lee627•4d ago

Hot take: self-leveling compound is overrated for most baseboard jobs

Ngl, I tried the whole self-leveling thing last year on a job in Austin and it was a nightmare. The stuff is expensive, around $40 a bag, and it takes forever to mix right. Plus if the floor is even a little dirty or damp, it cracks or peels up later. I switched back to just shimming out my baseboards with cardboard strips and caulking the gaps. It saves me like 2 hours per room and the caulk hides everything if you do it clean. My old boss told me I was cutting corners, but the homeowners never noticed the difference. Has anyone else ditched self-leveler for shims and caulk on baseboard work?

2 comments

2 Comments

viola_butler3d ago

Are you really saving that much time though? I tried the cardboard shim trick a few years back on a job in Philly and ended up having to pull half of it off because the caulk cracked right along the shim lines when the weather changed. Self-leveler is a pain but at least it's a solid base. Maybe your floors are flatter than the old rowhouses I deal with.

angela_carter3d agoMost Upvoted

Whoa, hold on, cardboard shims? I have never heard of that one. That sounds like a recipe for disaster, honestly. I can totally see how that would crack out the first time the seasons changed, Philly gets some serious weather swings. I've always just used the self-leveler too, even though it's a pain to mix and haul around, at least you know it's not gonna fail on you six months later. Your mileage may vary, but I think you made the right call pulling that stuff off.