Thread: size of gaps for skirting boards?

Originally Posted by pawnhead

I'm a tradesman carpenter, and I can assure you that it's quite common to leave a 10mm gap under a skirting where carpet is being fitted.

I am also a tradesman carpenter and not only would I never leave a gap but no other tradesman I know would leave a gap either.... I guess we shall have to differ!

Fair enough. I've never had any complaints so I'll just keep going to a little bit of extra trouble lifting the skirts to give the client as much visible timber as possible. I have been requested this by builders in the past where they're using the same narrow profile archs, just to make them look the same. It does look weird with a skirt that's narrower than an arch, but that's just my preference I suppose.

If anyone can give me a good reason not to then I'll stop doing it.

Originally Posted by pawnhead

Fair enough. I've never had any complaints so I'll just keep going to a little bit of extra trouble lifting the skirts to give the client as much visible timber as possible. I have been requested this by builders in the past where they're using the same narrow profile archs, just to make them look the same. It does look weird with a skirt that's narrower than an arch, but that's just my preference I suppose.

If anyone can give me a good reason not to then I'll stop doing it.

As I said earlier, it's good practice to raise the skirting for new houses to allow for settlement. I agree with the matching of skirting to architraves too, but for this situation, I don't see a need as the house has settled and by adding new skirting, a higher skirting could be used...skirtings don't have to match the surrounding architrabe width....and in many older period style homes, they don't and still look great.

I've never seen a skirt that's narrower than an arch (unless it's been buried in carpet ), but it's quite common to have it wider. In older houses, or big budget jobs, the skirts could be up to 12" or more with a 4" arch. I wouldn't bother lifting a 12" skirting though.

It's quite common in low budget project homes to have skirts and archs that are only 67mm or even as narrow as 42mm. That doesn't leave much seen when the carpet is on and the difference in width is obvious at the intersection of a door architrave and skirting. If the 67mm is a colonial profile, then half the flat section gets swallowed up and the difference is very noticeable. I reckon that looks weird when you're used to the skirt being wider.

Originally Posted by pawnhead

I reckon that looks weird when you're used to the skirt being wider.

Agreed 101%

Originally Posted by pawnhead

Well I wasn't going to keep pushing my point, but since you asked, because it's 15 minutes too much when you're on a contract, and nobody cares what it looks like under the carpet anyway. Try and lift the carpet in any project home and see if they've scribed the skirts.
I guarantee you that they won't fall down because it's not done.

As you are a contractor / price for job that is a fair call and I agree totally , if you are doing the job for yourself and that 15 mins dosen't make that much diffrence then I would leave no gap just for my oun satisfaction, espically if I was having polished boards saves needing quad.

Just my 2 bobs worth - solid timber skirting I would butt against the floor, but with MDF I think I would leave a 6mm or so gap.

In the house I am working on currently, rain got in during recent wet weather and made a little puddle in a few corners - and VIOLA! the Pooey MDF shirting swelled and blew. UURRGGHH! Now I got to replace it!

DOOG

Simple solution
Cut all your skirts so they fit in position. Paint them. Lay carpet then place skirts on top, NO GAP!!!
Nail holes can be filled and painted later.
Any problems with this idea?
Cheers
McBlurter

i reno'd a house and replaced the existing skirts. the gaps under then old skirts between the floor and the walls was up to almost an inch in some cases. I backfilled with that foamy goop that expands. then after it dried I used a hacksaw blade sharpened into a flexible knife to cut the foam to 90deg and put the new skirts on top as normal.

it keeps vermin out and also dust from under the floorboards.

As far as I know they leave / left a gap so expansion & contraction can happen without the boards being warped out of shape. the foam i used is flexible so no probs there...

I'd certainly do it that way again.