Removing Skirting & Architraves

Any advice on the least destructive way to remove skirting and architrave off a gyprocked wall

Run a sharp knife along the edge of the boards to break the paint seal to the gyprock. Tap a wide old paint scraper down behind the board and see if you can't lever the boards off-probably not. If you can't tap an old wide blunt chisel down between the scraper and the board, that should allow you to start opening up a gap, then run along the boards levering it off. Best to stay close or on the studs so you don't bruise the gyprock, but the paint scraper will spread the load. If you can open up enough gap to use a small stanley pinch bar instead of the chisel, then you can also get the boards off without causing any visible damage to the boards.

Cheers
Michael

I've pulled all the skirting boards off my place, and with a few exceptions, didn't damge the walls. However, and this was pretty important for me, the new skirting boards were taller than the old boards, so it covered the damage caused by driving a chisel in.

My system was similar to Michael's. First cut along the join between the skirting board and the wall to cut the paint/gap fill line. Then I used an old wide chisel (don't use a good one as you seem to find every nail with this method) and drive it down between the skirting board and wall. Use a studfinder (or use the wall tapping method that I can't seem to master) to work out where the studs are and drve it in at that point. Lever it a bit, then get a wide pry bar.

I cut a scrap bit of MDF (only 12 mm thick), rounded the edges with the router, and placed that between the wall and the pry bar. Thsi spreads the load and stops you punching holes through the gyprock (or denting it where the studs are). Using the short end of the pry bar (ie the end closest to the 100 deg bend), gently lever the skirting board out. Do this for a few studs until you can get a good grab on it. Then pull the sucker off. It is much easier to pull the skirting board off than to lever it off - just try not to break the board, because you have to start the levering process again.

Carpet and carpet strips are a real pain - once you have levered it off the wall a bit, try getting another pry bar underneath the board to lift it above the carpet to help you pull it off.

The only damage I caused was a few holes where I forgot (read, was too lazy) to use the MDF. It also causes some damage where you drive the chisel in, so think about replacing it with taller skirting boards.

Remember that removing, then replacing skirting boards is a long job (for me anyway). Next time, I would think very seriously about learning to live with the boards as they are!

Trav

I have removed majoirty of my art deco archs and skirts with a japanese restorers pry bar. Cost close to $50 but that with an old 2 foot wrecking bar did very little damage to the skirts and archs (reused 95%) and minor damage to the plaster edge when compressing plaster against the stud.

well it seemed easy for me but my misses had all sorts of problems attempting to use same tools and technique.

we just use a thin ended wrecking bar, you can remove most skirting this way if your carefull with only a few little scrapes on the paint, it also help to know where the nails are.
getting architraves off is easy. just get one end of it up, then have a go at just pulling it off..if they still hold on more leavering for you:) be carefull, they wont take much to break a small one..and they can spring off like a bugger when they do let go;)