Removing and replacing skirting board

Hi. I want to replace some carpet with floating flooring in our holiday home - and I'm thinking about the skirting boards. When I've done floating floors before I've just ripped up the skirting board, put the floor down, then fitted new skirting board.

This time I want to remove the skirting boards and then refit them in their original position (where undamaged). I guess I can just place a board up against the wall and lever them off with a flat iron - but I know I will get damage that way so I'm wondering if there is some trade secret way of removing them with minimal damage?

In case you are wondering why we want to do this. The problem is that the original skirting was fitted about 30 years ago and has faded substantially (very sunny house). Its all faded together though - skirting, windowsills, architraves and doors. It's actually gone quite a nice colour, and we have chosen the rest of the décor to match. If I replace with new skirting, it wont match (for another 30 years).

I realise there will be issues with nail heads etc. I will get around that somehow.

Two good points - the current skirting boards show very little signs of wear - and whoever fit them originally didn't do a very good job so I think there are less fixing points then normal.

cheers
Arron


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