How to Measure Baseboard and Quarter round and RemoveLaminate flooring requires an expansion gap. This gap around all the walls and any other stationary object allows the laminate flooring to expand or contract. You wouldn't think that laminate could do this but it does. If there is no expansion gap and the floor expands, it causes the laminate to hump up. I have seen this numerous times. You need to determine before installing the floors what you will use to cover this gap. You have four options. 1- Remove the baseboard and install new baseboard. 2- Leave the baseboard on the wall and install new quarter round molding . 3- Remove the baseboard and reinstall it. (This is a good time to repaint it) 4- Remove and replace quarter round molding. Measuring for baseboard or quarter round is fairly simple.Just measure the length of every wall that needs it. I always measure each wall and write the figure down as I go. Then add them up.
Removing Baseboard and Quarter Round MoldingIf you are saving the baseboard or quarter round, you need to be patient when removing them. They can break easily. Most often the base and 1/4 round have been chalked when they were installed. The chalking is usually along the top edge. I use a utility knife and cut along the top to separate the chalk. When cutting along the top be careful not to veer off and cut the wall. This is where the being patient part applies.To remove the baseboard I use two crow bars, a small one and a large one. The first thing folks try to do is put the crow bar at the top and pry away from the wall. Doing this can push in the drywall, and just creates more work. I use the small crow bar down at the floor, find a place where it doesn't quite touch the floor and work the small crow bar under it, pry it up a little and get the big crow bar under. Using the big crow bar keep prying up down the wall until its fairly loose, now using the big crow bar at the top you can pry it away from the wall without too much force. The nails that stay in the wall need to be removed.
Now that you have measured the for the amount of flooring, transitions and quarter round/ base board your going to need, lets move on to the next stage.
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Here in this photo is an example of some finished base board I did. This is 4 1/4 inch wide base installed with the curved corners. This can be tedious to do, but it sure looks beautiful when finished.
