How to Demo Trim to Save Money on a Renovation
4 Materials
8 Hours
Easy
We are renovating an old home and there are plenty of projects that we are hiring out, simply because we don't have the advanced DIY skills to tackle them. Or the time to get it all done!
But there is one thing on our long to-do list that we can easily do ourselves...demo the old trim throughout our home! It only takes a few tools and some patience to get all of the trim off your walls in your house. If you're having fresh trim put up in your home by a professional, then you'll save lots of money DIY'ing this first step yourself!
We were able to do all of our window frames, door casings, and baseboards throughout our entire first home in 24 hours.
The only supplies you need are a hammer, a crowbar, and a nail puller. Plus, you may want to wear gloves and eye protection to keep things safe!
Then, it's only 3 steps. Place the crow bar behind the trim, hammer it down if necessary, and loosen it up. You may have to do this in a few spots along the piece of wood until it is loose enough to pop off.
The nails should come out with the trim, but if they remain stuck in the wall after you remove the wood, then simply use the nail puller to get them out.
That's all it takes to prep your walls for a carpenter to get new trim installed in your home.
Removing trim is definitely something you can do yourself. There's no need to spend money on a professional when you can spend a weekend demoing.
For more tips to get the job done right, check out this post.
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Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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2 of 8 comments
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Good ideas on removing trim. Our local handyman also recommended using a utility knife and also be careful not to damage the wall when you do this.
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I would also recommend that if the house is older with plaster walls or whatever, first you need to test a spot to be sure the wall doesn’t come off with the baseboard, or you will be replacing or repairing walls as well.
Frequently asked questions
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How did you reuse all the old wood?
Great idea! Do I have to replace the baseboards or can I leave it off?? I hate cleaning baseboards!