Hi, FG here, escaped from Knots for a few moments. Hubby’s going to help his 101-year-old dad next week by way of tearing out the old carpet in a rental, in prep for Lowe’s laying new carpet. Should he plan on pulling off the moulding (baseboard), or is it possible to take out the old carpet without doing that?
Follow-up question: If he does take off the moulding, would the installers be likely to re-install it, or is that going to be his responsibility? Next question: I have an 18-gauge PC brad nailer and pancake compressor. Will the 18g brads work to refasten the moulding, or is something else needed?
Thanks you guys! It’s be ages since I went through the carpet thing; memory has failed.
forestgirl — you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can’t take the forest out of the girl 😉
Edited 6/23/2006 12:22 am by forestgirl
Replies
Hey, FG, nice to see you over here!
I'll defer to those wiser than me on the first question.
On the second: I have the PC 18ga pin nailer as well and love it. However, when installing some trim I borrowed the GC's 15ga finish nailer and I gotta say I feel a lot more comfortable with the bigger nails on the trim. Of course, this was paint grade so easy to fill the holes. I have used the 18ga on some stain-grade, and it's OK - just doesn't feel quite as sturdy for baseboard.
I'm sure you'll get lots more opinions when the east & mid-wester's log on tomorrow.
Depends on what kind of moulding, I think.
If it's wood, the chances are it will be fine. If your DOM (dear old man) takes off the baseboard, don't expect the installers to replace it!
Now, it it's that modern plasticy stuff, good riddance and grab the nail gun & chop saw.
Quality repairs for your home.
AaronR Construction
Vancouver, Canada
Here are a bunch of fresh opinions on 18ga vs.16ga vs. 15 ga
http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=75301.1
No need to remove the base.
Stained or painted?
Pull the carpet, paint the base, wait for the carpet installers to scratch it up.
Pull the carpet, wipe down with stain to match (cleans up the old looking stuff-scratches etc.). Re-varnish or urethane if you wish, don't bother if you don't. Wait for the carpet installers to scratch and separate miters with the stretching.
If there's no hardwood under the carpet, cut strips maybe 4'wide or larger if you can handle it, with a utility knife. Roll up and duct tape the roll. Haul out. Pull the pad, pound in the staples.
Be careful of the tack strip, very sharp needle like stuff.
A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Edited 6/23/2006 6:58 am ET by calvin
There should be no reason to remove the baseboard. I would remove shoe molding simply because I don't like the look of carpet with shoe molding, but the baseboard can stay. Even if the baseboard is somehow securing the edges of the carpet. That's very unlikey, but in that case I would cut the carpet next to the baseboard and leave the last 1/2" buried. Did I already say that's unlikely to be necessary? Well, it is.
In general, since you won't be installing baseboard this time, an 18 guage brad nailer wouldn't be a good choice for baseboard. It's good for small stuf like shoe molding.
-Don
OK, now I'm in trouble. What the heck is "shoe molding?"
I'll keep my 18ga at home. Thanks! However, I'm always looking for an excuse to buy something new. What nail would you use for baseboard and such. We'll be doing some remodeling on our own little house soon.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
FG
Shoe mouldings is the quarter round that you see when hardwood floors are present. It's the piece of wood that hides the gap between the base and the floor as it expands and contracts. Usually its a little taller then it is wide, something like 13/16" X 5/8" or their about.
For base either the 15 or 16g will do the trick. Also good for case, door jambs and almost any finish work that requires a little more nail then the 18g can supply.
You will find other uses for the 15-16g nailer in your shop work so it wont be a total waste, as if a tool could be waste!
Doug
Edit; FG, if you don't think you need to go overboard with the 15 or 16g nailer you can opt for a strait nailer as opposed to the angled finish nailer, usually cheaper, and only minor inconvenience when nailing, nothing that cant be done though. Hell, gramps used to get to everything with his hammer, I'd think that using a strait nailer would still be better then that!
Just a thought
Edited 6/23/2006 9:27 pm ET by DougU
Well said! The only thing I can think to add is that sometimes I'll use the 18 guage for the inside edge of casing. Some of the cheaper casing splits quite easily, especially if you have to nail near the edge because it's going into a 1/2" jamb.
-Don
Actually, as I get to the ends and want to make sure it's "perfect", I use the collins clamps and the 23 gauge pin nailer......Quality repairs for your home.
AaronR ConstructionVancouver, Canada
Thanks Doug and "All" for the information! Nick'll be on his way tomorrow morning to E. WA.
So, re: the crucial issue, I'm hearing "no need to remove baseboards" right? He'll be realllllllllllllllllly glad to hear that!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
It can't be that much more to get the carpet layers to tear out the old. Then they can deal with disposing of it. It would be worth it to me not to have to deal witht he nasty stuff.
Rock the Tipi!
"It can't be that much more ..." You don't know my husband, ROFL!!! Personally, I agree with "It would be worth it to me not to have to deal witht he nasty stuff." but it's his thing, so I'm not even going to suggest there might be another (better) way to handle it. I save those arguments for when I have stake in the process.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
It's not that bad unless the old pad is horse hair, or glued down. Or they had a pet. Or they used a lot of carpet fresh.
Really it's not that bad. :)
Rock the Tipi!
Oh, cr*p I didn't think about the possibility of a glued-down pad. So! What's the contingency plan there?? Sheesh.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Scrape and pick. That's when he's gonna wish he wasn't so cheap. Glue down is typicaly on concrete.
Rock the Tipi!
So, re: the crucial issue, I'm hearing "no need to remove baseboards" right? He'll be realllllllllllllllllly glad to hear that!
Add me to the list of those who say: leave the old baseboard ("BB") in place. There's no physical connection between it and the current carpet (fastener-wise) and there won't be with the new carpet either. The carpet tack strips on the floor itself are what "hold" the carpet down and stretched taut to the room's perimeter, and then the remaining carpet that goes past the tack strip gets "tucked" under the existing BB by the carpet layers using a 3" wide chisel-looking item called a carpet tuck-er...
UNLESS there is something wrong with the existing baseboard, there's just no reason to tear it out and incur the time and expense of replacing it.
And I think it was Calvin (?) who wrote about when old carpet is out is fine time to do some brush up painting or staining on the existing BB and then when the new carpet installers do their thing, you can rest ASSURED they will in fact nick it up and you'll be doing touchup when they're gone...despite the fact that with a little care and the newer plastic-type carpet tucking tools, they can in fact avoid making any marring marks on the BB as they install the new pad/carpet.DUM SPIRO SPERO: "While I breathe I hope"
He was glad to hear about leaving the BBs on.
KNIFE: I have a curved flooring knife like this one. Will that be a good choice for cutting, or should we pick up something at HD that's designated for carpets?? Any tips?forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
I have one of those - linoleum knives...
Didn't use it on my carpet tearout. Instead used an ergonomically handled utility knife with a fresh blade in it; cutting the carpet from the back after:
1) grasp the carpet in a corner near the walls, and yank it up off of the tack stripes...
2) pull it back about 3' all along one of the shorter walls
3) with it curled back (face to face with what's left on the floor) I used utility knife with new blade in it, to cut threw the carpet from its under (back) side, the length of that short wall, in about a 3' wide strip.
4) roll up the strip of carpet and use some duct tape to secure it.
5) haul it to your "take it to the dump" location
OR - if you have some of that same carpet elsewhere in the house...and like most rooms, the edge carpet nearest the walls is the least damaged or worn, you might want to save a few pieces of it for future carpet repairs elsewhere in the house...
You'll likely find pulling up the pad to be a similar endeavor. The glue down of the pad typically hasn't been heavily done, in my experiences to date. What's left on the floor can be 98% scraped up readily with the claws of a hammer or a floor scraper (if you have one) or even a 3" wide chisel since the glue is more like a 1/4" to 1/2" thick bead laid on the floor under the pad like a boiled long length of spaghetti...
I think you said you were replacing the old carpeting with new carpeting. You might want to see about leaving the carpet tack strips you have, in place, for reuse... pulling them up out of a concrete slab just leaves divots in the concrete where the little concrete nails held it down, only to be replaced with similar due to any new strip needing to go down to hold the new carpet...
Hope this helps. GOOD LUCK!DUM SPIRO SPERO: "While I breathe I hope"
yur gettin' good....Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
It's moving along (slowly...as always)...!
:-)
DUM SPIRO SPERO: "While I breathe I hope"
Thanks, Miz, I printed that out! BTW: Hubby was born in Arkansas; moved to E. WA when his dad went came over to help build the Hanford Nuclear Plant. Now engineering here in the Great Northwest, but I'm bettin' he'll want to take me to Arkansas some day!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Glad to help!
Just remember to not step on those tack strips if you leave them in place for reuse...they are NASTY sharp!
I spent a few years in E. WA - Tri Cities area and across the Columbia River in Hermiston, OR...fond memories of microbrews at Atomic Ale in Richland...
I've got a nephew 4 years younger than me who currently lives near Issaquah. His eldest son just graduated from H.S! Puget sound area is gorgeous. Loved riding the ferries, camping at Friday Harbor, etc. But I spent enough time in the mtns to learn that playing in the "Cascade cement" is ok but nowhere near as much fun as boarding in the powder of Utah or even the snow in ID or WY.
Been in AR 4 years now since moving here for a job promo in 2002. Still exploring my "new home state". Haven't been to the diamond mine here yet although they had another recent find there of some significance and that's got the local's imaginations and feet going in that direction... DUM SPIRO SPERO: "While I breathe I hope"
Yep, Tri-Cities, that's the place. "Pop" (101-yr-old) lives in Richland in the original duplex he purchased when working at Hanford. He owns both sides, the other side is a rental. Hotter than heck over there.
You wouldn't believe the Seattle weather this week! In the 80's, blue sky, raspberries are ripening faster than I can pick 'em almost. I live on Bainbridge Island, which is 9miles out in the Sound directly west of Seattle. Don't know from boarding or skiing, as I didn't learn to ski as a child, and was too chicken as an adult (put me on a horse, and I have virtually no fear, but I'm a complete clux on my own two feet, LOL!).
I'll pester you if we ever plan a trip to AR!!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Wouldn't be a "pestering"...would be happy to meetcha. Drop an email if you're ever headed this way.
I'll try and remember to do likewise when next I'm heading to my nephew's to visit!DUM SPIRO SPERO: "While I breathe I hope"
Under the "better late than never" heading, the carpet's long in and the new renters have moved in. They had to negotiate a couple of tirades from Pop about their dog, but he's now friends with the pooch and everything is well.
I really do hope to visit AR with Nick sometime, maybe next year. I've bookmarked this thread and will drop you an email! Thanks!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Well thanks for the update! Glad things worked out.
Anytime you/Nick are in the area, "mi casa es su casa" - my guest bedroom with full bath adjoining is ready anytime you can make it. Would be delighted to have you visit!
ClaraDUM SPIRO SPERO: "While I breathe I hope"
Hi Clara! Sorry, I abandoned this thread and didn't see your message. Thanks for the invite; who knows, we might get out there sometime in the next couple of years. I'm campaigning to start looking for a new place to spend Nick's retirement, LOL!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
I hope the new carpet came with a moisture resistant pad, or else the pooch has been perfectly housebroken. The renter that just moved out of my place left behind about $2000 worth of warped and stained hardwood floors. The rental management company insisted on carpets but didn't specify a "pet proof pad". The carpet just held in the moisture and created the damaged floor. The place had been rented for several years prior to engagine the rental management agency and there had been no real damage to the bare hardwood floor from pets.
The dog is quite well-behaved and though not old, is not a puppy either. Hardest thing was keeping the 101-year-old pop (my father-in-law) from wandering in, using his key, to check things out. He's not thinking crystal-clear these days, LOL. Things are going great with the new renters.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
One caution about nail guns, particularly with window trim. Hand nail anything that is designed to be removed, like stop bead on windows.Nail gun nails are difficult to remove, especially from old wood that has petrafied.And don't ask me how I know.
"And don't ask me how I know." Hah hah. Yep, I've tried taking a couple/three of those brads out. Sheesh.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)