Installing Trim for new Vinyl Plank Flooring

Question

So it looks like part of my house had the door trim installed after the carpet. I'm currently in the process of ripping the carpet up and installing vinyl plank flooring, and noticed the huge gaps. Are my only options replacing all of the trim or caulking the bottom? Are there other options/products available?

I also noticed gaps in this corner of drywall, as well as the drywall sheets touching the slab. I assume the only reason you don't do this is so that moisture isn't wicked up (given the gypsum does look soft). I figure I can throw some drywall tape on it and mud it up.

Lastly, how do you account for the flooring around a curved fireplace? Is there a way to flush-cut the bottom of the brick, or do you install quarter-round trim at slight angles?

I also assume all of the minor holes/gaps from tearing out the tack-board won't be an issue.

Answer 1

This is multiple questions but luckily I have dealt with all three and will answer each on their own.

1. The door trim... You have two options... Completely reinstall the doors or to install a base/bottom for each piece. In that corner I would even go so far as installing an "L". I would suggest buying a pine plinth at big box ($3) and you could probably get both sides of a door from one plinth. Note that you may need to cut the trim to fit the plinth right and when installing plinth the flooring needs to slide under. This can be done and look great. It is a PITA. A lot of times we just cut out the bottom of the trim and add a trim endpiece... you could do this but your door jam will still be short.

2. The drywall... should be cut fully out to about 1/2". This area should be the expansion area for your planking, not the trim. The trim should, if possible, be set on the planking. Not pressing it down but 1/32" gap or less is fine.

3. Concrete holes from tacks... This really depends on the planking and where they are at. I would just fill them with leveler. The thinner the planking more chance to notice these. Also if it is around doors - yes fill them because people walk there and carry stuff through doors.

4. Curved fireplace... again depends on type of planking and can you live without an expansion gap there? You can ask manufacturer and if it looks OK (do a test piece) you can just butt it. However on most fireplace installs we take an angle grinder and cut out to about 1/2" deep around. This looks like it will be mainly a mortar joint for you. Also making this cutout may help you regain sanity as making this exact curve is truly difficult and even more so because brick isn't flat/smooth.

5. Ooops not a question but you need some thought here. What is up with that other flooring? You are going to meet vinyl to carpet? Going to be a height difference. You will need a transition piece for each door and quite frankly this may not look great.

Out of all of these install problems the two really hard ones are your door trim and your height difference to other flooring. I would seriously think about raising that floor to be at the same level as the rest so that you can install a less gaudy transition piece in the doors and so you do have to do tons of work with the trim/door jambs. I guess this is dependent on how big the room is but this is kind of why flooring isn't a piece-meal type of project. You kind of do a whole floor at once or swap out like for like.