Laminate/wood floor edging around curves

[JustMe]

I'm about to lay either a laminate or wood floor in my hallway. There are a couple of spots where the edges are round (opposite the foot of the main stairway the wall curves like a pillar, leading the corridor from the entrance hall, passed the side of the stairs and at the end of that hallway there's a step to the kitchen with a rounded edge). Having looked at the edging strips available, the wooden ones are unsuitable for bending more than a small amount over a long distance. The more flexible plastic ones are still not flexible enough for these spots.

I'm sure I'm not the first person to come across this problem, but I cannot find any products specifically for such spots.

What is the best way to keep the finish and edge uniform around such corners and to mask the edges of the laminate/wood at the end of the corridor, on the step?

I need to edge both above the floor (ie stuck to the curved face of a piece of skirting board in the same way as to the straight faces) and also on the edge of a step with a curved face (like a piece of flexible, 90 degree edging trim).

TIA.

[Uno Hoo!]

I had a similar problem in my kitchen with a curve around the base of an end unit. I got around it by cutting a series of tapered 'blocks', each about

15mm wide on the outer radius, off an offcut of normal edging strip. I then stuck these to the curve using 'no more nails'. Once it had dried I filled the joints with a matching filler and it's a very successful fix. One or two people have commented, "How did you manage to do that?" !! You'll have to experiment with the taper on your blocks to suit the radius of your curve. (If you want to do it this way that is!)

Kev

[David Lang]

Hi

You could try 'kerfing' the back of the wooden strip

much depends on the radius of the bend.

Dave

[WoodYouLike]

We normally use corkstrips for round edges (10 x 10 x 60). Looks nice easy to fit and of course very flexible

-- WoodYouLike

[JustMe]

So, just to confirm what you suggest, many small straight segments of edging, stuck in a row to follow the curve. Then fill in the gaps in between.

I guess once dried and before filling I could also sand them down a little to create more of a curve, so might be best with wood rather than plastic edging, using that approach.

I will give that a go!

Or...

Just browsing other posts here and saw how someone got a piece of plastic curtain pole to be flexible for their need. I might try heating a piece of the plastic edging strip and seeing if I can make it flexible enough for the task - either very hot water to soften it or gently with my little heat-shrink flame thrower (it's a short length - about 30 cms - around a tight curve).

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if I pre-drill a couple of small pilot holes, I would be able to nail the piece in place (it wont follow the contour of the surface and hold that shape without trying to spring back and so I would like to nail and glue (I fear that nailing it without the holes may cause it to split).

[JustMe]

Cool idea - might get a more uniform finish which is easier to complete, compared with lots of little cut pieces.

I'm going to try softening up a piece of plastic edging before I start, to decide on the best route.

[JustMe]

To use as a decorative edge to match the edging used along the straight walls?

How do you get it to match the colour and shape?

How would that work in place of a 90 degree edging strip, over the curve-faced lip of a stair?

[WoodYouLike]

No, you don't place the corkstrip along the straight walls, that woul fill-up the expansion gap. We use (flexible) cork-strips where beadin cannot be used, like around pillars and rounded stairs etc. That wa you still have a bit of expansion gap (cork will press in when floo expands), plus 'nice' finish because 'gap' is filled with natura product.

You don't colour the cork, it's has a natural brownish colour.

Not sure what you mean with last question

-- WoodYouLike

[manatbandq]

corridor, on

degree

Do the job properly and remove all the skirting boards. Refit afterwards (or fit new) to hide the expansion gap and there's no need for unsightly trim.

You'll probably find the skirting is curved by having lots of cuts across the back of it, allowing it to be bent.

MBQ