should i take the skirting boards off?
Discussion
Hi,
I have a flat in a victorian house that was converted 2 years ago so its newish plaster and has victorian style large skirting boards that were put in at the same time. I want to lay a tile effect laminate in the kitchen ( it looks better than it sounds + am broke ) and have heard that the professionals raise the skiting boards rather than fit the wooden strips along the outside?
If so how easy does the skirting board come off and will it still be in one piece ( and the wall ) afterwards? Is this method a nightmare and should I stick to the wooden strips or is it quite easy? How do I get the boards off if so? Im only a beginner diy person but am willing to have a go but am on tight funds so dont want to have to replace all the skirting / wall etc.
Thanks
I have a flat in a victorian house that was converted 2 years ago so its newish plaster and has victorian style large skirting boards that were put in at the same time. I want to lay a tile effect laminate in the kitchen ( it looks better than it sounds + am broke ) and have heard that the professionals raise the skiting boards rather than fit the wooden strips along the outside?
If so how easy does the skirting board come off and will it still be in one piece ( and the wall ) afterwards? Is this method a nightmare and should I stick to the wooden strips or is it quite easy? How do I get the boards off if so? Im only a beginner diy person but am willing to have a go but am on tight funds so dont want to have to replace all the skirting / wall etc.
Thanks
I would certainly take the skirting off in order to fit flooring. Butting it up to the skirting and fitting a fillet looks absolutely awful.
In a 2 year old fit out you will probably find the skirting is MDF and fitted by using some kind of adhesive, like "no more nails". If this is the case it often doesn't stick properly, especially on old walls.
If it is real wood and nailed or screwed, as it used to be years ago, you can find out by taking some heavy grade sand paper and rubbing off some paint, you should find the filled nail heads.
I would find a short run of board and pull it off to see what happens
Definitely don't leave it on
In a 2 year old fit out you will probably find the skirting is MDF and fitted by using some kind of adhesive, like "no more nails". If this is the case it often doesn't stick properly, especially on old walls.
If it is real wood and nailed or screwed, as it used to be years ago, you can find out by taking some heavy grade sand paper and rubbing off some paint, you should find the filled nail heads.
I would find a short run of board and pull it off to see what happens
Definitely don't leave it on
Edited by Astacus on Saturday 6th June 09:03
No offence, but laminate ? If you do put it down are you planning to keep it down for a while or is it simply a short term measure ?
I only ask as if its the latter then don't bother with the skirting. If its a more permanent fixture then do it properly (which wouldn't involve laminate in first place).
How bigs the room & whats on the floor at the moment ?
I only ask as if its the latter then don't bother with the skirting. If its a more permanent fixture then do it properly (which wouldn't involve laminate in first place).
How bigs the room & whats on the floor at the moment ?
thesilentpartner said:
No offence, but laminate ? If you do put it down are you planning to keep it down for a while or is it simply a short term measure ?
I only ask as if its the latter then don't bother with the skirting. If its a more permanent fixture then do it properly (which wouldn't involve laminate in first place).
How bigs the room & whats on the floor at the moment ?
dittoI only ask as if its the latter then don't bother with the skirting. If its a more permanent fixture then do it properly (which wouldn't involve laminate in first place).
How bigs the room & whats on the floor at the moment ?
thesilentpartner said:
No offence, but laminate ? If you do put it down are you planning to keep it down for a while or is it simply a short term measure ?
I only ask as if its the latter then don't bother with the skirting. If its a more permanent fixture then do it properly (which wouldn't involve laminate in first place).
How bigs the room & whats on the floor at the moment ?
its better than it sounds honest! It black tile effect laminate that Ive had for ages and havent put it down. Although new its a fairly cheapish kitchen so real stone etc would show it up. The black of the tiles looks good with the black worktop. I'm not working at the mo so cant afford to redo the whole thing. Want it for 2 years max really so its not a forever thing. At the moment is a ghastly vinyl floor that the developer put down so anything is better than that. Its quite a big room.I only ask as if its the latter then don't bother with the skirting. If its a more permanent fixture then do it properly (which wouldn't involve laminate in first place).
How bigs the room & whats on the floor at the moment ?
its this stuff and i already have it that ive had for about a year and cant afford anything else at the mo 
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detai...
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detai...
Edited by loltolhurst on Saturday 6th June 10:04
Having just replaced the Skirtings in 1930s house - they were nailed on - I have to say it's an utter ball ache refitting. It does look much better fitting the skirting over the floor, but it's not a simple job and removing them can crack/split them if you're not careful. You also need to take the rads off if you want to re-use the old stuff.
If you're a novice, and can live with the beading, I'd leave on personally.
If you're a novice, and can live with the beading, I'd leave on personally.
another option, if you leave the skirting board in place and use a fillet /quadrant ,paint the fillet the same colour as the skirting board. will not look so bad. best option would be to remove the skirting board.chances are it will have been glued into place and nailed with a nail gun. will come off fairly easily.secondly have you seen the price of quadrant? you will need to mitre the joints in the corners,doing this badly will look terrible.
jas xjr said:
another option, if you leave the skirting board in place and use a fillet /quadrant ,paint the fillet the same colour as the skirting board. will not look so bad. best option would be to remove the skirting board.chances are it will have been glued into place and nailed with a nail gun. will come off fairly easily.secondly have you seen the price of quadrant? you will need to mitre the joints in the corners,doing this badly will look terrible.
Sorry, like any other form of bead that will look rank.Take your time and do it properly. It'll be worth it.
edited to add... I bought one of these
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/37748/Hand-Tools/Bol...
Made easy work of getting the skirting off
Edited by krusty on Saturday 6th June 11:10
You will regret taking the skirting off! 
Chances are it has been put on with no nails type stuff. If the plaster was still a little damp when it was put on it MAY come off easily but if done correctly that stuff sticks like s**t to a blanket and you will end up having to get the walls plastered.
If it was a solid wood floor then yes its well worth it but no laminate is worth that hassle.
As already suggested, just buy some wooden beading to suit the skirting profile and paint it the same colour.
Chances are it has been put on with no nails type stuff. If the plaster was still a little damp when it was put on it MAY come off easily but if done correctly that stuff sticks like s**t to a blanket and you will end up having to get the walls plastered.
If it was a solid wood floor then yes its well worth it but no laminate is worth that hassle.
As already suggested, just buy some wooden beading to suit the skirting profile and paint it the same colour.
krusty said:
jas xjr said:
another option, if you leave the skirting board in place and use a fillet /quadrant ,paint the fillet the same colour as the skirting board. will not look so bad. best option would be to remove the skirting board.chances are it will have been glued into place and nailed with a nail gun. will come off fairly easily.secondly have you seen the price of quadrant? you will need to mitre the joints in the corners,doing this badly will look terrible.
Sorry, like any other form of bead that will look rank.Take your time and do it properly. It'll be worth it.
edited to add... I bought one of these
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/37748/Hand-Tools/Bol...
Made easy work of getting the skirting off
Edited by krusty on Saturday 6th June 11:10
) - no that's the sort of thing you could really injur a burglar with. I want one and don't even have any skirting I need to take off. On a serious note to the OP, whilst I concur that removing skirting and refitting will be better and worth it. Do try to look first and see if you can find a similar style for sale - you may well feck at least one section up taking it off and it's nice to know you can match in with new if you do.
If the place has been totally refurbed then chances are you have some 5" mdf torus or similar stuck on with a bit of gripfill and a few pins. If this is the case it should come off relatively easily.
If however you still have the original stuff it will not come off in one piece, it will snap, it will be very well fixed to timber ears built into the brickwork. It will also make a terrible mess of the paster above it.
Either way, I'd still take it off.
Oh, and cut the bottom off your architrave too and slide the flooring under it.
If however you still have the original stuff it will not come off in one piece, it will snap, it will be very well fixed to timber ears built into the brickwork. It will also make a terrible mess of the paster above it.
Either way, I'd still take it off.
Oh, and cut the bottom off your architrave too and slide the flooring under it.
http://www.hss.com/index.php?g=3141#SpecificationT...
This one mentions skirting boards...
http://www.tvehireandsales.co.uk/DTS01.asp?Redirec...
This one mentions skirting boards...
http://www.tvehireandsales.co.uk/DTS01.asp?Redirec...
VxDuncan said:
http://www.hss.com/index.php?g=3141#SpecificationT...
This one mentions skirting boards...
http://www.tvehireandsales.co.uk/DTS01.asp?Redirec...
no way - cant believe that works well in practice?This one mentions skirting boards...
http://www.tvehireandsales.co.uk/DTS01.asp?Redirec...
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