By Yaletown Floor · Published September 18, 2026 · 10 min read
Wall base is the least glamorous line on a finish schedule and the one most likely to hold up a job. Johnsonite is the name that shows up on most Canadian commercial specifications, and the range is big enough to be genuinely confusing: two separate systems, twenty profiles, nine working heights and 119 colours. We now list the complete catalogue — 1,472 items — so this guide is written to help you find the right part number rather than to sell you the first thing on the page.
1. Millwork and BaseWorks: two different products
Both are Johnsonite wall base, but they solve different problems and they are not interchangeable on a drawing.
The Millwork Wall Finishing System is the larger of the two at 1,346 items. These are moulded profiles supplied in rigid 8 foot lengths, designed to give a space the stepped profile and shadow line of milled and painted wood trim without any of the site work. Nothing is primed, filled, sanded or repainted, and because it is a rubber compound rather than timber it shrugs off the carts, vacuums and mop buckets that destroy a painted MDF baseboard within a year in a commercial corridor.
BaseWorks is the rubber coil base — 126 items across the Thermoset and Thermoset Rubber (Type TS) lines. It ships in 100 and 120 foot rolls in a plain profile, and its advantage is flexibility: it follows curved walls, wraps columns and runs long corridors with far fewer joints. The surface resists scuffing and fading and will not shrink back from the wall the way a cheap vinyl cove base does.
| Millwork Wall Finishing System | BaseWorks | |
|---|---|---|
| Items listed | 1,346 | 126 |
| Supplied as | 8' lengths, boxed by the pack | 100' and 120' rolls |
| Profile | Moulded, architectural | Plain cove or straight |
| Curves and columns | Preformed corners | Bends on site |
| Price range | $13.60 – $621.20 per box | $170.00 – $358.31 per roll |
2. The profiles, with prices
Profile names are the part of a Johnsonite specification people most often get wrong, because the name describes the shape of the face, not the height. Mandalay and Reveal together account for nearly a third of the range. Prices below are what we charge per box or roll, and the count is how many colours we list in that profile.
| Profile | Colours listed | Price per box / roll |
|---|---|---|
| Mandalay | 262 | $160.92 – $278.40 |
| Reveal | 207 | $155.12 – $397.04 |
| Monument | 120 | $284.40 – $314.28 |
| Quarter Round | 109 | $13.60 – $24.96 |
| Equinox | 59 | $169.20 – $285.46 |
| Oblique | 53 | $244.80 – $253.20 |
| Diplomat | 53 | $208.40 – $209.12 |
| Silhouette | 49 | $232.40 – $340.40 |
| Exhibit | 45 | $233.20 – $377.84 |
| Outline | 44 | $282.00 – $282.45 |
| Monarch | 42 | $287.60 – $317.48 |
| Shoe Moulding | 41 | $35.20 – $35.59 |
| Attaché | 41 | $364.40 – $367.28 |
| Delineate | 37 | $287.60 – $290.21 |
| Ambassador | 31 | $232.40 – $233.05 |
| Corner Guard | 15 | $58.95 – $59.47 |
| Stance | 11 | $190.00 – $282.40 |
| Ledge | 10 | $374.00 |
| Recessed | 8 | $308.00 – $328.00 |
Quarter round, shoe moulding and corner guards are the cheap lines because they are sold as single 8 foot pieces or short packs rather than full cartons. They are worth ordering at the same time as the base: a $13.60 quarter round finishes a floor edge that would otherwise need scribing.
3. Heights and what they are for
Nine heights do the real work. In our listing, 6 inch (277 items), 4 inch (229) and 4-1/2 inch (202) are the three most widely stocked, which matches what gets specified.
- 2-1/2" — the minimum most commercial specs allow. Tight reveals, existing buildings, anywhere a taller base would foul a door casing.
- 3" and 3-1/2" — residential-scale base, and common in healthcare where a low, cleanable profile is wanted.
- 4", 4-1/4" and 4-1/2" — the commercial default. If a drawing just says "rubber base", it usually means 4 inch.
- 5-1/4" and 6" — corridors, lobbies and anywhere the wall takes a beating from equipment. 6 inch also reads better in rooms with high ceilings.
- 8" — the tallest we list (35 items), used where the base doubles as impact protection.
Below 2 inches you are looking at trim rather than base: quarter round at 1/2" and 3/4", shoe moulding at 1-1/2", corner guards at 1-1/4".
4. How it is packaged and priced
This is where estimates go wrong. Johnsonite wall base is sold by the box or the roll, and our prices are per box or per roll — not per linear foot. What varies is how many linear feet each unit holds:
| Unit | Coverage | Items using it |
|---|---|---|
| Box of 8 × 8' pieces | 64 linear feet | 369 |
| Box of 6 × 8' pieces | 48 linear feet | 281 |
| Box of 5 × 8' pieces | 40 linear feet | 267 |
| Single 8' piece | 8 linear feet | 167 |
| Box of 4 × 8' pieces | 32 linear feet | 110 |
| Box of 7 × 8' pieces | 56 linear feet | 100 |
| BaseWorks roll | 120 linear feet | 92 |
| BaseWorks roll | 100 linear feet | 45 |
Every product page states its coverage, and the box calculator on the page works out how many units an order needs. To estimate: measure the perimeter of each room, subtract door openings, add roughly 10% for offcuts and corners, then divide by the coverage of the box you are buying. A 40 foot by 30 foot office with two doorways is about 133 linear feet of wall, so three 48 foot boxes.
5. Installation
Wall base is adhered, not fastened. The substrate has to be clean, dry and primed — drywall, plaster, concrete or masonry all work, but bare drywall paper and dusty concrete both cause failures. Let the material sit in the room until it reaches room temperature, especially rolls that have come off a cold truck, or it will fight you at the corners.
Run a continuous bead of wall base adhesive, set the base from the bottom up so it seats tight to the floor, and roll the whole run. Inside corners are cut and butted. Outside corners on BaseWorks rubber are formed by gently warming the material and wrapping it; Millwork profiles use preformed corner pieces, which is one reason to count corners before you order. Leave the adhesive to cure before cleaning.
You will need wall base adhesive — order it with the base rather than after, since it is the thing most likely to be missing on install day.
6. Certifications and materials
Of the 1,472 items we list, 1,394 are FloorScore certified for indoor air quality and 1,328 are phthalate-free. The range carries Class 1 ratings for critical radiant flux under ASTM E 648, good chemical resistance under ASTM F 925, and light stability of ΔE ≤ 8.0 under ASTM F1515. For schools, healthcare and LEED-targeting fit-outs, that documentation is usually the reason the brand is specified in the first place.
Most of the catalogue is thermoplastic rubber (1,209 items), with thermoset rubber (83), general rubber compound (79), vinyl (64) and a small number of wood-cored pieces (7). Thickness runs 3.18 mm for thin vinyl cove up to 12.7 mm for the deepest moulded profiles, with 9.525 mm and 6.35 mm the two most common.
7. Which one suits your project
- Commercial corridor, long straight runs — BaseWorks rubber roll, 4" or 6". Fewest joints, cheapest per foot, easiest to maintain.
- Curved walls or round columns — BaseWorks. Millwork will not follow the radius.
- Office or lobby where the base is seen — Millwork in Reveal, Monument or Exhibit. You get the architectural shadow line without painted trim.
- Healthcare or education — 4" or 6" Millwork or BaseWorks, FloorScore certified, coved to the floor so it can be cleaned out.
- Residential basement, laundry or mudroom — any 3" or 4" profile. It survives moisture and impact where painted MDF does not.
- Finishing an existing floor edge — quarter round at $13.60 or shoe moulding at $35.20 rather than a full base.
Every Johnsonite wall base item is a special order.
We bring it in from the manufacturer for your project rather than holding it in stock, so lead time depends on the colour and profile. Send us the part number or the line from your finish schedule and we will confirm availability, coverage and price before you book the installers. Around 578 colours in the range are call for pricing — ask and we will quote them. Call 1 (604) 558-2195 or contact us.
8. FAQ
What is the difference between Johnsonite Millwork and BaseWorks wall base?
Millwork is the moulded Wall Finishing System: rigid profiles in 8 foot lengths that reproduce the shadow lines of milled wood trim, supplied boxed by the pack. BaseWorks is rubber coil base in a simpler profile, supplied in 100 and 120 foot rolls, and it bends around curves and columns. Choose Millwork when the base is a visible design element and BaseWorks for long commercial runs.
How much does Johnsonite wall base cost in Canada?
Millwork profiles run from $13.60 for a single 8 foot quarter round up to $621.20 for a Masquerade Classic box, with most 4 inch and 6 inch profiles between $230 and $330 per box of 8 pieces. BaseWorks rubber rolls run $170.00 to $358.31 per roll. Prices are per box or per roll, not per linear foot.
What heights does Johnsonite wall base come in?
The working heights are 2-1/2", 3", 3-1/2", 4", 4-1/4", 4-1/2", 5-1/4", 6" and 8". Below that you are into trim: quarter round at 1/2" and 3/4", shoe moulding at 1-1/2" and corner guards at 1-1/4".
How many linear feet are in a box?
Most commonly 64 (8 pieces of 8 feet). Others ship 48, 40, 56 or 32 linear feet, trim is sometimes sold as a single 8 foot piece, and BaseWorks comes in 100 and 120 foot rolls. Every product page states its coverage.
Is Johnsonite wall base FloorScore certified?
Most of it — 1,394 of the 1,472 items we list, with 1,328 phthalate-free and Class 1 flammability ratings under ASTM E 648.
How is it installed?
With wall base adhesive over a clean, dry, primed substrate. Bring the material to room temperature, run a continuous bead, set the base from the bottom up and roll it. Inside corners are cut and butted; outside corners are wrapped on rubber base or use preformed pieces on Millwork.
Can I get a sample first?
Ask us. Because the range is special order we confirm colour against a physical sample before placing an order — worth doing when you are matching an existing base in a phased fit-out.
Related reading
- Shop the full Johnsonite wall base range
- Baseboards and trim
- Flooring and wall base adhesive
- Rubber flooring
- Flooring in Vancouver and Toronto
Counts and prices in this guide reflect our Johnsonite listing as of September 2026. Prices are per box or per roll in Canadian dollars and exclude shipping and taxes. We deliver across Canada from Unit 103, 3701 E Hastings St, Burnaby BC V5C 2H6.
