Question about scribing baseboard to an uneven floor

I was installing trim in a 1920s bungalow last week and the old pine floors had a 3/4 inch dip over 8 feet. Instead of my usual coping method, I tried tracing the floor profile directly onto the back of the board with a small block and pencil, then cutting that line on the bandsaw. It fit perfectly on the first try, saving me at least an hour of fussing. Has anyone else found a better way to handle severe floor waves like that?

5 comments

5 Comments

smith.nancy1mo ago

Oh man, I've got a different take on this whole thing! Since you're dealing with a 1920s house, have you thought about just embracing the wave and letting the baseboard follow the floor? I installed some reclaimed barn wood trim in my own old house and left a consistent 1/4 inch gap at the bottom, then added a matching shoe molding that follows the floor. It actually looks intentional and saves you from having to scribe every single piece (which, let's be honest, gets old fast with a floor that wavy). Plus it keeps that old house character instead of fighting it all the way.

the_susan2mo ago

That's a slick trick, I'm stealing it for sure. My first time dealing with a floor that bad, I spent half a day trying to shim a straight piece before I gave up and just scribed it the hard way, lmao. Your method with the block and bandsaw sounds way faster.

the_max2mo ago

Tell me about it, @the_susan. I once tried to force a level baseboard onto a wall that bowed out like a barrel. Must have cut a dozen tiny wedges before the whole thing just snapped. Wasted a full morning. Now I just trace the wild shape onto the back of the trim and cut it rough with a jigsaw. Saves so much headache.

ben_lewis2mo ago

Honestly, that sounds like way more work than just shimming it up level.

amy_west1mo ago

Yeah I gotta push back on @the_max a bit here. Tracing the actual profile onto the back of the board and cutting it on the bandsaw is definitely the move for those big dips, not just rough cutting with a jigsaw. A jigsaw can wander on you and leave gaps you'll have to caulk later. With a bandsaw you can follow the line super tight and get it almost perfect right off the saw.