Skirting Board Gaps

TELLIT01

grumbler said:

TELLIT01 said:

grumbler said:

If boards are white, then white silicone is better IMO.

White isn't absolute so white silicone may not match the skirting.  Clear silicone was used in our kitchen and is virtually invisible.

I disagree. With clear silicone the gaps will be as visible as they are now.

The OP was asking about stopping the drafts, not disguising the gaps.

hopperdennis

In a similar vein, I have a wooden floor that dips, and this leaves big gaps at the skirting, and I wouldn’t mind the flooring levelled also. My builder says because it’s wood this is difficult to do but then he isn’t the most creative. Any ideas on how I can level it? It is currently laminated but will carpet it over as that will reduce the issue and gaps hopefully, and is my preference anyway.

FreeBear

hopperdennis said: In a similar vein, I have a wooden floor that dips, and this leaves big gaps at the skirting, and I wouldn’t mind the flooring levelled also. My builder says because it’s wood this is difficult to do but then he isn’t the most creative.

Your builder is correct. A dipping suspended wooden floor is not a quick & simple fix - For example, you can't just spread self leveling compound over it and expect it to last more than a few days.

Floorboards will need to be lifted, the reason for the dip to be identified, and then packers places under joists where needed. If the dip is due to rotting joists, they need to be replaced along with remedial action to prevent them rotting again. That said, 3-5mm of undulation/unevenness on an old floor is not unusual. In a 200+y.o. property, larger dips & slopes are all part of the character.

Jeepers_Creepers

I would try that foam draught strip first, obviously without exposing the sticky layer ('cos you'd never get it in to place) and if you can get this neatly into position, then job done.

I'd be very reluctant to use any kind of sealant, even rubbery silicone. This is because the laminate will want to move to some degree and anything that'll prevent it from doing this could cause problems (it could buckle up and bounce if its prevented from expanding, or even pull apart a join if you stop it contracting).

For tighter gaps, you may have to slice that foam strip to make it thinner - not easy, but not impossible either! 

If you find the foam won't go in all the way in places, then you could try slipping a wide scraper/filling knife blade or similar under it, and then trim downwards with a snap-off craft knife using the skirting board as the blade guide - hopefully you can trim it neatly and 'flush'. 

Danny30

Thank you all for the advice. I think I am going to opt for the expanding foam strip and see how it goes. Far easier and less messy. 

hopperdennis

FreeBear said:

hopperdennis said: In a similar vein, I have a wooden floor that dips, and this leaves big gaps at the skirting, and I wouldn’t mind the flooring levelled also. My builder says because it’s wood this is difficult to do but then he isn’t the most creative.

Your builder is correct. A dipping suspended wooden floor is not a quick & simple fix - For example, you can't just spread self leveling compound over it and expect it to last more than a few days.

Floorboards will need to be lifted, the reason for the dip to be identified, and then packers places under joists where needed. If the dip is due to rotting joists, they need to be replaced along with remedial action to prevent them rotting again. That said, 3-5mm of undulation/unevenness on an old floor is not unusual. In a 200+y.o. property, larger dips & slopes are all part of the character.

The dips are a little more than 5mm but it’s a a very old property so hopefully it’s natural rather than a rotting joist issue. Is it a big job to lift the floorboard? He didn’t suggest that, but then again he has his reasons to do as little possible in terms of work. He is doing the joinery as a big favour to me, but not a massive favour. Which is great for saving money but bad in the sense that I can already tell he is looking to give himself as little as possible to do, and doesn’t want to create extra work for himself.

mtburdon

Danny30 said:

Thank you all for the advice. I think I am going to opt for the expanding foam strip and see how it goes. Far easier and less messy. 

How did you get on with this, did it make much difference to the warmth of the room? We have the exact same issue in our extension and the room always feels very chilly once we hit winter, even with heating on for a while. Wondering how much a part the gaps are playing and if filling them up would make much difference.

Cheers!

Bendy_House

From my experience, draughts are one of the biggest causes of heat loss and discomfort.

Ideally you want to block these draughts before putting down whatever flooring you choose - laminate, carpet, whatevs.

If your actual floor type is T&G boards, suspended with a void underneath, then it will be draughty, unless steps have been taken in the past to block them. The simplest way is to use squeeze cheap frame sealant into every T&G join, and - especially - between the boards and the skirting - seal that gap.

If you can then afford to lose 8mm of height, you can put down a layer of fibreboard - the stuff often used under laminate. If you don't want to, then there is flooring paper that can be used to line the floor instead, before you then put down your choice of flooring - that'll probably help to block any escaping draughts.

Best, of course, is if you can get some insulation under that T&G floor, but chances are usually slight.

Danny30

mtburdon said:

Danny30 said:

Thank you all for the advice. I think I am going to opt for the expanding foam strip and see how it goes. Far easier and less messy. 

How did you get on with this, did it make much difference to the warmth of the room? We have the exact same issue in our extension and the room always feels very chilly once we hit winter, even with heating on for a while. Wondering how much a part the gaps are playing and if filling them up would make much difference.

Cheers!

Hi @mtburdon I did use the expanding foam strip in the end and it did definitely help in stopping the draft coming through and it's not visible. It cheap to get so might be worth a try for you. 

Norman_Castle

I stuck foam draught excluder to the bottom of skirting before fitting the skirting. It works well and probably easier than fitting it afterwards. Would also work with edge moulding over laminate. I've also filled similar gaps with strips of foam laminate floor underlay folded and pushed into the gap.

Silicone around vinyl looks ok but that is normally used in a bathroom or kitchen. Silicone around laminate would look odd.