Handling Base Trim When Installing Laminated Floor Over Vinyl

Nailed Base Trim

• 1

  Put on a pair of safety goggles and a pair of work gloves to avoid injury to hands and eyes should the board snap while you are removing it.

• 2

  Find the first nail on the end of the base trim securing it to the wall. Slide the end of the prybar between the wall and the trim to the side of the nail.

• 3

  Pry the trim away from the wall by applying pressure to the rear of the trim with the prybar. As you pry the bar away from the wall, the nail will begin to come free as well. Pull only enough to remove about half the nail from the wall, creating about an inch of space between the end of the board and the wall.

• 4

  Move down the board to the next nail placement and repeat the process, pulling that nail out slightly as well. The first nail will come completely free of the wall at this point. Continue down the wall, working each nail partially free until you reach the end. Pry the final nail free completely and then remove the board for replacement after installing the floor.

• 5

  Install the laminate flooring over the vinyl surface.

• 6

  Place the board against the wall with the base of the trim at the new floor level. Align the nails parallel to the nail holes below so that you can nail them back into the same stud in the wall. Nail the board into place, following along the length of the wall from one wall corner to the other or from the corner to any door openings.

Glued Base Trim

• 7

  Put on a pair of heat resistant work gloves. Plug the heat gun into a nearby outlet and set the gun to the lowest heat setting available.

• 8

  Press the trigger of the heat gun and hold it about 3 inches from the surface of the glued trim to heat the adhesive. Move the gun back and forth over trim for about 30 seconds to a minute to distribute the heat as evenly as possible, liquefying the adhesive beneath the trim surface.

• 9

  Push a putty knife blade between the wall and the trim to break the adhesive bond. Pill the trim from the wall by hand, as you wiggle the putty knife slightly back and forth. Continue down the trim until you’ve pulled it off completely. Scrape the remaining adhesive from the wall with the knife blade.

• 10

  Install the laminate flooring over the vinyl.

• 11

  Apply construction adhesive to the rear of the trim and line it up with the edge of the wall at the new level of the floor. Press the trim to the wall. Roll over the trim with a laminate roller to ensure that it sticks along its entire length. Wait overnight for the glue to dry before touching the trim.