Baseboard hell

[kelt65]

Every time I look closer I realize there's more work to be done. The baseboards in the rooms that still have plaster are attached to the studs and nothing else - they're recessed in the wall and they look horrible. Evidently when the new wiring was run they just ripped the plaster out to run the wires and never bothered to put anything beneath the baseboards ... so they're recessed with gobs of gross caulk joining them to the wall. I was intending to pry them off cleanly and back them with drywall which I'd feather into the existing plaster. After prying off the toe molding and trying to pry off the baseboards, I'm haveing a very difficult time not damaging the baseboard. They must have used adhesive to glue them to the studs or something. I've done this before and with this I almost can't pull them off without damaging them, as careful as I am. I'm using a thick bladed putty knife to work them out a bit, then a pry bar backed with a wood scrap. They're cracking and splitting all over. Not sure what to do here - so I'm soliciting opinions from hopefully someone who'se been through this. As I see it, I have the following options:

1. Live with it as is and cease work, deal with the nasty caulk.
2. Buy new baseboard, probably larger, 10". Not cheap. Not sure if I can afford it. 10" baseboard would still go with the house OK - and might even look better, althought currently it has 8" throughout.

[mattswabb]

If you do pull it all I would fill in the area where the baseboard was removed with drywall and finish it flush with the rest of the wall.

Then buy new 1x8 and base cap like this
http://www.homedepot.com/p/American-Woo ... ord=808000

It would be a 2 piece baseboard that resembles what you have. Then add a quarter round at the floor. The would give you the chance to straighten out the walls and the base cap is a little more flexible and will hide some wavyness of the wall.

[kelt65]

If you do pull it all I would fill in the area where the baseboard was removed with drywall and finish it flush with the rest of the wall.

Then buy new 1x8 and base cap like this
http://www.homedepot.com/p/American-Woo ... ord=808000

It would be a 2 piece baseboard that resembles what you have. Then add a quarter round at the floor. The would give you the chance to straighten out the walls and the base cap is a little more flexible and will hide some wavyness of the wall.

Yeah, the problem is getting them off. The person who did this must have glued them - they're just not coming off without breaking. The pry bar bends before they will budge.

[kelt65]

It occured to me that perhaps my pry bar is just a piece of crap - it bends too easily. Can you find a solid iron pry bar anymore? i.e., one that won't bend?

[kelt65]

Problem solved - wrong tool! I went and got a 36" prybar and it's doing the trick. Just wasn't getting the leverage with the smaller one.

[heartwood]

if at first you don't succeed, get a bigger prybar...glad you worked it out...make sure you have a stud behind where you are prying so the bar has something to lean up against and offers you leverage you need.......

since there looks to be plenty of caulk above the baseboard, you may want to get a straightedge and cut back a bit of the plaster (along with the goopy caulk) if you can then butt the drywall, tape and mud...

good luck...
.....jade

[kelt65]

Do you all think it would work if I added a plain, flat wood piece, about 3", to the bottom of the baseboard, rather than add molding at the top of it? There would be a seam, of course, but I could fill in with putty. I'm painting them anyway ...

[Al F. Furnituremaker]

Now that you have figured out how to get if off, you're on a roll. One thing that will help in removing it is to cut the caulk along the molding top with a utility knife. Looks like you already have a two piece baseboard there.

I'm doing a similar project. Although I'm the one removing the lower section of plaster and adding wiring and outlets. Once the wiring was all done I put sheetrock on where I removed the lath and plaster, and feathered it to the original plaster. While I have all the woodwork off, including window and door casings, I'm refinishing it. Much easier to do on a bench than on the bottom of a wall. So far everything is stripped and sanded, (nice old growth southern yellow pine). Now for the finishing.

[kelt65]

Now that you have figured out how to get if off, you're on a roll. One thing that will help in removing it is to cut the caulk along the molding top with a utility knife. Looks like you already have a two piece baseboard there.

I'm doing a similar project. Although I'm the one removing the lower section of plaster and adding wiring and outlets. Once the wiring was all done I put sheetrock on where I removed the lath and plaster, and feathered it to the original plaster. While I have all the woodwork off, including window and door casings, I'm refinishing it. Much easier to do on a bench than on the bottom of a wall. So far everything is stripped and sanded, (nice old growth southern yellow pine). Now for the finishing.

Actually, I'm using a saw attachment to my drill and grazing over the top of the baseboard to make a clean cut quickly. I was using a hacksaw blade but that was a bit much. They're one piece. How are you feathering the drywall into the plaster? I have a lot of plaster magic ready to go (for other repairs, mostly) but was planning to just use mesh and joint compound here.

[Al F. Furnituremaker]

I cut the plaster and lath lower than the top of the baseboard so the joint will be behind the baseboard once it is reinstalled. All the "new stuff" will be hidden.

Just put on spackling compound as you would when doing drywall joints. I used the fiberglass mesh with it. Once dry I sanded where it needed it.