Cutting Baseboards In Place When Installing

72chevy4x4

When installing 3/4" hardwood (or thinner engineered flooring), I really like the look of the baseboard over the floor w/o a gap-but usually see quarterrounds to hide the gap. I'm sure it is more work to pull the baseboards, install floor then reinstall baseboards. Is there a method of cutting the baseboards in place? Any other tips out there? I suppose a taller baseboard could be installed-I've run into problems with the baseboard being painted ot the wallboard and making quite a mess when pulling them off (even w/ cutting). When pricing a job-do you provide an alternative to the customer or just one way? For instance-I've priced a job w/ quarter rounds. As an up-sell, I could price pulling the baseboards, but not sure how much time/cost would be involved including the painting (maybe only logical for spaces which would also be painted??)

AbsoluteFloorin

You could use a casing cutter/jam saw just set it to 3/4 of an inch and slide your wood underneith the base board.

send_it_all

I always try to sell new base with new flooring install. It looks crappy with old base. I agree that the jamb saw would be the best tool for the job, but I would think that installation of the flooring would be a beeyotch that way. To answewr your question about pricing pulling off base and re-installing, It would be too close to the price of painting and re-installing new base for me. I get between $3-$4 per l/f for that. I wouldnt charge much less to pull and re-install crappy old base. You run too much risk of damaging the base or the wall and then having to find matching base if you do damage it. Not worth it.
I would just use shoe before I did that.

send_it_all

By the way...the 67-72 Chevy truck is the best body style they ever made....I am looking for a decent Suburban as we speak.

72chevy4x4

thanks for the info on the baseboards guys. I like the look of shoe versus 1/4 round-does shoe molding give enough room for expansion of the flooring?

find a nearly rust free burb-I've spent countless hours welding floor pans, rockers, corners and more...altthough the experience was cool, it's taken a lonnng time. good luck.

send_it_all

There is a gmc around the corner from my shop for 2k...I haven't looked close but it looks straight and clean.....last of my thread jacking...sorry all...

plazaman

when doing laminate, if i undercut existing bases, does the installation become harder vs qtr. round/removing bases? we either do qrt. rounds or remove bases .

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PrecisionFloors

Not for 3/4" hardwood it doesn't, and it is too damned close for my taste on anything made from wood.

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Tile, Hardwood, Laminate, and Resilient
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PrecisionFloors

For any of the laminates currently on the market it becomes damned near impossible. If you have to rotate the plank to a 45 degree angle to engage the locking system, how does that work on your end boards?

It was totally possible on the old glue together floors.

__________________
Precision Flooring
(772) 237-9900
Tile, Hardwood, Laminate, and Resilient
Installation, Sales & Repair - "We do it right the FIRST time"

jaros bros.

I always pull the baseboards and try to install new if at all possible. The old ones always look ratty and they are more work to refinish than new ones. If you're careful you can easily remove any baseboard from the wall with a cedar shake and good sharkstooth. It just takes a little patience.
I think the shoe moulding looks really tacky. It's just another piece of moulding used to cover something up. To me, its used to get in and out quick. Now, some baseboards aren't thick enough to do this with. I can never figure out why 1/2" baseboard gets installed. I guess it's cheap.

Josh Jaros

Jerry T

I use to think that way too, but it is very profitable when you can get 1.75 to 2.25 a lft to finish and install base shoe. Some jobs have added several hundred dollars to my bottom line. I have several undercut saws to cut off the bottom, but clients seem to balk at paying for that task, but none have minded paying for base shoe.