# Repair or replace baseboard?



## handbanana (Mar 5, 2007)

My baseboard has layers of old paint as you can see in the pictures below. Should I strip the paint, sand and paint? or should I take it out and install new baseboard?

Thanks!


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## KUIPORNG (Jan 11, 2006)

I think it depends on the quality of your baseboard also... if your baseboard is not the high end product but the composite product which cost about $50cents per feet... and you have a lot of area need to do... it might make sensense to replace everything... but then installing baseboard require speicif skills and equipments to do it good... looks like I know everything but I never install one yet but yet to try to install a whole bunch soon...


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## slickshift (Aug 25, 2005)

It looks a little beat up
Stripping it would be a lot of effort, as the best way is to remove it
And then re-install it of course
Which is the same labor (including the painting) as using new molding

The only difference is it takes longer, is way messier, to strip it

Price wise, good strippers aren't cheap
If you didn't want a super fancy molding, it could very well be cost effective to put new up there (if not cheaper, figuring in your time and disposal of the hazardous waste you would then own)
It would save you a messy, time consuming project also

Unless that stuff is historic or really good wood in great shape, I'd consider new


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## joewho (Nov 1, 2006)

Looking at the paint failure, size of base and mouldings, I'm sure it's old, slow growth wood. There isn't anything like it any more. New wood isn't the same as what you have there.

If you don't care about that, replace it. If you do care, scrape the bad spots, mostly just under the top and re-paint it.

Taking it down and stripping it is the most time consuming, but it's exactly what I'd do. I'm 99% sure that the wood was stained and finished at one time. This would make it easier to get all the paint off by stripping.

edit: If you take the base off, you will have to paint the walls. there's going to be a lip where the trim meets the wall.
Newer trim is harder to find in that exact size. Customizing the trim to fit exactly as existing trim is just as much work as saving it.


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## AllGoNoShow (Aug 8, 2006)

joewho said:


> Looking at the paint failure, size of base and mouldings, I'm sure it's old, slow growth wood. There isn't anything like it any more. New wood isn't the same as what you have there.


Yea, thats what I was going to say. I'm just getting done stripping paint and restaining Gumwood trim in one of the rooms of my 1930 House. It is beatiful-and everyone comments on it-you will never see trim like that every again in any newer home...very unique. Its an appeal of an old house.


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## handbanana (Mar 5, 2007)

Should I take it out and repair it and then reinstall it? I'm going to paint the room the anyway..

Or should I repair it in its place?


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## Clutchcargo (Mar 31, 2007)

handbanana said:


> Should I take it out and repair it and then reinstall it? I'm going to paint the room the anyway..
> 
> Or should I repair it in its place?


That depends on how it was installed. Did they put the baseboard trim in first and cut the floorboards around it or did the floor go in first?


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## joewho (Nov 1, 2006)

In place. Scrape the loose, chipping paint and sand those areas really well. The shu looks rough, sanding the dings and dents will help hide them when painted.

Taking the trim out will open another can of worms. Boards split, paint chips off, boards come out leaving nails in the wall and toenailing have to be dealt with. Top of trim is probably caulked to plaster walls. Not sure how you feel about all that.

Doing it in place will brighten it up, protect it, and it's much less work.

Removing and getting new will give the brand new look. But it's a lot to do.

Removing and refinishing is the most work.


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## torpainter (Oct 27, 2006)

It couldn't be any worse than the staircase I stripped ,193 spindles. I would not remove the baseboard but would do a small test area ,If it's not too difficult to remove(paint) you might have some beautiful wood worth keeping underneath(and a decades project)


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## Dusty (Aug 9, 2006)

If that is old wood, and you just plan to paint anyway, I'd just leave it and sand/fill or strip it in place if it's really bad. You may want to figure out if there is any lead paint on them before you do anything as you don't want that dust in the air so a wet stripper or heat gun would be the answer probably.

The reason I wouldn't remove them is chances are you will end up with damaged plaster to fix if you remove them. If they are old they may also break.

Meanwhile if they aren't good old wood and you have a compound miter saw, just go get new, carefully remove the old stuff, and replace as it will be a lot less work.


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