Removing heavily painted moldings

[BillN]

I need to take out a built in place cabinet in an alcove (65 years worth of paint), hopefully without destroying the plaster walls. I started trying to run a utility knife at the joints where the moldings meet the wall/ceiling but that's not working too well.

Has anyone tried doing something like that with a multitool using a scraper or one of the semi-circular blades? Most of the area will be covered by the new cabinets except the top 13 inches or so.

Thanks, Bill

[jppierson]

Try using heat to soften the paint on the moldings then cut along the interface between the molding and wall with a utility knife or continue and strip the paint completely. Keep the heat gun moving, the idea is to soften what is there, not start a fire. Be careful removing the molding and the cabinet so you don't crush/crack the plaster. Use a thin board to lever the wrecking bar against in order to spread the load while prying off the molding. It may be that the molding isn't attached to the wall at all but only the built in cabinet, in which case scoring the paint between the molding and wall should leave you in good shape. Good luck.

[EricU]

usually, you only have to get it started and then you can pry. Are the plaster walls really that fragile? They generally have more support and are stronger than drywall. You might have to touch up a ding.

At my sister's house, a contractor took out the trim because the carpet was stuck underneath. They broke through the drywall every couple of feet. Apparently told her they had to do it.

[Bob10]

I would use the multitool and the fine toothed blade and a small pry bar to start use a piece of flashing or some other thin metal to protect the plaster from the bar
http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-55-045-7-1...=small+pry+bars

[EricU]

for 2014 Black Friday, HD had a set of 3 pry bars from Dewalt, I think. One of them had relatively wide and thin prying section. That has worked really well for me. I think I've seen that set in the stores, it wasn't expensive even when it's not on sale.

As far as applying heat is concerned, I might try a wallpaper steamer. I got one and it works on most paints.

[BillN]

Thanks to everyone for the input. I have a heat gun and I'll probably use that. Home Depot has a little trim puller with a wider end than a standard pry bar, I'm thinking I'll head over tomorrow and pick that up.

Bill

[bottd]

The heat will work, but just make sure and have some fresh air coming in and clean up real good. I would have to think that 65 years of paint include a of couple coats that contain lead.

[FlaAllan]

A friend told me about this tool, though I haven't purchased one yet. Might be helpful in your situation.
Zenith trim puller

[Cooler]

No matter what anyone says it is always faster and cheaper to remove the old moldings and reuse them than it is to make new.

You need TWO multipurpose tools. You slide in one and pry it back gently and then slide the second tool along side it and pry it back. Leapfrog the tools and work your way to the end of the molding.

You will need a hammer or pry bar to remove the nails and you will need (and this is very important) a Sharpie marking pen to write a number on the back of the molding. Start at one end with #1 and mark each attaching piece with a consecutive number. Otherwise you will spend hours figuring out which molding goes where.

Paint stripper and sandpaper finish the job. I primed and painted the molding before installing again. I only had to touch up the nail holes. In many situations that is a good tactic.

[Bob10]

For my place 130 y/o victorian I took all the molding off and into the trash it went. The lead paint and the need to remove it far outweighed the cost of new. Time has a value plus getting the lead out of a place is a good thing and has to enter the equation.

I assume the molding spoken about in this post is getting tossed as it the cabinet being removed. Really no good reason to heat up the lead paint on the trim IMO.