New Floorboards

[CJC]

Hi, I was hoping for some advice, I have been decorating my house and so far I have only been getting carpet laid, but I am planning on getting some solid oak floorboards fitted downstairs, and whilst ordering the carpet for my last room upstairs I spoke to the carpet shop about oak flooring and they said they lay the boards first and then I put the skirting boards in (as I am putting new ones in), and that they don't do it like carpet where I do skirting first then the lay the boards in?

Is this correct, as my house is quite old so nothing is square and I tend to have different size gaps under the skirting so it is square. Obviously the gaps aren't noticeable when the carpet goes down as its only a couple of mm here and there, but they will be seen if the floor boards go in first.

If someone could provide some insight into this it would be greatly appreciated. Also not sure if I heard the guy properly but I think he said they do it like this because of expansion gap, therefore am I then actually suppose to fits the skirting a little higher than the new floor boards?

Many thanks in advance

[Owain]

The expansion is for the floor, so take it under the skirting boards so it can expand horizontally. It also looks *much* better - the alternative is nasty quadrant beading.

You only need a postcard-thickness gap (if that) between the floor and the base of the skirting. If your floor is uneven and you want your skirting boards to be horizontal, you can scribe the base of the skirting to cope with the unevenness of the floor.

Owain

[Stuart Noble]

The skirting just rests on the boards. If that leaves gaps, fill them, but you may find the new floor will be better in that respect. If the skirting was behind the board edges, the cutting would have to be mighty accurate, and gaps would be inevitable

[Ben Micklem]

in article [e-mail], CJC at [e-mail] wrote on 24/9/07 14:12:

If they are talking about expansion gaps, I am assuming that they are not nailing the floor to anything underneath- just nailing the boards to each other to form a floating floor. This suggests that the existing floorboards will be left- were you expecting this, or were you expecting the floor to be at the same level? The expansion gap is a horizontal gap, not vertical, so the skirting would still straight on top.

If it is nailed to the joists, without the existing boards, there is not much point in having an expansion gap. However, they will still like to install the floor without having to cut each board precisely to fit inside the skirting- which would almost certainly leave more nasty gaps that any gaps you mentioned through things not being square.

Ben

[CJC]

Hi sorry didn't event think that the boards may replace what's currently there, no they are being nailed straight on top or original boards. just I know my skirting usually has to be risen a mm or two here and there to make it square which would then leave gaps between floor boards and skirting which obviously I wouldn't want, so how am I suppose to get around that, as when I have seen floor boards in other houses the skirting is always flush but don't see how I would be able to do that in my house?

[Stuart Noble]

Ah, a makeover job. Let's hope you don't ever need access for wiring etc. Won't it leave you with a step in the doorway?

just I know my skirting usually has to be risen a mm or two

[Stuart Noble]

I wouldn't. That line needs to be straight or it looks like a dog's dinner

[George]

Worry about this when the flooring is down...personally everything will fit into place once it is down.

[CJC]

Thanks for all the posts its much appreciated, given me plenty food for thought.

Just a couple of answers to posts up to this, there will be a step up into the room, but I am planning on putting oak flooring throughout downstairs so hopefully its then fine.

My boards are quite uneven and thought about cutting them down but with my limited experience in decorating they really would look rubbish, no doubt someone with more experience probably could do it and look good though, but I guess I'll save the fancy tricks when I have a few more rooms under my belt.

Then lastly would be great to worry about it afterwards but I tend to worry beforehand, but hopefully once they are laid I'll look back at your optimistic approach and think he was right :o)

Cheers again for the responses.