Laying laminate/engineered wood flooring with skirting in pl

[LaserTam]

Ideally, I do not want to rip off the perfectly good skirting before I lay flooring. Also I (well may be not me exactly, but someone else who lives here) do not want to be putting trim down to cover the gap.

I have access to a jamb saw, so was planning on taking off enough of the bottom of the skirting to allow the floor fit under, or appear to be under the skirting. Is my plan flawed? I'm concerned about getting one end of each line and the final line of planks down, without leaving a noticeable gap, or a very small gap. Any tips or thoughts?

[J6542]

The only way is remove the skirting or lay wood effect LVT

[Juan B]

Would you get the angle to get it underneath the skirting once its cut? If its a tounge and groove detail on the laminate?

[OutInTheShed]

I have repaired laminate, re-gluing sections and changing some scratched planks in a doorway, without removing skirtings.
It can be done, but it's a faff and a bit fraught pulling the last bit into place with some overlap under the skirting.
You end up with a little bit at one corner where you have to cut the bottom of the 'groove' away.


It would be possible to do a whole floor this way, but I think it would be possible for it to end badly.

[LaserTam]

Umm, sounds like my plan is flawed then. Thanks.

[mikey_b]

I've tried it both ways, several years apart in the same room which is a particularly awkward small hallway, with four doorways and a set of stairs. The second time, I removed the skirting and replaced it later, and it has to be said that the end result looks vastly better. It was definitely worth the extra effort.

[MajorMantra]

I suspect you *could* do something along the lines proposed, but getting a good finish will be so much faff it won't be worth it. Either take the skirting off (preferred option) or use scotia, quadrant etc. to cover the gap.

[R6tty]

Years back I did flooring full time. Taking the skirting off is (mostly) just not a problem. Cut along the top of the skrting with a Stanley, pull it off, put it back and as it's going back higher up (by the thickness of the new floor) it will cover the old join. Just not an issue.

[WrekinCrew]

J6542 said:

The only way is remove the skirting ...

This. Primed MDF skirting isn't that expensive if what's there doesn't come off undamaged.

BTW, why do they always recommend a fixed expansion gap (eg 10mm) for a floating floor regardless of the size of the room? Surely it should be a percentage.

[OldPal]

R6tty said:

Years back I did flooring full time. Taking the skirting off is (mostly) just not a problem. Cut along the top of the skrting with a Stanley, pull it off, put it back and as it's going back higher up (by the thickness of the new floor) it will cover the old join. Just not an issue.

This 100%. Taking and refitting the skirting is a doddle of a job, but of caulk at the top to once it’s back on and it’ll be perfect

[OutInTheShed]

Not everyone has mdf skirting though.

It can be a slippery slope to repainting walls and new skirting.

[ChocolateFrog]

I know it's not the right way but I just cut my engineered wood floor to leave a 2mm gap to the skirting, which I then caulked.

It was in the hallway and I couldn't be bothered to pull off and then refit so much skirting with odd angles.

You wouldn't notice at a glance and it's been down maybe 6 or 7 years now.

Bodged but worth it in that instance IMO.

I glued the floor down, it's still rock solid.

[LaserTam]

Based on the previous replies, I've started removing the skirting already. No chance it will give up easily and no chance i will be able to reuse it, huge nails had been used to attach it, but there you go.

[J6542]

LaserTam said:

Based on the previous replies, I've started removing the skirting already. No chance it will give up easily and no chance i will be able to reuse it, huge nails had been used to attach it, but there you go.

Punch the nails in, if it’s only nails holding it, then it should come off easier than if it was stuck on.

[WrekinCrew]

Another way - find nails with a small magnet, then use a hole-saw just offset from the nail to cut around them. Skirting will just fall off, remaining circles of wood can be split off nail with a hammer & chisel, then cut nails flush with a Dremel or grinder.

[x type]

I removed all the wooden skirting when I put down laminate flooring replaced with plastic looks good
No more painting and easy to fix

plenty of choice of sizes and designs out there I used this one after laying the flooring


https://www.eurocell.co.uk/flooring-and-skirting/s...

[LaserTam]

WrekinCrew said:

Another way - find nails with a small magnet, then use a hole-saw just offset from the nail to cut around them. Skirting will just fall off, remaining circles of wood can be split off nail with a hammer & chisel, then cut nails flush with a Dremel or grinder.

Great tip, made life much easier. Thanks.

[OutInTheShed]

LaserTam said:

WrekinCrew said:

Another way - find nails with a small magnet, then use a hole-saw just offset from the nail to cut around them. Skirting will just fall off, remaining circles of wood can be split off nail with a hammer & chisel, then cut nails flush with a Dremel or grinder.

Great tip, made life much easier. Thanks.

Slight variation on this, I've used a 'plug cutter' to cut around nails.
They're sold for making pellet=shaped plugs to fill screw holes, a 6 mm one will go over a big nail and only make about a 12mm hole.
I bought a cheap set on ebay which were not great for their intended purpose, but ideal for this, so I don't mind abusing them!