I had my HW refinished several years ago and they took off the shoe molding and replaced it with new molding. It was included in the price. I would pop it off and just get new molding . You could just touch up the baseboards. You also might ask them how much it would be to do this.

I took off shoe molding by first prying it a little with a putty knife, and then putting the short end of a small pry bar between the top edge and the baseboard right where the nails were, and rocking it loose...I protected the baseboard with a folded cloth behind the bar, and I went along its length a little at a time, loosening the whole thing bit by bit, and then going back and pulling the nails all the way up.
Figure out whether your shoe is nailed to the baseboard or to the floor, and proceed accordingly. If it's nailed to the floor, you may do better to start prying from the bottom edge instead. As long as you use the folded cloth between the bar and the baseboard or floor, you should be able to do it without damage. And it is SOO much easier to sand and paint baseboard with the shoe off.

When I had my hardwood floors refinished, (throughout the house except for the kitchen and bathroom) I pulled all the baseboards out before they started work. Most contractors use a drum sander for the main areas of the room and a round edge sander for the edges, so if they're not careful you can get a little unevenness on the edges. If you pull the baseboard/base shoe off, that unevenness will be covered when the new ones go back up. Plus it's a lot easier to paint the trim when it's not on the wall. Then all you have to do is putty and caulk (if needed) and touch up the paint when they're installed. I'm way too unsteady with the paintbrush to feel comfortable painting in place, even with masking off, YMMV.

The easiest way to remove the trim is to run a utility knife LIGHTLY through the paint at the joint and then use a thin trim pry bar to remove the base. Just try not to damage the base or wall behind it. Also, put a piece of cardboard or thin wood behind the bar to make sure you don't mar the wall or baseboard. Good luck and enjoy your refinished floors!

Bri

IMO, new shoe molding should be included in the refinish bid. There's no way the new stain is going to match the old shoe mold and they usually stain the new molding before installing it.

Maybe your molding is painted?? If so, I'd do as mentioned above and remove it with a stiff putty knife and a small crowbar. Usually shoe molding pops right off once you get it started, but if you need to use a crowbar, I'd suggest placing a wide putty knife between it and the wall as you pry the molding off. The metal putty knife will help protect your wall.

We just took it all off and it was pretty smooth going. The shoe is painted to match the baseboard - not the floor. I will sand and repaint the shoe and the baseboards after the HW is refinished.

Thanks!!

It's your house and taste, but I would toss the old molding and get new shoe. No more dirt showing or knicks! Staining the molding is so quick, too! Just run a poly stained cloth along the wood and you're done. You could use the old shoe as a guide to cutting the new.

It looks better stained IMHO.

OT...do you use shoe molding or does anyone use quarter round? There are so many types I got a headache looking at them all. We just had wood laminate planks put down in the master bdrm and since there was only base molding with carpet, we need something to trim it out.

Thanks!
Susan

If the shoe moldings are in great shape and just need restaining, but I agree that shoe molding is very inexpensive and not a lot of trouble to pop off. In fact, I can even do that! :)

Ok, now you got me thinking that maybe I should get new shoe molding and stain it.

Any thoughts on shoe vs. quarter round? I like the look of stained next to the wood and then painted base.

Our house is 56 yrs old and it has 1/4 round instead of shoe molding. It matches the golden oak hardwood floors which were obviously refinished at one time because I can see the staple marks here and there for carpeting. If I could post a picture I would!

Thank you for answering arapaho. Dh & I are not experts on this and everyone we ask has a different opinion.

Susan