If you want to spend a weekend remodeling part of your home, many times you’ll need to remove wood trim first. Whether you’re taking down a wall or sanding wood floors, you’ll need to remove any trim before you begin. This process isn’t as easy as it sounds; casing, molding, or baseboards can easily splinter and break if you’re not careful. Trim tends to be thin and made of softwood, which isn’t made to be taken out and reinstalled. However, you can accomplish this work without making a mess or wasting money if you know what steps to take.

Tools You’ll Need

To begin, you’ll need the correct tools, such as the following:

• Wood putty
• Pry bar
• Lineman’s pliers
• Needle-nose pliers
• Light hammer
• Wood wedge

Make sure you have these tools before you begin so that you don’t need to stop your work halfway to find the tools you need. Many hardware stores will have these supplies, and you can ask an employee if you need help finding a specific tool.

Score a Piece of Baseboard

To begin, cut a piece of baseboard the entire length of where it meets the wall. You can use a utility knife to cut any paint or caulk that has adhered to it. When you score this length where the two baseboards meet, you can prevent paper and paint from tearing from the drywall so that you won’t have a damaged surface. Use a metal putty knife 6 inches long to lightly work the area behind the baseboard so that you can start to loosen the material adhering the baseboard to the wall.

At the same time, you should pull in a forward motion to loosen the finishing nails and pins that are keeping the trim affixed to the wall. Pick one end of the baseboard to start on and delicately pry, going along the length of the trim until the piece is loose enough to come off the wall.

You’ll need to have patience when doing this step to avoid breaking the moldings, as releasing the baseboard will take some time to do. If you’re having difficulty placing the blade of the putty knife under the trim, try tapping the hammer’s handle gently so that the blade will sink in more.

Pull the Molding Free

At this point, you can try to pull the end of the trim loose away from the wall once the entire length is disconnected. Again, be careful so that you don’t accidentally damage another part of the wall, such as the adjoining wall or the door trim. In a kneeling position, slightly raise up and delicately and gently move the trim in a rocking motion to relax the trim on the part of the molding that’s tight between the corner baseboard next to it and the wall until the molding fully releases.

Label the Trim

Next, place a label or number on the lower part of the wall and the rear of the trim so that you can easily keep all the pieces in the correct order, mainly if you’ll be putting your boards back in their original places. Continue removing each piece the same way by going down the drywall and removing the adjoining pieces until all the parts you need have been removed. Take out the finishing nails from the trim you removed by using side cutter pliers.

Alternative Option: Pull Straight Outward

Another option when removing molding is to pull it straight and outward when you’re taking off the trim without taking out the nails first. Since nails have heads, you normally pull them out when you pull lumber out. However, trim works differently, as it’s attached with brads or finish nails. These brads or nails have small heads and are thin, so they don’t pull out as easily as nails attached to lumber. When you use any material, with the exception of medium density fiberboard, you can obtain traction on the trim by using a pry bar that’s thin and pulling the pry bar straight back to release the molding.

This effort will cause the trim to pull through the brads or nails and leave the fasteners still connected to the wall. The only potential issue is that some installers use construction or wood glue to make the trim stick, so if you find this arrangement is the case, the drywall paper will rip away with this method. Test a small section first to confirm.

Caulk is also placed on the tops of baseboards, outer parts of door and window trim, or sometimes on the back edge of the crown molding. Caulking is used so that gaps are covered to give a smoother appearance.

Tips to Stay Safe

If you need to use a larger tool to take out any trim that’s stubborn, such as a durable chisel or small crowbar, place a wide putty knife or broad knife between the wall and the trim to help you pry off the trim while protecting the surface of the drywall. You should always wear safety glasses when you’re doing a home renovation project such as this one so that your eyes will stay protected from any trim if it happens to snap into pieces.

You can easily remove floor moldings without breaking them when you follow this guide. Make sure you have the proper tools needed for this project before you begin to make your work easier. Visit your local hardware store to get any supplies you need and have them organized in the room you’ll be working in before you start.

While removing floor moldings is a relatively simple process, the main factor to keep in mind is that you need to have patience and know that the work may be slow going. Make sure that the moldings don’t break so that you can reinstall them after you’re done with your home project. Labeling the boards will allow you to more easily know which ones go back in what order when you’re replacing them. You’ll finish your project more quickly by using this technique.

Resources:

https://www.builddirect.com/blog/secret-design-weapons-floor-and-crown-moldings

https://www.builddirect.com/blog/this-weeks-wood-floor-mold-reducer-moldings

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/remove-baseboards-damaging-drywall-29807.html

https://www.thespruce.com/remove-trim-or-molding-without-breaking-1822783

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Types of trim

The decorative borders in your home are collectively called trim, and they come in different types. Knowing what these are and where you should install them will help you shop for trim:

Baseboards
Working from the floor up, you’ll first encounter baseboards. These are long strips of wood adhered to the base of your walls that abut the floor. They help create a transition between walls and floors. Baseboards can be simple in shape, or have additional pieces, like shoe molding, that provide a decorative touch.

Wainscoting
Not a trim necessarily, wainscoting is paneling that exists between baseboards and picture rails that’s installed over the wall. However, you can also find pseudo wainscoting that features decorative trim installed right on the wall between the baseboard and chair rail. Some homeowners even do away with the trim and just paint the area that would have wainscoting a different color from the rest of the wall.

Chair rail
A chair rail, also known as dado rail, rests partway up a wall, about where the back of your dining chair would hit the wall. In fact, that’s where the molding got its name. Often chair rails are only installed alongside wainscoting. However, that’s not always the case.

Picture or plate rail
Rather than hanging pictures straight on a wall, some homeowners display their art by attaching it to picture rail, which is a type of molding that runs horizontally around a room (usually at the same height as the top of a door). This molding can help prevent damage to your walls and creates an additional layer of decoration. Plus, it’s an easy way to ensure all of your art is hung at a uniform height. Many people set up plates on the rail as well, using dishware as a decorative element. Picture rails are less common than they used to be, but look great in traditionally styled rooms with other decorative moldings.

Casing
Casing surrounds doors and windows and is often the same color as the trim in the rest of the house.

Crown molding
Located at the seam between the ceiling and wall, crown molding sits atop your room like, well, a crown. There are many different styles of crown moldings that range from simple to ornate, so you’re sure to find the perfect look for your space.

Various styles of trim can also be paired with other decorative pieces, such plinth blocks, which are transition moldings between door casings and baseboards. With moldings and trim, you can add as much or a little detail as you like, depending on the architectural style of your home.

Trim comes in many styles and types to help you complete your space.

Molding material choices

Trim, molding, and baseboards can be made out of a number of materials, giving you flexibility in your design choices, sometimes quite literally! Wood is the most popular and traditional trim option. It’s lightweight, easy to paint, and flows naturally with your walls. You can also find alternatives, such as foam, rubber, plastic, and polyurethane. These alternatives are generally engineered to resemble wood, but offer benefits such as resistance to moisture and the ability to bend.

The features and cost of the materials should both factor into your molding choice.

Where to hang moldings

You can install trim in any room of your home, from the kitchen to the living room to even the bathrooms. Generally, if you have baseboards and crown molding in one room, they should continue throughout the house for consistency.

When it comes to bolder options like picture and chair rails and wainscoting, however, you don’t have to put it everywhere. Many homeowners only install this trim in high-impact or formal areas, such as dining or family rooms.

With so many types of trim available for your home, you can create a wide range of highly decorated or subtle looks. The first step is knowing your options.

What type of moldings are you considering for your home?

Browse our selection of architecturally enhancing Moldings & Trim here. Complete the look of your space.

The post Different Molding Types and Where to Install Them appeared first on Learning Center.

Classical molding

Rococo and baroque architecture feature grand and ornate molding that represents the height of decoration in terms of trim. Since then, designers and architects have toned things down a bit. Now when we think of classical style molding, we picture regency and Victorian looks. In essence, classical moldings are the most elaborate of your options, and come in range of styles.

Dentil molding
For instance, you may install dentil molding, whose name may help you remember its look. Dentil molding is a style of crown molding that features what looks like rows of teeth. These little squares generally hang between the wall and ceiling and accompany other molding features.

Egg and dart
Looking for more of a Greek revival style for your home? Then egg-and-dart crown molding is the way to go. The name refers to a pattern of ovals carved into wood along with little darts. The design is modeled after patterns seen in ancient Greek temples, and you can use egg and dart in all types of trim.

Pearl and bead
Peal and bead trims are very similar, as both feature a string of round shapes carved into the trim. Bead tends to be larger than pearl. What’s more, like egg and dart, you can use the pattern in everything from chair rails to crown molding.

Cornice
Inspired by the look of classic columns, cornice is a type of molding that fits just below the ceiling. It often features several layers of wood.

Decorative
Egg-and-dart, dentil, pearl and bead trim all fall under the decorative category. However, it’s important to note that there are tons of styles out there from which to choose. You can install trim with custom leaf patterns, for instance. In fact, Hampton Court, the royal residence of King Henry the VIII (when he wasn’t in London), features molding that bears the Tudor Rose.

From classical to contemporary, trim offers a range of styles.

Contemporary molding

After eras of ornamental architecture, designers moved away from the highly decorative look toward a simpler, yet elegant trim. Characterized by clean lines, contemporary options are great for modern homes that need a little something extra.

American craftsman
American craftsman prioritizes high-quality construction, simple lines and prairie style influence. What’s more, craftsman trim has become iconic. It features wide, plain boards with a thin decorative strip at the bottom and wider strip at the top. You can find this trim in window and door casings and crown molding. Baseboards are even simpler.

Your home can maintain a classical or contemporary look with the addition of molding, baseboards and casing. Choose clean, simple styles with straight lines, and little decoration for a modern home. If you have a more classic space, choose ornamental pieces that act as a form of art and draw the eyes upward.

What style of molding do you like best?

Browse our selection of architecturally enhancing Moldings & Trim here. Put the finishing touch on your space.

The post Different Molding Styles and How to Use Them in Your Home appeared first on Learning Center.

There are a lot of decisions to make when considering wood flooring, and often one of the most overlooked considerations is the trim. The purpose of molding and trim is to give the floor a professional, finished appearance, to join the floor to the walls and create seamless transitions to other rooms. Choosing the right trim and moldings is crucial to the aesthetic of the any room, whether you prefer an ornate trim or an unobtrusive low-profile molding.

Engineered wood flooring generally comes with matching trim. Traditional hardwood flooring comes with no trim. The trim you choose should closely match your flooring in grain and styling – rustic flooring should be paired with rustic trim. To create a classic Victorian look, consider wider baseboards with a carved design element. For a harmonious overall design, you may also want to consider the wood trim around doors and windows.

Different types of molding are used for each specific purpose. What you will need depends on the features of your home. Here are the basic choices and what you need to know about each:

Baseboards or Wall Base Trims

Wood floors expand and contract with the temperature and humidity of the air. As a result, space must be left around the edges of the room and things that are stationary, like kitchen cabinetry. Trim attached to the wall or the base of things built in, called baseboard or wall base, covers and hides the gap. This trim can range from an unadorned rounded-edge board to a wide, ornately carved décor statement.

Quarter round is often used in conjunction with baseboards to add dimension to the transition between the bottom of the baseboard and the floor. It can also be used instead of baseboard as a very low profile trim.

Shoe edge molding essentially has the same purpose as quarter round molding with a smaller profile.

Transition Trims

Transition trims are used to bridge the gap between different types of flooring or to cover the threshold between rooms. Here are the different types of threshold trims and how each is used.

T-molding is used to cover transitions between floorings that are equal in height to create a flat threshold. It is most frequently used to transition from wood to tile floors, but may also be used between two wood floors. The top is flat and with a rounded edge and the underside has a ridge running the length that fits in the gap between the two floors.

Reducer, one-sided reducer, and flush reducer are names for the same type of trim. It is typically used to create a smooth transition between a wood floor and flooring with a higher profile, like high pile carpeting.

Overlap reducers or bi-level reducers are transition moldings typically used with floating floors, transitions to carpet, and to connect floors with a lower height..

Thresholds or baby thresholds are moldings used where expansion is required. The most common use is to edge a sliding glass door, but this type of molding can also be used to transition to carpet. End cap or End moldings and square nose molding are alternate choices used for the same purpose.

Stair Trim

Overlap stair nosing, or bull nose, is typically used with floating stairs where expansion is required.

Flush, square edge stair nosing, or bull nose is edge trim used as a transition for stairs. The rounded edge fits over the edge of each step for a finished, professional look.

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Hardwood floors mean more than choosing a wood, grabbing some boards, and installing them in the room. Beyond the floor, people must take time to consider the various moldings or trims and accessories they will need to finish the look they are going for. Without moldings, trims and transition pieces, a hardwood floor job can look unfinished, drawing away from the beauty it adds to a room.

If installing a prefinished floor, most of them come with their own matching trim pieces to complete the job. Using an unfinished hardwood requires separate staining of unfinished molding and trim pieces in order to match the finished floor.

If installing engineered wood floors, you must also consider whether or not you’ll be using underlay and, if so, what the best choice is.

You may also need to consider what adhesive to use if going with either a glue-down installation (engineered wood or thin profile solid) or a floating glue-seam installation.

Moldings, Trim & Transitions

There are several different moldings and trim options designed to fit any flooring need. When installing hardwood floors, the following moldings may be required in order to complete the job:

• T-Molding: This molding is most commonly seen as a transition between a tiled floor and a wood floor, though it is also used to connect one wood floor to another.
• Reducer/One-Sided Reducer/Flush Reducer: This molding is typically used to level the flooring when connected to a floor with a lower height. It is also being used as a design element around fireplaces.
• Overlap Reducer: This molding is used with floating floors, transitions to carpet, and with floors of a lower height.
• Bi-level Reducer: This molding is used with solid hardwood floors to transition to carpet or other floors of a lower height.
• Baby Threshold/Threshold: This molding is used in areas where expansion is required, such as with sliding glass doors, but can also be used with carpet.
• End Cap/Square Nose: This can be used similarly to a baby threshold molding.
• Overlap Stair Nosing, Bull Nose: This is typically used with floating steps where expansion may be required.
• Flush/Square Edge Stair Nosing, Bull Nose: This is used as a transition for stairs.
• Quarter Round: This is commonly used around baseboards and fixed objects throughout a room.
• Shoe Edge Molding: This works just as quarter round molding, but does so with a smaller profile.
• Baseboard/Wall Base: This is used around the base of all walls in the room to cover the expansion gap space the flooring needs to breathe.

Underlayment

Underlayment serves as the barrier between the hardwood flooring and the subfloor. It is used primarily with engineered wood floors. Solid hardwood floors typically only use rosin/felt paper as an underlayment.

Depending on the type of underlayment, its purpose is to provide cushion between the floor and the subfloor, muffle sound (important for above ground installations) and/or block moisture from getting to the hardwood floor (especially important when installing over a concrete subfloor).

• Basic Foam: This is available in several different types, based on the manufacturer. Essentially, this is a layer of foam to be used with concrete floors with at or below grade level installations. It may come with a plastic layer as a moisture barrier or with an additional layer of sticky material to aid with installation.
• Sound Choice: This is an eco-friendly underlayment option that provides insulation to the flooring. It will reduce the noise associated with walking on wood floors while also working to keep the floors cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. It has a vapor barrier to keep water from reaching the flooring as well.
• Floor Muffler: This will reduce the amount of noise produced by walking on the floors, but is not an eco-friendly product because it is completely synthetic.
• Cork: This is an excellent choice for those who are looking for a green underlayment option. It will work wonders to reduce the sounds from walking while also protecting the floor from moisture. It can be used for floating installations just laid over the subfloor, or it can be glued down.
• Proflex: This is an alternative to cork, but since it is used mainly with high rise buildings, it is suggested builders get approval with the appropriate homeowners association before using it. Commonly seen with concrete subfloors, this option both reduces moisture risk and sound from walking. It is pressed down with a peel off tape rather than glued down.
• Plastic Sheathing: A plastic sheet can be used on underneath whatever underlayment choice to add moisture protection. This option doesn’t provide much, if any, sound proofing.
• Vinyl: As with plastic, vinyl is an excellent option for moisture protection, but not so much for sound proofing.
• Rosin/Felt Paper: This type of underlayment does not provide a moisture barrier, or much sound proofing. This material was laid down when solid hardwood floors were being installed, to prevent drywall dust and other particles from getting to the installer’s eyes.

Adhesives

Solid hardwood floors that are ¾” thick must be nailed down to the subfloor. However, thin profile solids and many engineered hardwood floors may need to be glued down. Glue-seam floating engineered floors require adhesive to bond the tongue and groove edges together. There are many choices of adhesives available and it is important to choose the right one.

• Urethane Adhesives: These are the most commonly used adhesives for engineered and thin profile hardwood floor installations today. There are several different options out there, though they are not too environmentally friendly. It is important to check to ensure no adhesive is left anywhere on the wood after the installation and again in the proper day light. The adhesive can be cleaned up using mineral spirits.
• Water Based Adhesives: These adhesives are only to be used with engineered wood floors and are the best option for those who are concerned with environmental and health issues, though they do not always provide the best quality adhesion. Powder based adhesives are also available to mix with water. A damp cloth can be used to clean the adhesive before it sets. If it is fully cured, use mineral spirits.
• Floating Floor Glues: Many manufacturers make their own floating floor glues to be used to glue the seams of with their products. Each type of glue will have its own guidelines and recommendations for installation. These can be cleaned up with a damp cloth before the glue sets. Afterward, be careful when it comes to scraping the glue off other surfaces.

The best approach is to choosing the right adhesive is to follow the manufacturer’s directions.

Important Note: If using mineral spirits to clean up adhesive, ensure proper ventilation and perform away from any heat or flame sources.

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The purpose of molding is to cover edges, camouflage expansion spaces, and bridge surfaces where wood ends and other types of flooring begin, like tile or carpet. Engineered flooring often comes with matching trim, but for solid wood flooring, you’ll need to shop for these pieces. The last finishing step after the floor is completely installed is the trim. In order to avoid frustrating last-minute issues, plan for trim and molding in advance as part of the overall installation.

What Type of Trim Do I Need?

To determine what kind of trim you’ll need, consider the edges of the room and anything that meets the floor, for example installed cabinets, fireplaces, stairways, doorways, and transitions between floorings. Here is how different types of trim are used:

• Wood to tile or wood to wood: Usually, this calls for a T-molding, so named because it has a rounded top T shape. The top of the molding is slightly rounded and the stem on the bottom fits between the ends of two types of flooring roughly equal in height.
• Uneven levels: A reducer eliminates a raised edge if one floor surface is noticeably higher of lower than the other. Reducers can be one-sided, flush, bi-level or overlapping. Each type of reducer trim does the same thing, eases the transition between floors of different levels.
• Threshold: Threshold trim bridges the gap between the floor and a sliding glass door. This leaves an expansion gap in place, and can also connect wood floors to carpet. End cap or square nose molding may also be used for this purpose.
• Stairs: If your floor will end under the floating edge of stairs and require expansion room, you’ll need overlap stair nosing or bull nose trim. For stairs that end flush, use flush or square edge stair nosing.
• Baseboards: around the walls, trim will be necessary to cover the gaps left by expansion space. You can use decorative or plain baseboards, with quarter round or shoe edge molding at the bottom to conceal additional gaps.

Ways to Install Molding and Trim

• Baseboards and other trim may be attached to the wall every 16 inches on the studs using staples or finishing nails.
• Transitional T-moldings are usually glued in place to the subfloor. Reducer trims have a tongue and groove edge that attach to the last floorboard and overlap the edge of the next surface.Baseboards and other trim may be attached to the wall every 16 inches on the studs using staples or finishing nails.
• Overlap reducers and threshold transitional trims are commonly used with floating floors and with transitions to carpet. They overlap both edges and may be nailed or glued down.

General Tips for Installation

• Unless you plan to paint trim to match the walls, select trim that is as close in grain pattern and color to your flooring as possible, and select wood strips that match the trim with little variation to go around the perimeter of the walls.
• Like the flooring planks, moldings should be acclimated for 72 hours.
• Pre-drilling is highly recommended to avoid splitting and splintering when fastening with nails or staples.
• Start with the longest unbroken wall, usually the outside wall.
• When installing shoe edge or quarter round moldings, do not drive in nails or staples at a downward angle. It may interfere with the floor expansion area.
• Splice trim using miter cuts. For an unbroken look, the direction of the miter should be oriented with the long point away from the room’s main entryway, the same direction of your vision as you enter the room.

Special Circumstances

Doorways

It’s tempting to continue flooring through a doorway, but using a transition (T-molding) is usually a better option. Creating an exact fit is difficult, and using a molding allows a little extra expansion easement. If the flooring is floated, you must use a transition molding if the doorways is less than 6 feet wide.

Pipes, Vents, Cabinets and Other Fixed Objects

A general rule of thumb is to leave a 3/8” expansion gap around any fixed object and use moldings, pipe rings, or vent covers to conceal the gaps.

Raised Hearths

Transitions around fireplaces are often awkward. The most natural looking way to handle a raised hearth is to trim out an area around the hearth itself using an undercut saw with a diamond-tipped blade. Two cuts are required and this needs to be prepared before installing the floor. The first cut goes at the vertical height level of the floor and the second flush with the subfloor. Chisel the area between the two cuts for the flooring to slide between.

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One of the most important factors to consider regarding your interior décor is the degree of integration and harmony you wish to achieve among the various areas in your home or work space. In some settings, a sense of continuity may be desired between adjacent rooms. In others, you may want sharply contrasted areas. You might wish to create the illusion that your new flooring has always been a part of the living or working space in which it is installed. Even with a limited budget, you can create striking effects with a bit of imagination, and often the best way to get the desired effect is the simplest one.

For laminate flooring, something as basic as the right style of molding can make all the difference in adding flow and continuity, as well as a sense of unity to an interior. There are several varieties of laminate flooring moldings that are available to you to help you gain these effects. But, which variety is the most appropriate for your specific space? Let’s take a look at the options.

Laminate Flooring Moldings

Reducer Moldings

This type of molding is useful when applying a transition from one floor space to another where the levels are slightly different. This situation sometimes occurs when the transition is between two different flooring materials, for example from a laminate floor to a tile floor, or when the floor of the adjacent room is the same material but installed at a different level.

End Moldings

An end molding can be used as another type of transition molding, but it is more useful when the transition is to an uneven surface such as a high-pile carpet or a thicker variety of tile. An end molding may also be a better choice when your flooring butts an edge such as a sliding glass door, where a quarter round molding may be too small. With a lower profile than a reducer strip laminate molding, an end molding can add a subtle, tailored look to your interior.

T-Moldings

T-moldings are useful for doorways or between other flooring sections which are at the same level. For example, if a laminate floor is installed in a particularly long room, a T-molding could be used for tying the two sections together. The T-molding is aptly named – shaped like a “T” – with the beams of the “T” serving as a bridge from one room or flooring section to another.

Baseboard Moldings

A baseboard is a well-known finishing element to a flooring project. The baseboard molding serves as a transition from a horizontal surface (e.g. your new laminate floor) to the vertical surface of a wall. Like all types of molding, you can match it with the color of the laminate floor, or paint it to match the wall. Either way, a baseboard molding can add a subtle, almost subliminal effect to the appearance of your room.

Base Shoe Moldings

This type of molding appears as a standard baseboard molding with a shallower profile. The base shoe molding is useful when trying to preserve the look of an existing baseboard while at the same time offering the advantages of its lower profile. The “shoe” portion of the molding is a rounded lip that helps to preserve the face of the baseboard from everyday wear, specifically when you vacuum your laminate floor.

Quarter Round Moldings

Used in the same way as a base shoe molding, the quarter round molding butts against your wall with a low, rounded exterior profile that adds a simple, yet tidy touch to your completed laminate flooring installation. This type of molding is often used behind cabinets where a low profile molding is better suited to support an object flush against the wall.

Stairnose Moldings

For making a transition from your floor to the edge of a flight of stairs or steps, a stairnose molding is a great solution. The molding sits flat and level on one side with your laminate flooring and closely hugs the first stair or step on the other side, rounding off the edge of the stair and adding a unique finishing touch to your completed laminate flooring project.

Something as simple as a molding can really make all the difference to the overall effect of your new laminate flooring project. Putting in laminate flooring moldings is often an afterthought to some, but the finished visual effect it creates is more often than not the defining feature of the completed project.

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