How to attach molding to bowed wall

10 years ago

x-post from Woodworking:

I need to replace the base molding on a 3-foot wide wall, but the wall appears to be quite bowed at the bottom. When I hold the new molding flat to the wall at the right side, there is about a 1/2 inch gap at the left (or vice versa - flat on left causes gap on right). I can bend the molding a bit, but not enough to get it close enough to the wall along its entire length. The molding that was removed appears flat (as judged by holding the new and old pieces back-to-back). If the wall were wider, a longer piece of molding might have enough flex to accommodate the bow, but this short piece doesn't seem to want to flex.

There must be a solution, but I don't know what. Do you?

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Comments (5)

User
10 years ago
Repair the wall to be flatter. Either build out the low spots or plane down the high spots.
annzgw
10 years ago
If you can't switch to a composite molding, which has more flex, then I'd just install it with adhesive and nails and brace it until it dries.
Any gaps left should be filled with paintable caulk and painted the color of the baseboard.
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User
10 years ago
Wet the face of it
steve_fl
10 years ago
Cut a couple of shallow groves in the back of the molding, being sure not to cut through completely-
This will give the back some "play" to mold to the wall
User
Original Author
10 years ago
Thank you all for the suggestions.

GreenDesigns - I imagine that is the professional approach (and correct), but it's way beyond my scope and skills.

annz - I forgot about composite molding!

Renovator8 - Wetting the face? That leads to a whole list of other questions.

steve_fl - Bingo! It's coming back to me now--Norm Abrams from This Old House. That's what I was trying to pull out of my cluttered mind! No worries about going too deep. I'll be using a manual saw.