You don't need a bunch of money or time to update and improve your home style. Often, the simplest remodels are the most effective. Installing new carpet is one of those effective and affordable remodels. If you are a little more ambitious, you should consider replacing your baseboard molding while you are having new carpet installed. The baseboard and crown molding around your house largely determine the overall style. This article explains how to remove your molding in preparation for new carpet installation.

Doing the Work

Changing your molding is a project that should probably be handled by professionals. The job requires finish carpentry skills, attention to details, and experience working with moldings. The molding needs to look seamless and clean. Achieving this look, if you have never worked with molding, is going to be very hard. However, you can do a small part of the job on your own. Molding installation is already a relatively affordable project, but you can make it even cheaper if you remove the old molding yourself. When you take off the molding, and clean and prepare the walls, the installer's job will be much quicker and easier. This will allow you to get a better deal on your project.

What You Need

Molding removal is easy, but you need to do your best to make sure you don't cause too much collateral damage to the walls during the process. First, you need a utility knife that is sharp enough to cut through the caulk. Once the caulk seal is removed, you will need a couple of flat-head screwdrivers and/or chisels. Wedge the chisel behind the molding, using a hammer to knock it all the way down. Then pry it away from the wall. Make sure you don't put too much pressure on one point of the wall, and to prevent gouging through drywall, you might have better luck if you use two chisels at once. Prying from two separate points will likely protect your walls. Work your way down the walls, loosening a little bit here and there.

Once you get the molding off of the wall, you can break it into smaller pieces and throw it away. Just like that, your walls will now be 100% ready for the installation of your new product. Make sure you choose a new molding that is taller than your old product. This way the caulk line will be hidden.

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