Comments on: Removing Baseboards http://afloorpro.com/how-to/removing-baseboards-20/ Support for the Floor Covering DIYer and the Flooring Industry Tue, 04 Oct 2011 21:32:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kimberly http://afloorpro.com/how-to/removing-baseboards-20/comment-page-1/#comment-49 Kimberly Tue, 26 Jul 2011 21:30:31 +0000 http://afloorpro.com/?p=20#comment-49 Thanks for this DIY on baseboards. Luckily my baseboards are brand spanking new and no paint or caulking was done yet. My husband and I get to remove these prior to our floors being done (concrete staining). To avoid more unnecessary funds spent on the construction people who put them on when they should not have in the first place, we are removing baseboards by ourselves. If I want the job done correctly, I learned that sometimes I can rely on the professional and then there are those times I just can't rely on the professional to do things the way I need them done. I have no choice but to research and do it myself, unfortunately. You have taught/written well. Yours by far is the best step by step instructions and it's well written where "I get it"! Although i know baseboards I have are a "no-brainer" but I want to salvalge as much as I can of the baseboards to reuse and not make new holes in my new drywall. Thank you. Thanks for this DIY on baseboards. Luckily my baseboards are brand spanking new and no paint or caulking was done yet. My husband and I get to remove these prior to our floors being done (concrete staining). To avoid more unnecessary funds spent on the construction people who put them on when they should not have in the first place, we are removing baseboards by ourselves. If I want the job done correctly, I learned that sometimes I can rely on the professional and then there are those times I just can’t rely on the professional to do things the way I need them done. I have no choice but to research and do it myself, unfortunately. You have taught/written well. Yours by far is the best step by step instructions and it’s well written where “I get it”! Although i know baseboards I have are a “no-brainer” but I want to salvalge as much as I can of the baseboards to reuse and not make new holes in my new drywall. Thank you.

]]> By: Jim McClain http://afloorpro.com/how-to/removing-baseboards-20/comment-page-1/#comment-41 Jim McClain Mon, 27 Dec 2010 02:24:45 +0000 http://afloorpro.com/?p=20#comment-41 Hi Barbara. If there is an acceptable expansion gap between the edge of the new hardwood and the baseboard, you may want to just add a quarter-round molding to the existing base to cover the gap. If the base is damaged, or the hardwood has no expansion gap, you can remove the existing base. It will be time consuming, but you can use a sharp wood chisel and hammer. Place the chisel's beveled edge flat on the floor where it meets the baseboard. The handle will be sticking up at an angle. Hammer through the base as best you can and then follow the same directions I gave for regular base removal. There will be the left-over broken bottom part of the base left and maybe some of the nails. Pry out the base pieces and the nails, being careful not to damage the wall or the hardwood. Now you can install new base - be sure to leave that expansion space by putting the new base flush with the top surface of the hardwood. It's very likely that you will need to add the quarter-round molding too. The finished project should make for an attractive and professional looking finish. You can find even more support for issues like this from hundreds of flooring professionals at <a href="http://www.thefloorpro.com/community/" rel="nofollow">The Floor Pro Community Forums</a>. Hi Barbara. If there is an acceptable expansion gap between the edge of the new hardwood and the baseboard, you may want to just add a quarter-round molding to the existing base to cover the gap. If the base is damaged, or the hardwood has no expansion gap, you can remove the existing base. It will be time consuming, but you can use a sharp wood chisel and hammer. Place the chisel’s beveled edge flat on the floor where it meets the baseboard. The handle will be sticking up at an angle. Hammer through the base as best you can and then follow the same directions I gave for regular base removal.

There will be the left-over broken bottom part of the base left and maybe some of the nails. Pry out the base pieces and the nails, being careful not to damage the wall or the hardwood.

Now you can install new base – be sure to leave that expansion space by putting the new base flush with the top surface of the hardwood. It’s very likely that you will need to add the quarter-round molding too. The finished project should make for an attractive and professional looking finish. You can find even more support for issues like this from hundreds of flooring professionals at The Floor Pro Community Forums.

]]> By: barbara http://afloorpro.com/how-to/removing-baseboards-20/comment-page-1/#comment-40 barbara Sun, 26 Dec 2010 23:19:59 +0000 http://afloorpro.com/?p=20#comment-40 help. the builder did not remove the baseboards when they put the hardwood floors in. How can I cut out the baseboards to replace them? help. the builder did not remove the baseboards when they put the hardwood floors in. How can I cut out the baseboards to replace them?

]]> By: Tab http://afloorpro.com/how-to/removing-baseboards-20/comment-page-1/#comment-39 Tab Sun, 21 Nov 2010 05:27:22 +0000 http://afloorpro.com/?p=20#comment-39 Hey Jim, thank you very much for publishing this article. We are ripping up our carpet tomorrow and I thought "I wonder if there are any tips on removing the baseboards?" Your tips will be extremely helpful tomorrow. Thanks!! Hey Jim, thank you very much for publishing this article. We are ripping up our carpet tomorrow and I thought “I wonder if there are any tips on removing the baseboards?” Your tips will be extremely helpful tomorrow.

Thanks!!

]]> By: Jim McClain http://afloorpro.com/how-to/removing-baseboards-20/comment-page-1/#comment-33 Jim McClain Mon, 26 Jul 2010 03:47:10 +0000 http://afloorpro.com/?p=20#comment-33 Thanks Jessica. If you have any questions or concerns about your flooring, <a href="http://www.thefloorpro.com/community/" rel="nofollow">the best place to get answers is The Floor Pro Community</a>. Good luck on your remodeling project. Thanks Jessica. If you have any questions or concerns about your flooring, the best place to get answers is The Floor Pro Community. Good luck on your remodeling project.

]]> By: Jessica http://afloorpro.com/how-to/removing-baseboards-20/comment-page-1/#comment-32 Jessica Mon, 26 Jul 2010 02:16:08 +0000 http://afloorpro.com/?p=20#comment-32 This is really helpful. We're redoing my daughter's room, and were planning on replacing the baseboard completely anyway. I was looking for the best way to remove the baseboard that's in there, and found this article. So far this is the best way I've seen! This is really helpful. We’re redoing my daughter’s room, and were planning on replacing the baseboard completely anyway. I was looking for the best way to remove the baseboard that’s in there, and found this article. So far this is the best way I’ve seen!

]]> By: 1hunid http://afloorpro.com/how-to/removing-baseboards-20/comment-page-1/#comment-2 1hunid Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:16:38 +0000 http://afloorpro.com/?p=20#comment-2 Im in the process of installing wood laminate floors and was gonna avoid pulling up my baseboards because I figured it would be extra work. I came to my senses and found this article. Very clear and concise. Great stuff. I will keep you posted on how this worked out for me. Im in the process of installing wood laminate floors and was gonna avoid pulling up my baseboards because I figured it would be extra work. I came to my senses and found this article. Very clear and concise. Great stuff. I will keep you posted on how this worked out for me.

]]> By: Jim Schaeffer http://afloorpro.com/how-to/removing-baseboards-20/comment-page-1/#comment-3 Jim Schaeffer Sun, 30 Aug 2009 22:14:37 +0000 http://afloorpro.com/?p=20#comment-3 Exactly what I was looking for. Started on small powder room wall, did some immediate damage to the drywall and STOPPED there. Should have Googled 1st! Exactly what I was looking for. Started on small powder room wall, did some immediate damage to the drywall and STOPPED there. Should have Googled 1st!

]]> By: New Owner http://afloorpro.com/how-to/removing-baseboards-20/comment-page-1/#comment-4 New Owner Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:30:25 +0000 http://afloorpro.com/?p=20#comment-4 Jim, You captured my situation perfectly. I'm not trying to save the base and I will let you know how the whole thing comes out. Thanks again man. New Owner Jim,

You captured my situation perfectly. I’m not trying to save the base and I will let you know how the whole thing comes out.

Thanks again man.
New Owner

]]> By: Jim McClain http://afloorpro.com/how-to/removing-baseboards-20/comment-page-1/#comment-11 Jim McClain Mon, 03 Aug 2009 02:11:44 +0000 http://afloorpro.com/?p=20#comment-11 I'm not sure I know exactly what you mean. You might find the best help for this at The Floor Pro Community - that is a message board I run to help consumers, DIYers and my fellow professionals. There are a lot of flooring professionals that enjoy helping people like you with all kinds of flooring problems. You'll see a link to there in the side panel on the left. Now, you may be describing a situation where hardwood was installed when your baseboard was still on the wall. Maybe a quarter round molding was used to hide the gap. But the gap may not have been sufficient and the wood flooring may be jambed tight against the base. In this case, the base might not be able to be saved. You could use a wood chisel to cut through the base and then to pry out the broken part below the surface of the floor. If you want to try to save the base, you would have to use a hacksaw blade to slip behind the base to cut through the nails. Wiggle the base out. You can use a nail set from the back of the base to get the rest of the nail out, or just paint/stain over the puttied head when you replace the base. If that doesn't address your particular problem, The Floor Pro Community might help. Registration is free, or you can just ask your questions without registering (but you wouldn't deprive me of a new member, would you? :) ) Jim I’m not sure I know exactly what you mean. You might find the best help for this at The Floor Pro Community – that is a message board I run to help consumers, DIYers and my fellow professionals. There are a lot of flooring professionals that enjoy helping people like you with all kinds of flooring problems. You’ll see a link to there in the side panel on the left.

Now, you may be describing a situation where hardwood was installed when your baseboard was still on the wall. Maybe a quarter round molding was used to hide the gap. But the gap may not have been sufficient and the wood flooring may be jambed tight against the base.

In this case, the base might not be able to be saved. You could use a wood chisel to cut through the base and then to pry out the broken part below the surface of the floor. If you want to try to save the base, you would have to use a hacksaw blade to slip behind the base to cut through the nails. Wiggle the base out. You can use a nail set from the back of the base to get the rest of the nail out, or just paint/stain over the puttied head when you replace the base.

If that doesn’t address your particular problem, The Floor Pro Community might help. Registration is free, or you can just ask your questions without registering (but you wouldn’t deprive me of a new member, would you? :) )

Jim

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