any sort of detail, just saying that the tapered tops have relatively thin flat portions.

If you’re doing kerf jambs, keep in mind that your base won’t have door trim to butt into and hide the ends.

So, are you only adding base to the addition? or, will you run the new base throughout the home?

Thanks ODD. I think this is what I will have to do.

Thanks Pal, I”ll get some samples from HD and see how they look. I agree that 1” wide is a dust collector. That baseboard from 1840 is beautiful!

Thanks Lindsey, I was worried about that but I’ve seen a lot of pics of homes with kerf jambs and baseboards.

Oliviag, it’s for both the addition and home. I never added any to the home.

Good deal! We JUST had our doors replaced as well as the door & window casing and the base with the modern flat stock similar to your inspiration pictures above - “just” as in this week. We almost built and I, too, was set on the reveal base and kerf jambs. We bought instead so...compromise. Post pictures when it’s finished - I love your house!

Rob.....I would highly recommend not using mdf for base. It dents 'very' easy......very soft. I personally would only use it for crown.

Thanks, good to know but isn't that what a lot of baseboards are made of? https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/search.html?q=baseboard#!q=baseboard 

Our builder implied real wood 1x1 base would be out of our budget.

I used anodized aluminum extrusions. They can be had in various dimensions.

If you are going to do something super short, how about stained walnut or black?

Thanks everyone! The contractor is going to bring a sample he uses for the modern homes he does...I think its 2.5-3" tall by .5" wide. It's solid wood.

Pal, the walnut baseboards look great. I think I prefer baseboards that blend into the wall because the house already has the red rock walls and all that glass looking outside. I think I like the idea of keeping the walls simple. But those baseboards look great!