# Must I remove trim before installing laminate?



## Mary T (Jun 19, 2011)

I'm planning to install Pergo Laminate over an exisiting tile (vinyl) floor in our basement. As the room is already finished, the floor trim is already in place. 

Is it essential to remove it in order to lay the floor correctly? I think I already know the answer; I just really don't want to remove the trim, since I recently painted it and don't relish the idea of doing touch ups on it or the wall or even possibly damaging something when removing the trim. 
Any thoughts? Thanks!


----------



## rusty baker (Feb 13, 2009)

Yes, it needs to be removed.


----------



## DannyT (Mar 23, 2011)

you don't absolutely have to but then you would have to put shoe molding down to cover the gap. it looks more professional if you remove the trim. looks like a hack did it if you don't. If you go through any doorways you will need to trim the casing and door jambs for the laminate to go under them


----------



## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

> I think I already know the answer;


Yup...you do.


----------



## poppameth (Oct 2, 2008)

That really depends on the type of trim you have. If it is shoe mold or quarter round then yes remove it. If it's baseboard, you could just add a piece of quarter round to cover the gap and leave the baseboard alone.


----------



## rusty baker (Feb 13, 2009)

I guess you are right, you don't have to remove the trim. That's the right way to do it, but many people who post on here don't want to do things the right way, only the easy way.


----------



## Mary T (Jun 19, 2011)

*Doing it the right way.*

Thanks, everyone for your responses. That's pretty much what I thought. I will remove the trim. Skip the extra cost of adding 1/4 round and just add some time to my project. It won't do much good if I hate the way it looks when I'm finished, even if I saved a little time.

Guess it's not a shortcut if I don't like where I end up.


----------



## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

Mary T said:


> Thanks, everyone for your responses. That's pretty much what I thought. I will remove the trim. Skip the extra cost of adding 1/4 round and just add some time to my project. It won't do much good if I hate the way it looks when I'm finished, even if I saved a little time.
> 
> Guess it's not a shortcut if I don't like where I end up.


I’m glad to hear it. That ¼ round has always looked like a mistake to me but people do it.


----------



## poppameth (Oct 2, 2008)

kwikfishron said:


> I’m glad to hear it. That ¼ round has always looked like a mistake to me but people do it.


I think it's really a matter of preference. Around here almost every house has quarter round on hard surface floors, regardless of the type. What I really hate is when you have painted baseboard and someone put quarter round that matches the wood floor down on it. That looks like a screw up to me.


----------



## UCFWill2007 (Jul 13, 2011)

I would agree on taking the baseboards off. It is tough to get them off depending on how long they have been on, the wood gets brittle over time, etc. Doing the quarter round method isn't terrible, but it just looks like a cover up. I've seen it on tile and laminate floors. The only way to leave the baseboards down and do tile is to undercut them. You might also want to take up the old floor, depending on how well it's stuck down. Then the new floor will only be as good as the old one is. 

Like they say... You never have time to do it the right way, but you always have time to do it twice. (or something like that)


----------



## rusty baker (Feb 13, 2009)

My house is 100 years old and has 1/4 round in every room. That is common in most old houses here. And we have the original oak floors.


----------

