Floating floors like LVP and laminate need an expansion gap around the edges of the room. Something has to cover that gap. You can either pull the baseboards and reinstall them over the new floor, or leave them and add quarter round or shoe molding at the bottom.
OPTION 1: REMOVE AND REINSTALL
Baseboards come off before the floor goes down, then go back on top of the new floor, covering the gap.
- Pros: cleanest look, no extra molding.
- Cons: old baseboards often crack on removal, need caulking and repainting, and old wall paint lines show.
OPTION 2: QUARTER ROUND OR SHOE MOLDING
Baseboards stay put, and a small molding is nailed to the baseboard at the floor.
- Pros: cheaper and faster, no disturbance to walls or paint.
- Cons: an extra trim line; some homeowners find it dated.
Shoe molding is a slimmer, more subtle profile than quarter round, and usually looks better.
OPTION 3: NEW BASEBOARDS
If baseboards are short, damaged or dated (common with 2.5 inch builder trim), new floors are the ideal time to upgrade to taller 5 to 7 inch baseboards. It changes the whole room.
WHICH MAKES SENSE?
| Situation | Best Option |
|---|---|
| Baseboards in good shape, budget job | Shoe molding |
| Rental turnover | Quarter round or shoe molding |
| Baseboards painted many times, cracked | New baseboards |
| Hardwood nailed down (no big gap) | Often nothing extra needed |
| High-end remodel | Remove and reinstall, or new |
TYPICAL COSTS
| Item | Typical DMV Cost |
|---|---|
| Shoe molding or quarter round, installed and painted | $2.50 – $4.50 / linear ft |
| Remove and reinstall existing baseboards | $2.50 – $4.00 / linear ft |
| New 5–7 inch baseboards, installed and painted | $6 – $11 / linear ft |
Painting baseboards before they go back on, and touching up after, gives a cleaner result than painting them on the wall over a brand-new floor.
RELATED READING
CROWN MOLDING & TRIM INSTALLATION COST
Crown, baseboard, casing and wainscoting priced per linear foot — materials, labor and paint.
FLOORING INSTALLATION COSTS: DC, MD & VA (2026)
LVP, hardwood, tile, carpet — what flooring installation actually costs in the DMV, broken down by material and what drives your final number.
THE BEST WHITE PAINT FOR TRIM AND DOORS
Warm vs. cool whites, matching trim to walls, sheen, and the whites homeowners actually use.
Planning a project? See our Flooring Installation service page for scope, process and recent work.
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