I'm renovating my 90s house by replacing all the flooring with engineered hardwood. I want to keep the existing oak trim—baseboards and crown molding—since it's high quality and costly to replace. I'm a bit stuck on how to discuss this with my contractor. Is it possible to just replace the flooring without touching the trim? If not, what's the usual way of managing it? For example, if they remove the shoe molding (which I'm not a fan of), how would they deal with the marks left behind? Would we need to restain or add new molding that won't match? Looking for insights on how this is typically done in renovations like mine.
3 Answers
Oh, I can relate! I helped my spouse paint all our wood trim while also replacing the baseboards—took forever, about 200 hours! Just make sure to get some pics to help visualize your options. It will help your contractor understand your preferences better.
It might be best to consider replacing the shoe molding since it generally adds a nice touch, especially with new floors. If your floors aren't perfectly level, you’ll want to address that as well. Realistically, you could end up stripping and restaining all the trim, which can be a hassle but looks good in the end!
It really depends on the situation. If the wood trim is stained, that could complicate things. Just keep in mind that many floor installers won't handle trim work unless they're specifically trained for it, and that may come with additional charges. So, you might need to find a separate painter or decorator for that.
Yeah, it's good to clarify roles with your contractor upfront. Otherwise, you might end up with unexpected costs or issues.
Totally! I did that once, and it was a lot of work but totally worth the look in the end. Just plan for the time it takes.