Floor trim behind new cabinets
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: USA
Posts: 4
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Floor trim behind new cabinets
Hi all, first time poster and I'm probably asking a really dumb question.
Do I install floor trim behind my new kitchen cabinets?
I just finished hanging all new drywall after completely gutting my kitchen. New subfloor, new plumbing, electrical... the works! As usual, I left a 1/2" gap between the drywall and the new subfloor.
What do I do with the 1/2" gap on the walls behind the future cabinets? Do I cover it with trim? Every inch counts in my small kitchen so I don't want to push the cabinets further into the room. Do I fill it with caulk? That just seems awkward. Mud it to the floor?
Thanks in advance.
Do I install floor trim behind my new kitchen cabinets?
I just finished hanging all new drywall after completely gutting my kitchen. New subfloor, new plumbing, electrical... the works! As usual, I left a 1/2" gap between the drywall and the new subfloor.
What do I do with the 1/2" gap on the walls behind the future cabinets? Do I cover it with trim? Every inch counts in my small kitchen so I don't want to push the cabinets further into the room. Do I fill it with caulk? That just seems awkward. Mud it to the floor?
Thanks in advance.
#4
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: USA
Posts: 4
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Thank you for the replies, but don't I want an airtight seal? For energy efficiency, shouldn't the wall be closed up?
I just bought, unrolled, breathed, and installed a metric ****tonne of pink insulation... I'd like to maximize my return for presumably taking a year off my life.
I just bought, unrolled, breathed, and installed a metric ****tonne of pink insulation... I'd like to maximize my return for presumably taking a year off my life.
#5
Forum Topic Moderator
The plastic vapor barrier gives the air tight seal...... or did you skip that on the exterior walls?
The odds are you won't have any health issues from a one time exposure. Occupational overexposure is generally where the health risks are.
The odds are you won't have any health issues from a one time exposure. Occupational overexposure is generally where the health risks are.
#8
If you had an old house that was balloon framed and the wall had no sill plate, and there was no solid blocking between the studs at the base of the wall, you would probably want to foam the gap.
Since you probably have a modern house, you probably have a sill plate along the bottom of your walls, so there may be a gap between the drywall and the floor, but behind the drywall you have solid wood- the sill plate. As Marksr mentioned, the poly and the drywall provide a tight enough seal here.
And at any rate, do you really think that covering up that gap with baseboard is going to "air seal" it, if there is any air leakage? You would have to caulk the baseboard to the wall and to the floor to do that.
There is sometimes air leakage that occurs UNDER the sill plate (between the subfloor and the sill plate) which is different than the joint between the drywall and the sill plate... it isn't as tight of a seal. Out here in the midwest, that air leakage will occasionally show up as mold behind the baseboard when it's below zero and windy, and that cold air hits the warm baseboard and causes a little dew behind the baseboard. I doubt that's a problem in areas of the country that don't have extreme temperatures. If that is what you are worried about, then you would want to foam ALL the gaps in your house, not just the areas behind cabinets that won't get covered with baseboard.
All that being said, mudding it to the floor won't "hurt" anything, aside from your back. LOL If you really want to do it, it's your time and labor. Just don't make yourself a lot of extra sanding.
Since you probably have a modern house, you probably have a sill plate along the bottom of your walls, so there may be a gap between the drywall and the floor, but behind the drywall you have solid wood- the sill plate. As Marksr mentioned, the poly and the drywall provide a tight enough seal here.
And at any rate, do you really think that covering up that gap with baseboard is going to "air seal" it, if there is any air leakage? You would have to caulk the baseboard to the wall and to the floor to do that.
There is sometimes air leakage that occurs UNDER the sill plate (between the subfloor and the sill plate) which is different than the joint between the drywall and the sill plate... it isn't as tight of a seal. Out here in the midwest, that air leakage will occasionally show up as mold behind the baseboard when it's below zero and windy, and that cold air hits the warm baseboard and causes a little dew behind the baseboard. I doubt that's a problem in areas of the country that don't have extreme temperatures. If that is what you are worried about, then you would want to foam ALL the gaps in your house, not just the areas behind cabinets that won't get covered with baseboard.
All that being said, mudding it to the floor won't "hurt" anything, aside from your back. LOL If you really want to do it, it's your time and labor. Just don't make yourself a lot of extra sanding.
#9
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: USA
Posts: 4
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
That's a great reply and you bring up an important detail that I didn't mention... because the subfloor has been replaced, it no longer continues over the lower crumple wall and under the wall studs (and yes, platform framing).
I have a significant air way between under the house, the kitchen interior, and inside of the exterior walls. And now that I think about it, there is a gap between the attic and into the inside of the exterior walls.
My concern is my air conditioning bill. Do I care about stopping air flow between the inside of the walls and under/above the house?
I am definitely going to squirt some expanding foam in the gap along the bottom of the wall. I'm thinking that I *should* have sealed the edges around the new subfloor before putting up the drywall.
I have a significant air way between under the house, the kitchen interior, and inside of the exterior walls. And now that I think about it, there is a gap between the attic and into the inside of the exterior walls.
My concern is my air conditioning bill. Do I care about stopping air flow between the inside of the walls and under/above the house?
I am definitely going to squirt some expanding foam in the gap along the bottom of the wall. I'm thinking that I *should* have sealed the edges around the new subfloor before putting up the drywall.
#10
Yes, those areas usually have solid blocking (called fire blocking). They make foam that is fire rated, so look for that. Great Stuff Fireblock. Don't overdo it or you will have a complete mess. Trim the foam after its cured (24 hrs). A flexible pull saw (shark saw) works well to trim the foam. I believe Irwin bought the company so that will be the brand of saw to look for. A dovetail saw also works pretty well because it has an offset handle, and you won't bust your knuckles.
Image credit: Amazon dot com
Image credit: Amazon dot com