floorboards first, or baseboards first ?
BobTheInnocent
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
I’ve undertaken the renovation/remodeling of the dining room in a 1966 Cape, and find that the hardwood floorboards were nailed to the subfloor AFTER the baseboard trim was installed. There’s no shoe-moulding, so each floorboard has been exactly cut to length. Other than a scheduling screwup, I can’t think of any reason for this to be the preferred sequence. Instead of simply prying off the existing baseboard, I’m chiseling it out inch-by-inch. Am I right to be annoyed, or is there some wonderful reasoning behind this?
Replies
Odds are pretty good that the original floor covering was not the existing hardwood floor, and that it was some kind of linoleum or carpet. The lino or carpet was ripped out, leaving the baseboards behind, and the hardwood installer put the new floor in.
It's pure laziness, and definitely not a 'preferred' way of doing trim.
Ideally you want to have the flooring installed first, and the baseboards installed afterwards. Unfortunately, we (builders/remodelers) don't always work under ideal circumstances.
You've every right to be annoyed. Even when the baseboard goes down prior to the flooring, an expansion gap should be left and a shoe moulding applied.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
Welcome to BT.
I'd probably put a flexible, flush-metal-cutting blade in the sawzall. Pry the base out a bit and cut the nails flush with the wall. Then try to pull the base straight up.
But you're right, it is a PITA.
jt8
'Grandpa used to say "know your role and shut your hole." ' --Stilletto
Edited 9/29/2006 10:53 am by JohnT8
I agree with JohnT8 - it's a good excuse to buy a recip saw, if you don't already have one.
Justin Fink - FHB Editorial
Your Friendly Neighborhood Moderator
You can also use a drift punch and drive the nails through the baseboards.When I used to trim houses, we would set the base and door frames up the thickness of the finished floor. 25/32" for hardwood.live, work, build, ...better with wood