After fixing some new skiring boards in my bathroom, using No-Nails, I started wondering if I should have left a small gap underneath, so that floor boards can be removed more easily, and lino can be tucked underneath, etc. Is that standard practice? Or is the usual gap you see under old skirting boards due to wood shrinkage?
Thanks,
Al
You wouldn't normally leave a gap unless you knew you wanted to - for example - slide some vinyl flooring into it. The gaps you often see are due to wood shrinkage - there wouldn't have been a gap when the boards were originally fitted.
I don't think a *small* gap would make much difference to the ease of removing floorboards - you'd need a *large* unsightly gap for that!
I left a slight gap in my hallway to allow my floating engineered wood floor to move if necessary - but that was a conscious decision.
There'll be no problem - you tend to lift the boards which usually means the bit under the skirting goes down a tad during removal.
Also, unless your skirting was glued while being clamped downwards hardd, there won't be a lot of friction. And the wood may well shrink a fraction over time too.
The problems come when paint/varnish from the skirting or floor gets under and starts trying to glue them together.
That is one good reason to leave a gap - but it's not compulsory.
That or the previous reason.
I usually like a gap: carpet or lino soon hide it and it is handy for tucking speaker/phone/aerial wires etc. under too.
S
Until the next carpet fitter cuts them to shreds.
Not something we have to bother with very often. Tends to be the nasty gripper strip that cuts fingers and toes to shreds
S>
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