Q: I am installing quarter-round on my new baseboards, what do you use to attach the joints with? Should I use Liquid Nails to glue the 1/4 round down, or is there a better way?
A: Quarter-round should be nailed to the base boards only. It is intended to hide gaps between the base and floor. It should also permit a little movement in the flooring. Plus, it absorbs the impact of feet and furniture legs, so you may want to replace it sometime—thus, don’t glue it. Predrill the nail holes to avoid splitting the molding. Use standard carpenter’s glue for corners and intermediate joints. Outside corners are mitered and intermediate joints should also be cut at 45-degree angle for a better gluing surface and to help hide the joint. It also hides any separation in the joint, which a butt joint won’t do. Inside corners should be coped, or use a corner block so the quarter-round can be cut square. Don’t try to drive the nail flush with the hammer. Use a nail set to drive the nail head just below the surface and fill the hole.
