Remove any carpeting or old vinyl flooring and temporarily remove the baseboard.
Remove baseboard too install click lock laminate.
But i i think it ll look just as good either way so go with easier and less damaging.
Use a pry bar to pull the baseboards from the wall working carefully to prevent damage to the wall surface and the baseboard.
Take care when handling the moulding you have removed.
Baseboard heaters can present a problem during a laminate flooring installation if they occur along the wall running next to the last course.
Using a scrap piece of flooring go around the perimeter of the room and mark the height of the flooring with a pencil.
Installing the laminate with quarter round will be much easier and won t damage the existing walls.
Gently pry the baseboard away from the wall working your way down the entire length of the wall.
If you remove the baseboard you risk damaging the walls.
One of the more creative parts of the renovation one of many projects to finish out a dark damp unfinished basement was how to install that last line of click lock laminate flooring under the previously installed and painted baseboard.
Then you can use an oscillating saw to carefully cut out the piece of baseboard.
Aesthetically better is wholly subjective.
If removing the molding is not an option the base molding can be undercut with an oscillating saw to allow the flooring to slide under it.
If you are installing vinyl planks in a bathroom you may need to temporarily remove the toilet or you can install around it.
How to lay laminate flooring with baseboard heaters.
With the quarter round removed use the utility knife along the top edge of the baseboard moulding to cut through any paint between it and the wall.