Baseboard finish - paint or poly - please help

[Chevy-SS]

Bought a new house last year and remodeled most of it. Doing doors/trim in stain/poly finish (which is a real PITA).

However, in two new bathrooms and the closets I prefer using painted white baseboard, but I'm not sure if this is 'bad'. I'm thinking of resale and/or having guests over and I don't want them all wondering how I could have made such a terrible blunder of using white baseboards in some spots.

I am torn between the two.... I would love some help picking: PAINTED or STAIN/POLY??


Bathroom - THIS?

or THIS?

Closet - THIS

or THIS?

 

[404]

Is it possible you are over thinking this? NOT that there is anything wrong with that.... I voted for white, the wood color base looks dirty to me. Just MNSHO

 

[Firebird 1]

I think either looks fine, I prefer the stain to match the trim though. Traditionally most baseboard moulding was painted black.

 

[Oggy]

I'm abstaining from my vote, but I'll explain.

Generally I think the baseboard should match. However, in the bathroom, it doesn't look like it matches the window, and if it's not going to match, then make it white. Second, I don't think you need to do baseboard in closet necessarily. If it's going to be out there and visible, then do it in white, otherwise it looks like an extension of the room.

JMHO.

 

[benwah]

It's your house man, do whatever you feel. I like the white bb in the bathroom

 

[Chevy-SS]

Is it possible you are over thinking this? NOT that there is anything wrong with that.... I voted for white, the wood color base looks dirty to me. Just MNSHO

It may indeed be possible that I am over-thinking this, LOL. However, it seems like I miss something every time I back off and 'just do it'.

Many thanks for the replies

 

[404]

It may indeed be possible that I am over-thinking this, LOL. However, it seems like I miss something every time I back off and 'just do it'.

Many thanks for the replies

A regular dose will fix that feeling.

 

[mark11]

It's entirely up to you unless you have a wife, then she's the one to ask.
Personally I don't like to paint wood anymore. A lot of new builds have painted woodwork and it looks nice but wood is timeless and a little more upscale to me.

 

[2CWG]

IMO, anything but white. Baseboard gets beat to !@#$ very quickly and white tends to highlight the scuffs/chips

 

[Slowgsr]

White.

Paint it with a high quality semi gloss latex and it will wear well, be durable and clean up nicely.

 

[boobag]

usually the base and trim should match.

 

[csp]

Traditionally most baseboard moulding was painted black.

I've never seen black baseboard in a residential application. Possibly it's a regional thing, not traditional.

Baseboard should match door casings and trim IMO.

 

[James-W]

I think it makes a difference what the wood is. If it is pine, then paint looks OK. If it is red oak or maple or something like that, them stain and polyurethane looks really nice.

 

[38 Dodge Coupe]

For what it is worth, I tend to do the same thing as James-W with wood trim. I sometimes use the pre-primed trim as it tends to come in the longer lengths and cost less than the natural wood that needs finished.