- I’m going to rip out an existing oak floor and replace it with hickory. It’s in a finished room with baseboard and shoe mold. However, the floor runs continuos through the house and under the walls. What kind of saw do I use to cut it flush to the baseboard? Should I remove the baseboard and cut the floor flush to the face of the drywall? I just want to do the one room. I’d appreciate any feedback. Thank You.
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Cut it tight to the wall. You can pick up a Toe Kick saw at Harbor Freight for under $75.00 that will do the job. There's also a circular saw thta will cut flush but it's lots more money. I'd probably do it with a Sawzall and in a pinch a multitool but you use a lot of expensive blades.
Either a toe kick saw or (slower) a multitool (MultiMaster).
In a pinch it could be done with a hammer and chisel.
Yes, you should probably remove the baseboard first.
It might make it easier to first cut through about a foot from the wall with a regular circ saw, removing the stuff in the center. (Though this would waste a lot of wood if you have any thought of salvaging it.)
(Do save a few of the better pieces in case you need to replace some flooring elsewhere in the future.)
Are you certain the flooring runs under the walls? How could that be? Why would anyone build like that?
In any case, you will want to remove the base trim and shoe.
It used to be quite common to lay flooring throughout the house before installing interior partitions. Goes a lot faster that way, and probably wastes less wood.
over 40 yrs in the trade........
and albeit-most of them in NW Ohio. Can't say as I remember any flooring originally run under partition walls, except for diagonal subfloor. Then again with all the dust, fumes and time-wonder there's any memory at all.
Be interested to hear from others that have seen this. Common place or regional.
I'm sure I saw this numerous times in the Louisville, KY area. You could tell because a particular distinctive board would vanish under the wall on one side and reappear on the other. Likely not the entire house was done this way, but, eg, the bedroom area might be.
These would be home built prior to 1960 at the latest, and likely pre-war.
I'm like you. I've never seen wood floor that ran under a wall but I've only been doing this for 40 years.
Well, surely you've been in old commercial buildings where you've seen the evidence of this -- a 4" wide light-colored strip on floor, pocked with nail holes, and a dark band running along each side. Practically any restaurant or shop (that's preserved the old flooring) in an old office building will have this.
Thanks for all the feedback everyone. I built an interior wall on top the floor 20 yrs. ago to make a bedroom, so I see where I was wrong in saying it runs continuos through the house. Anyway, I know what to do now. Thanks again. Peace
user
Thank you for clearing up the discussion for us old guys and the best of luck on your project.
user
and........
You mentioned Hickory-know that it is a wild colored wood. If this is prefinished or even if raw-open/look at ALL the wood somehow or you might be surprised at a whole box/bundle of a different color.