I am installing glue-down engineered wood over a concrete slab. I removed the baseboard, will be installing new baseboard on top of the flooring, and have a couple questions.

1. Does the new baseboard sit tight on top of the flooring or should I leave a slight gap? One site said to leave a credit card thick sized gap between the baseboard and flooring to allow for expansion. I left a 1/4" gap around the perimeter of the room when installing the floor.

2. If I have a good power miter saw do I need to cope the inside joints in the baseboard or can I try to get a good mitered joint, testing with scraps of wood? I stink at coping!

Thanks for any help,
Jim
Malabar, FL

I wouldn't worry too much about leaving a gap between the bottom of the baseboard and top of the floor. I believe that applies to floating installations.
Use your mitre saw, but remember that most inside corners are mudded out somewhat by the drywall people so it may not be a precise 90 degree corner. Make any adjustments as needed at each corner you encounter.

I have never heard of it being required on engineered to leave a credit card size gap , where the baseboard meets the floor. If your not using a shoe moulding on top of the base , that would look aweful

If your using paint grade base, I'll tell you a little trick. You will see that dark line, here and there ,where the base meets the floor, ( especially at plank ends ). I take 1 inch blue tape and tape around the perimeter of the floor, at the base. Then caulk it in, run my finger accross , and pull the tape, right away. It looks like the base is growing out of the floor Be sure when applying the tape to mould it to the contour of the floor ( bevels & distressed woods ). I install a lot of the wider profile bases, they wont push down on the floor like the 2 1/4" widths. And I do this anyway on distressed floors.

Thanks for the help, guys.
Floorologist, do you do the caulking trick before the baseboard is painted?

I usually have the homeowner paint the base before I install it, then they can touch up. Or I have a professional painter I recommend. He likes to spray the base, I install it, then he touches up. ( I don't paint ).

The detail caulking of the corners and nail holes do have to be touched up with paint. Either way that bottom edge has to be cut in with paint. Caulking may look good at first unpainted, but it attracts dust & dirt.