Looking for no-rot baseboard corner blocks

September 24, 2012 12:52 PM

Where do I find no-rot (PVC, plastic, etc.) baseboard corner blocks for a bathroom? I found the trim easy enough, but the corner blocks I can find are all wood. Please help me not have to miter cut. (Already tried HD and Lowes)
posted by BeeDo to home & garden (5 answers total)

You don't have to miter cut if you don't mind doing a little bit of fine-work with a scroll-saw. You can run one wood baseboard all the way to the corner, so it's butting the "side" wall on its end. Then take the second wood baseboard and run it up to the outside face of the first board. Assuming the first board has some design carved in, you need to cut that design into the edge of the second board so it'll fit snuggly to the first board. You'll naturally want to do this before having the second board in place-- just use a piece of scrap to mark a pattern on the second board.

Saw this on TOH-- brilliant!

Hand scroll saw >> laser-guided, dial-an-angle chopsaw anyday!
posted by Sunburnt at 1:16 PM on September 24, 2012

That's a good idea, but does it help on outside corners? I have two of those due to a wall behind the toilet.

I'll try that on the inside corners, I got fairly simple pattern baseboards.
posted by BeeDo at 1:23 PM on September 24, 2012

Coping in won't really work on outside corners, but why are you opposed to mitering the corners?

Even the cheapy plastic miter boxes will get you close enough; you should be caulking and touch-up painting the trim anyhow. Try taking off a bit of the backside if you aren't getting close enough on the the outside corners. Drywall/paneling is rarely ever going to present a true 90 degree corner, so even the corner blocks you're wanting would need finessing.
posted by chrisfromthelc at 1:42 PM on September 24, 2012

Yeeeaahhhh, I just really hate installing trim. I swore next time I did it I would make it as close to LEGO assembly as possible. If I can't get no-rot ones I'll probably get the wood ones and Kilz them.
posted by BeeDo at 2:08 PM on September 24, 2012

You're right about the outside corners-- I've got nothing on them. On TOH, the part where they used this technique was for a toe-kick along an inside corner on a large kitchen island that a recess for some seating.

I suppose the technique would work if you let the long board be the one facing you (so that a person facing the wall sees a board face, not an end-face), and then trim the visible board to match the cut of the "hidden" board, and sand and paint until it all looks right. This could be tricky since you'll have to do two ends of one board, most likely. That said, the detail will be at toe-level, so any moderate shoddiness will be between you and the dust-bunnies.

Also, derrrrp: coping saw. Yes, that's what I meant. Thank you Chrisfromthelc.
posted by Sunburnt at 2:44 PM on September 24, 2012