Decorate or New Flooring first

twopenny

I'd do the flooring first.

Hands or marks on paint are possible with the fitters moving around.

And no, we don't have clumsy fitters but stuff can happen.

WIAWSNB

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81881855#Comment_81881855

Hi Dan.

As btw says, 'floating' floors require an expansion gap. This is narrow, and can be hidden under a skirting board, which is by far the neatest way. Otherwise it'll likely require a 'beading' to be fitted over this gap, along the bottom of the skirting - that's ok, but not as neat, and more work.

So, if you can, for the floating floor, remove the skirting first. Lay the floor. Paint the skirtings before refitting, and it'll only need touch-ups afterwards. Even consider - as I did - slipping strips of thick polythene sheet under the skirting bottom edge which allowed the skirtings to be painted with impunity, and then the strips slipped out sideways leaving a perfect edge.

For glue-down planks, the choice is yours. If you remove the skirtings first, you'll then have the hassle of refitting them neatly, but it'll make the edge cuts of the planks dead easy - no accuracy required. However, floor fitters tend to lay them with some skill, trimming them to butt closely to the in-situ boards.

A fellow and his wife team did the whole of mil's bungalow a few years back with glue-down planks, and the precision is gobsmacking - I can see no gaps whatsoever along the skirtings. Awesome.

Another person who quoted actually said he'd remove the skirtings. That's ok, provided they are refitted neatly, but they'd need painting afterwards, no question.

danrv

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81881932#Comment_81881932

Ok thanks. All new skirting to go in as I took off the old stuff to patch plaster and paint the walls.

WIAWSNB

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81882027#Comment_81882027

In that case, save yourself a lot of hassle, and lay all the floors first, up to within, say, 10mm of the wall surface (floating may need a cork expansion packer). The skirtings will then cover this.

Prime and one-top-coat the skirtings before fitting, as this will be easy. Then consider my cunning plan of plastic strips - I used leftover DPM - slipped under the skirtings as they are fitted. These should be snug, but pulloutable. Applying the finishing coat(s) to the skirting will then be a relative breeze, with these strips masking the floor. (Seriously, brush 'cutting-in' against a new floor will be the worst job you'll otherwise have to do).

Apply the top coat using the plastic strips as 'masking', obviously trying to avoid excess paint being applied to it, and gently pull each strip fractionally sideways and out as you pass by - this will clear any paint you've smeared on the strip away from the skirting board where it would otherwise dry and adhere - make sense? When you've applied the final top coat, pull the strips out altogether before the paint dries. Perfect edge 😊

WIAWSNB

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81881872#Comment_81881872

In which case I'd remove whatever old floor covering you have, prepare the skirtings - sanding etc - hoover and wipe it all perfectly clean, and paint the skirtings in situ, trying to avoid the brush touching the bare floor as much as possible - there will still be dust on it!

The new floor should be laid without damage to the skirtings. Any marks should be minor and touchupable.

Seriously - try and avoid having to paint skirtings cutting-in against a new floor, as you'll be doing this lying on your side. It's the worst job evs.

danrv

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81882303#Comment_81882303

The floating floor tiles require a minimum of 6mm gap around the room perimeter. Interested in the cork expansion packer mentioned as I'm unable to find anything suitable. I was going to make up spacers to put round.

WIAWSNB

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81882319#Comment_81882319

Cough… https://www.screwfix.com/p/vitrex-cork-expansion-strips-0-6m-x-12-5mm-18-pack/6257h

It is used to prevent the floor moving in only one direction when expanding and contracting, which could lead to it being tight up against one wall, and peeking out from under the skirting on the other - neat idea.