removing dado rails

[mikecut]

How is the best way to remove a dado rail without damaging the wall

[big-all]

heeelllooo and welcome mikecut

stanley knife cut top and bottom start near a door or window frame or external corner use a broad metal bladed scraper to ease off the wall and to protect the wall if you need to use a chisle or claw hammer

[Mooncat]

Dado adds a bit of class to a room, why do you want to remove it?

[Welsh Decorator]

With Moon on this

[chris p bacon]

All depends how its fixed, if its fixed with the carpenters favorite tool GRIP FILL over existing paint it should come off and just bring some of the paint with it,however if its fixed with GRIPFILL over new plaster get a large bag of easyfill ready.

[Welsh Decorator]

They did fix dado's long before Gripfill

[chris p bacon]

Fair point Welsh, if it is screwed and pluged its still a pain trying to get to those screws.

[Welsh Decorator]

You aint kidding!

[Mooncat]

If dado was fixed long ago, it may be that it was fixed before plastering, and that may not be level above and below!

[gmoore]

Dado rails (and Picture rails) were usually fixed with cut nails. The best way of removing dado and picture rails is to split them as close to the nail as possible. You can then remove the wood, leaving the nails behind and then remove the nails either by clamping them with mole grips and twisting them til they come out (or break) or gently pulling them out with a claw hammer. Problem with cut nails is that they rust inside the wall and just levering off the rail will bring the nails and a load of plaster with it as well.