Caulk seals gaps between baseboards and walls, while wood filler repairs holes and dents in the baseboard material itself.

When deciding which product to use start by assessing the gap or damage type and size. Use caulk for movement joints where the wall and baseboard meet because it remains flexible and accommodates seasonal expansion and contraction; apply a thin bead from a cartridge tube, smooth with a wet finger or a caulking tool, and wipe excess immediately. For holes from nails or gouges in the wood, choose a wood filler formulated for trim work so it can be sanded and shaped; press the filler into the void, slightly overfill to allow for shrinkage, let it cure fully to the manufacturer recommended time, then sand flush with fine grit. If you need paintability match the filler or caulk to paint type, water based for latex paint and solvent based for oil based finishes, and prime porous fillers before topcoat for even coverage. For gaps larger than roughly one quarter of an inch, combine a backing material such as fiberglass mesh or foam backer rod with caulk to prevent sinking and to reduce caulk use. When working on painted or older trim, clean surfaces with a mild detergent and deglosser if necessary so adhesion is reliable; remove loose paint and dust before applying either product.

Common mistakes include using caulk to fill deep or structural wood voids which then crack or sink over time, so for deep holes build up with wood filler in layers allowing each layer to cure before adding the next. Another issue is failing to sand wood filler smooth before painting which leaves visible lumps and uneven texture, so always sand with progressively finer grit until the surface matches the surrounding trim. A third frequent problem is applying nonflexible filler at the intersection of moving surfaces which leads to separation, so use a paintable, flexible caulk at seams and joints and reserve hard wood filler only for static wood repairs.

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