Removing Base Molding

In many cases, the very first thing you?ll need to do to prepare a room for new flooring is to remove the base molding from around the perimeter of the room and around any cabinets or built-ins, such as a kitchen island. Not all installations will require this, however. For example, if you?re replacing old carpeting with new carpeting, the base moldings (typically baseboards) can remain in place. But on many other installations, such as ceramic tile, resilient sheet flooring, and hardwood flooring, the base molding needs to go.

How you remove molding will depend on the type (wood, tile, or vinyl) and whether or not you?re planning on reusing any of it. Regardless of whether you?re going to reuse it, you?ll want to take steps to prevent damage to your walls. This is easy to accomplish with the judicious placement of a wide-blade putty knife.

Demolition For situations where you know you won?t be reusing the old base molding-it?s pretty beat up, or it just won?t work with the new flooring-you can remove it quickly with a pry bar. The thing to watch out for is damage to the wall. You can prevent this by slipping a wide- blade putty knife between the molding and the wall. Then you can pry without worry. For cove base molding, loosen a corner with a putty knife and then pull. If the wall is painted, it?s a good idea to run the putty knife along the top edge of the molding first to break the paint bond.

Salvage If you?re planning on salvaging the base molding, it?s best to remove it with two putty knifes, as shown. Slip one against the wall, and insert a stiff-blade putty knife between it and the molding. Now gently pry the molding away from the wall. This takes a bit longer, but it will prevent damage to the molding. On wood baseboards, don?t pound the nails out through the face of the molding. Instead, pull them out from behind with a pair of locking pliers.