# Plastic baseboard vs crown moulding baseboards



## daluu (Jan 2, 2012)

I was wondering why there is the following difference:

Most homes (at least ones I've seen in parts of California and Texas) use crown moulding type baseboard.

Corporate/commercial/business buildings seem to use plastic baseboards (at least in places where I've worked), the type that is like tape and also a variant is used instead of caulk to seal bathtubs. Like this photo for example:

http://www.diycentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/cove-molding-003-300x225.jpg

Is there a reason or regulations for this difference? Or simply a matter of preference and crown mouldings are the "norm" or fad for residential homes?

Personally, I'd probably consider that plastic tape style baseboard. Takes less floor space, I think easier to work w/ w/o saws, etc., more water resistant & doesn't really absorb water keeping it out instead, and less need to caulk around if at all.


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## Just Bill (Dec 21, 2008)

Not sure if you have your terminology mixed up. Crown molding goes at the top of a wall, at the ceiling, and is mounted at an angle. It is never used as a baseboard. Baseboard is usually 1/2 to 3/4 thick, usually with a round over or detail at the top edge, and mounted vertically at the floor/wall joint. There is often a quarter round or similar, at the flloor against the baseboard.


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## Sartrean (Jan 11, 2012)

Just hazarding a guess but I suspect the plastic stuff is either cheaper or more durable. Plastic is also less decorative so not really able to create a selling point for a potential buyer.


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## mikegp (Jul 17, 2011)

The plastic/rubber is really just for commercial use. It's inexpensive, can be glued on, and is in my opinion ugly. I know one person who used it in their kitchen in the 80's. It tends to peal off after a while. Also using it around corners is not the prettiest thing.


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## 95025 (Nov 14, 2010)

Crown Moulding is attached where the wall meets the ceiling, not the floor.

That said, the vinyl/plastic base is typically used in commercial applications for several reasons. First, many commercial buildings have concrete block walls, so there's nothing to nail baseboard to. Also, cost factors in. But it's also assumed that in commercial buildings, the base trim will be banged into repeatedly by mops and/or buffing machines and/or vacuums. When it gets knocked loose they either glue it back on, or just replace it.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Not in my house or any house I'm working on.
It's ugly and cheap, no one I know wants there house to look like a doctors office or commercial bathroom.
It's called sanitary base.


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## daluu (Jan 2, 2012)

Supposing I did want the plastic stuff (pardon the ick factor), where might I find it? It doesn't look like Home Depot, Lowes, sell them other than the smaller type used for bathtubs. Same on Amazon, or I'm searching the wrong term "plastic baseboard".


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Try vinyl not plastic.
Any real flooring or tile store store will stock it.


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## yeahitwasme (Jan 29, 2012)

yes they do and that lovely crap brown vinyl comes in 50 ft . rolls
:laughing:


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## 95025 (Nov 14, 2010)

daluu said:


> Supposing I did want the plastic stuff (pardon the ick factor), where might I find it? It doesn't look like Home Depot, Lowes, sell them other than the smaller type used for bathtubs. Same on Amazon, or I'm searching the wrong term "plastic baseboard".


Hey - your house is your house, so it's your choice.

I'm surprised HD/Lowes/Menards doesn't carry the stuff. Did you look carefully in the flooring departments? You can usually get it in rolls, and sometimes in 8' pieces.

Look up "rubber sanitary base."


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## yeahitwasme (Jan 29, 2012)

listen its non called plastic or vinyl its composite moulding and hd sells it by the foot where you cut it yourself and lws sells it in 8' lenths and the installation method for composite is adhesive caulk not screws or nails


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## mikegp (Jul 17, 2011)

Are you saying thay the picture in the original post shows composite moulding? The only thing that has been referred to as plastic, vinyl, or rubber is what is pictured in the first post.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Go back and look. It the cheap looking vinyl sanitary glued up base you see in hospitals and comercial building.


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## mikegp (Jul 17, 2011)

Are you responding to me or the person above me.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

To you Mike.


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## daluu (Jan 2, 2012)

Thanks, I'll try searching again, didn't know what they were really called before.


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## mikegp (Jul 17, 2011)

joecaption said:


> To you Mike.


I know what it is, I posted near the beginning what it was. I was responding to "yeahitwasme" who said it's not called plastic or rubber, it's called composite moulding. It's not composite moulding and the only things referred to as plastic or rubber in this thread is the cheap baseboard in the first post so he is confusing something.


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## loneframer (Mar 27, 2009)

We always referred to it as rubber cove base.

http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_prop=image&fr=ytff-&va=rubber+cove+base


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