Posted by The best baseboard corner protector is either a short corner guard set just above the baseboard, or a wall base with a built-in outside corner that takes the hit itself. Short stainless steel or rubber guards suit corners that take knocks from vacuums, mop buckets and pets. Impact wall base suits corridors where carts and floor machines run along the wall all day.
Damage on an outside corner usually starts low. The vacuum head, the mop bucket, the floor machine and the dog all meet the corner in the first foot above the floor. The baseboard chips, the paint wears through, and the drywall above starts to go. If the corner is already damaged, see how to fix a damaged wall corner. To protect the full height of the corner, see how to protect drywall corners.
Route 1: A Short Corner Guard
A full height guard is more than many corners need. When the damage sits low, a short guard covers the impact zone and leaves the rest of the wall clear.
- Stainless steel in 1 ft and 2 ft lengths
Stainless steel corner guards come in 1 ft and 2 ft lengths with wings from 3/4 inch to 6-1/2 inches. They’re Type 304, 16 gauge stainless with a brushed No. 4 finish, available undrilled, drilled, countersunk or peel-and-stick, at 90 or 135 degrees. - Heavy duty rubber cut to length
Heavy duty rubber corner guards are 0.875 inches thick at the corner with 4 inch wings, and Koffler cuts them to any length from 1 to 96 inches. They suit garages, storage rooms and loading areas. - Vinyl or plastic cut down
A 4 ft guard in clear, textured or paintable plastic cuts to height with a fine-tooth hacksaw. The corner guard height guide explains when cutting down beats ordering a custom size.
Set the bottom of the guard just above the top of the baseboard, or run it to the floor if the base is flat enough for the guard to sit tight. The comparison of peel-and-stick vs screw-in corner guards covers each fixing method.
Route 2: Wall Base That Takes the Hit
In corridors where carts and cleaning equipment run along the wall all day, the baseboard itself can do the protecting.
InPro high impact replaceable wall base is a continuous PVC bumper mounted on a continuous aluminum retainer. Each piece is 4 inches tall and 8 ft long, and it installs without adhesive. Pre-formed outside corners carry the bumper around the turn, and inside corners and end caps finish the line. When the bumper wears, you replace the bumper and the retainer stays on the wall. It comes in 81 standard colors and cuts with a chop saw or radial arm saw.
For standard rubber and vinyl base, see Koffler’s full wall base range.
Protecting Baseboard Corners From Pets
Dogs scratch at corners and rabbits chew them, and both go for the lowest edge. A clear guard cut to the height of the problem protects the corner without changing how the room looks. Clear and colored smooth corner guards come in 4 ft and 8 ft lengths and cut down easily. On a painted wall in good condition, the peel-and-stick version needs no tools. For a dog that really works at a corner, heavy duty rubber is the tougher option.
What About Brass Corner Caps?
Decorative brass corner caps, sometimes called skiffers, are small metal pieces that wrap the top corner of a baseboard. They suit period trim and wood furniture and add a finished look. They cover only a few inches, so a corner that takes regular hits from equipment needs a guard or an impact wall base.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you protect baseboard corners from dogs?
Fit a clear guard cut to the height the dog reaches, or heavy duty rubber for a determined chewer or scratcher. Both protect the corner without replacing the baseboard.
What are wall corner protectors called?
Most often corner guards. You’ll also see corner protectors, corner bead (the angle built into drywall) and, for decorative brass pieces on baseboards, corner caps or skiffers.
What is the purpose of corner guards?
They take the impact that would otherwise dent, chip or crumble an outside corner. A guard costs far less than repeated patching and repainting.
Should a corner guard go above the baseboard or down to the floor?
Set the bottom of the guard just above the baseboard. If the base is flat, you can run the guard all the way to the floor instead.
Browse Koffler’s full range of corner guards, or talk to a Koffler specialist to match protection to your corners.
Sources: Koffler product pages for stainless steel, heavy duty rubber, and clear and colored corner guards, and InPro high impact replaceable wall base.