Shimming Baseboard Moulding with Screws

Tips on dialing in the position of baseboard using shims or screws. February 15, 2015

Question (WOODWEB Member) :
We just got done running five inch base in a house where the drywall was terrible. They left it short of the bottom plate by 1-1/2 and the corners were flared by the mud, nothing new. To help combat the problem we used a drywall screw into the plate where it met the corner and it acted as a micrometer to turn in and out as needed to square up the corner. It worked really well. We just put a speed square on the floor and turned the screw until it hit and bashed a little drywall - done deal. I hope that maybe someone else can use this to.

Forum Responses
(Cabinet and Millwork Installation Forum)
From contributor A:
The screw is a good idea. I usually keep a pile of narrow 3/4" wide shims in the bucket with the door hanging shims. Often you need to push out a corner of a casing or move a piece of crown out of the corner just a bit - all because of the sheetrock.



From contributor C:
Saw this screw a while back. I have used this method for years with micro adjusting for doors in the same fashion but with a regular screw (behind stop). I just screw about 3/16 or so into wood without a countersink and back screw in and out for micro adjustment.


From Gary Katz, forum technical advisor::
Bill Shaw's Trim Adjuster screws are excellent for installing baseboard, and wainscoting frames, too. A lot easier than getting behind something with shims or screws. You can actually shoot the base or wainscoting frames to the wall and then straighten up the corner later!


From contributor S:
I have used a shot of low expanding foam, to do the same thing. Hold the base square, for a minute and the extra foam will find and exit point and can be scraped away. Also, the Collins Coping foot guy sells screws designed to do that very thing.


From Gary Katz, forum technical advisor::
Correction: Not the Collins Coping Tool Guy. The Copemaster Guy - Bill Shaw. TrimAdjuster Screws.