Help - Laying Laminate Flooring without "beading"

[Steve Harvey]

Hi, I am planning to lay a new laminate floor in my living room shortly. I have just been told by SWMBO said she does not want to have any "edge beading" which is used to hide the expansion gaps.

What are my options in laying the floor (with skirting boards already in place) which leave sufficient expansion gaps and also hide the edges of the floor. I presume that I would need to cut a rebate into the fitted skirting board... ?? If so what power tool would I need to hire ??

Thanks in advance

Steve

steveharvey [at] dsl [dot] pipex [dot] com

[ben]

It would be quicker and cheaper to replace the skirting. :-)

[david lang]

Only two options really - edge beading or remove & replace the skirting. Cutting a rebate would be a terrible job, almost impossible to do IMO.

Pre primed MDF skirting is fairly cheap & easy to use.

Dave

[ben]

A biscuit jointer would take care of the rebating, however how far off the floor (for the rebate) it would go is another matter?

[Matt]

Build a new patio with a convenient concrete lined cavity, trade in SWMBO for one that isn't so fussy.

Alternatively have wall to wall fitted carpets instead - laminate floors went out of fashion a couple of years ago ;-)

[John Rumm]

You can get cork strips that can be inserted in the gap to disguise it. Only really works on lightish colourd floors though.

In a small room you can also get away with a much smaller expansion gap than the 1cm normally recommended. This gap can them be sealed with mastic or something elxe flexible.

[TheScullster]

If you are looking for a rustic look, I've seen rope used to good effect (laid where the bead would be). Best budget for annual replacement due to dirt collecting though.

Phil

[Bob Mannix]

There's only one way to do it properly without beading and that is to remove the skirting board and refit. To make a neat job you always end up fitting new back. I do have a patent method for painting the skirting board afterwards if you are interested.The skirting will be higher but that covers the edge where you removed it (a good thing if you are not going to redecorate).

Bob Mannix

[Mr Fizzion]

Removing the skirting can cause significant damage to the lower part of the wall if it has been there a long time. I removed a section a couple of days ago and there's no way I could refit it without a lot of plaster or filler on bottom of the wall.

(Actually almost anything that is nailed on is hard to remove and refit!)

Why was it that in the 50s, 60s and 70s they preferred such big skirting?!

Mr F.

[ben]

If I'm replacing skirting I try to find out where the nails are by using nitro mors and then get an idea at what distance the nails are spaced, once found I put my smallest scarat(hole cutter), in drill then drill the section out surrounding the nail and remove skirting this way.

6", 8" taurus looks a damn site more elegant than the 4" plain crap.

[Simon]

What about a flat edging strip?

[RG]

the laminate is fitted properly.

RG

[Simon]

> 30mm wide? That's probably double the width of any beading you would need if

I suppose it looks more like part of the floor than a tacked on bit of beading...