well the time has come to start doing the trim to prepare for the carpet. I will be running a normal density/thickness carpet with a normal pad underneath it both upstairs (plywood underlayment) and downstairs in the basement (concrete).

I have been told that the normal height to raise the trim above the floor (not carpet) is 3/4", and then they will tuck the carpet underneath the trim. Is this correct? Do i raise my casing and door frame bottoms (undercut them) to this same height?

I will double check with the installer when he comes to measure, but am just trying to get an idea as i need to start installing trim this week.

Thanks,
Brandon

For carpet I would go with 1/2". 3/4" seems excessive unless you were going to put down 3/4" hardwood flooring after the moulding. You basically want just enough space for the carpet to tuck in under the moulding behind the tackstrip and it should be a little snug or at least not a gap. Having the capet tucked under there helps keep it secured to the tack strips.

Worst case if in doubt call a local carpet shop/installer and ask what they recommend for new construction.

If i remember correctly, our carpet guy said to install the trim no more than 3/8th's of an inch off the floor.

Any higher might be visible. A gap wasn't even necessary, just nice to have (for tucking the excess under).

thanks guys. i have heard both of those options as well, hence my questions. i will probably just end up asking the guy coming to measure (hopefully this week) what he prefers. i still have to get it all painted. i hate painting trim. SUCKS and takes forever. very boring as well.

Definitely paint the trim BEFORE you install it. Fill the holes and touch up the paint after the carpet is in as they will also scratch it up a bit.

hahah yup. that is how i do it. i paint it all with two coats (i get the primed white stuff) then install, fill holes and touch up.

i did all the trim and shoe on the first floor of my house, but that is all hardwood and/or tile, so that was easy. i just put it in after the flooring was in. but i need to install the trim here before i get carpet.

Sorry to push here, but is it 3/8" or 1/2" for carpet? This is a question that I've been meaning to ask but haven't gotten it done yet.

CJ

I went with 1/2" and had no issues.......if your going with a good pad and a thick carpet you will be fine.

Just had mine carpeted about two weeks ago. I left the carpet guy a 1/2" and I used an 8 lb pad with a fairly thick carpet. He indicated that it worked just fine for him and I have a very nice match on height. Doesn't look like they had to force it down to tuck it under and I have no gaps.

On the door frames, I ran them to the floor and did not under cut them. Carpet guy told me that is the way he is use to seeing them so I gave him what he was use to.

Good luck.

I left the carpet guy a 1/2" and I used an 8 lb pad with a fairly thick carpet. He indicated that it worked just fine for him and I have a very nice match on height. Doesn't look like they had to force it down to tuck it under and I have no gaps.

On the door frames, I ran them to the floor and did not under cut them. Carpet guy told me that is the way he is use to seeing them so I gave him what he was use to.

Same here. I think some carpet guys want a bigger gap because it makes it easier and faster for them. A gap over 1/2" doesn't look good, IMHO.

cool. thanks guys. i will double check when they come to measure though.

1/2 here. I used some scrap strips of 1/2 inch MDF and just used them to rest the molding on as I worked around the room.

cool. i was going to do the same thing, or use plywood or drywall

I'm sure 1/2" will work, but "technically" it should be 3/8th", regardless of pad thickness. that's what the pros tell me.
Old

thanks. so how far should the casing be off the floor for the door trim, if it should be a tall?

I will be doing the same thing soon as well. Just a thought, can you not install the trim after the carpet is installed? That way you could place the trim as close to the carpet as you need and they won't knick-up your trim when installing the carpet. Is this not done for some reason?

Is this not done for some reason?


It can be done but it takes some careful communication between you and the installer. If you intend to install baseboards after the fact you need to be sure they install the tack strip the correct distance from the wall. Otherwise they will mount it up close to the wall. Then you come along and mount the baseboard snug to the carpet.

Fast forward to the day you need to get the carpet up for emergencies (flood) or remodeling and you will find the carpet "TRAPPED" by the molding against the tack strip.

They should mount the tack strip as if the molding was in place. If you are not there to snooper-vise the installers might just assume that you intend to not use molding.

thanks. so how far should the casing be off the floor for the door trim, if it should be at all?

You don't have to (but you can if you want to) leave a space for the carpet. They will just butt the carpet up to the case molding. Having said that, the molding should not be sitting on concrete as it will wick up any moisture in the concrete. So if it is 1/4 inch off the concrete the gap will be hidden by the carpet.

You don't have to (but you can if you want to) leave a space for the carpet. They will just butt the carpet up to the case molding. Having said that, the molding should not be sitting on concrete as it will wick up any moisture in the concrete. So if it is 1/4 inch off the concrete the gap will be hidden by the carpet.


good call about that. i will keep that in mind when i do the casing in the basement.