Baseboard is the trim board that runs along the bottom of a wall where it meets the floor. It covers the gap between the drywall and the floor and protects the wall from kicks and vacuums. This one is the Contemporary style: flat and simple, with one slope along the top edge and no carved detail. Made from MDF, which stands for medium density fibreboard: a smooth engineered wood board with no grain and no knots, so it takes paint well.

• What it is: One piece of baseboard, 12 ft long, sold by the piece.
• Size: 9 mm thick, which is about 3/8", by 4" wide. The width is how far it stands up the wall.
• Profile (the shape the edges are cut to): A flat face with one straight slope along the top edge. The sloped edge goes at the top and the square edge sits on the floor.
• Finish: Primed white, so a base coat is already on and it is ready for your paint.
• How many pieces: Baseboard runs along the bottom of every wall in the room and stops at each doorway. Add up your wall lengths in feet, take out the doorways, and divide by 12 to get the number of pieces. Add one extra piece for cuts and corners, and measure before you order.
• About the photo: we picked an image that matches this trim as closely as we could, so it is a close look at the shape and finish. It is not a photo of the exact piece you receive, and the proportions can differ a little from the real thing, especially between sizes.