Make sure your work area is clean and clear of debris. Vacuum the edge of the floor where it meets the wall, and make sure there’s no tape or goo on any surfaces you’ll be working on. Note: if using wood for your quarter-round instead of a composite material, it’s a good practice to allow it to acclimate in the workspace for 24 hours before cutting!
Upon entering the workspace where you’re installing the quarter-round, start from your immediate left to begin taking measurements, and work your way around the space clockwise, one wall at a time. I like to take my measurements all at once, and then cut my list all at once. Keep a short piece of the trim you’ll be using with you, as it will be handy when measuring for pieces around outside corners.
Take your measurements left to right like you read, indicating as you go which side of each piece is a blunt edge, inside corner, outside corner, or return. Everyone has their own shorthand, but for example, 1) In 73” Out, 2) out 22” out, 3) out 18” in. This will help you know how to angle the edges of your pieces when you begin to cut your pieces to size.
Use that scrap piece of trim to hold against the opposite 90-degree edge for outside corners to be sure you have the proper width of the trim factored in. If you are still unsure, mark down ½ ″ longer for that piece. You can always shave something down, but you can’t put more material back on once it’s been cut off.
When cutting your pieces, I find that the best approach is to use your chop saw to cut at 44-degree angles for inside corners, and a 46-degree angle for outside corners. This is because drywall corners, by the nature of their own installation, are rarely a true 90 degrees, and thus neither is the baseboard. Rather than using excessive caulk or multiple cuts to get a perfect match or cover up an imperfect one, this 44/46 method works great for most all corners. If your blade isn’t a finish blade, or if your material is getting nicked, wrap a piece of painter’s tape around the end and make your measurements on that, and cut through it to cut to length. This will keep the cut edge clean from damage.
If a corner seems more than a little bit off, check it with your 90-degree square, and then use an angle finder to get the exact measurements for your cuts. Alternatively, for an odd inside corner, fit one piece of quarter round into the corner with a blunt edge, and cut the other at a 45. Use a coping saw to shave the underbelly of the piece along the cut edge, and then place the piece on top of the blunt-edge piece. Bam! Clean and perfect inside corner.
Number the back of each cut piece in pencil as you go, corresponding to your cut list. You will often have pieces that at first glance will look of similar length, and this will save you time trying to sort through a pile and find your “glass slipper” piece every time you come to a new wall section.
Dry-fit each piece of your quarter-round trim, and make sure they all fit where they’re supposed to, all the way around the workspace. It’s important to do all the pieces at once, so you can see if any changes or alterations need to be made prior to permanently fastening the pieces.
If all looks good, you’re now ready to move on to the next phase of fixing the quarter-round to the wall!
