Laying laminate- skirting height difference at threshold / elsewhere

[doog442]

Hi

I'm laying quick step laminate in the dining section of an open lounge diner. I've removed the majority of the skirting but am leaving the section in the pic (and the other side of the opening) until I work out, hopefully with advice from here how to tackle this. I was going to run the threshold along the centre of the opening.

Although the new skirting is the same height as the old, it will be raised higher on the laminate side than the carpet side.

Any ideas on how or where to hide the different heights between skirting from carpet / laminate or basically how would you tackle this ?

cheers

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Rip down the skirting going on the laminate section so that when installed the top is the same height as the skirting in the carpeted section. Whilst this is easier with a table saw, all it really requires is a portable circular saw with a rip fence and a fairly coarse blade (12 to 24t) and maybe a sharp block plane to clean up the cut afterwards,

An alternative would have been to have left the skirting in place and done an undercut with a jamb (flooring) saw or a multitool

 

[doog442]

Thanks. The dining area (laminate) has about 30 feet of new skirting to fit, I think I'd struggle to cut that without the proper tools. I also now need to hide the rough edge, chipped paint etc on the walls where the old skirting was removed, the new raised skirting will hopefully do this.

Any thoughts on just undercutting the current old skirting from the threshold into the laminate section down into the corner and join both new and old in two corners of the dining room (which are non prominent and hidden by display cabinets), perhaps use a corner skirting block if they do them anywhere? With laminate plus underlay I'm looking at a 12mm difference.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

The dining area (laminate) has about 30 feet of new skirting to fit, I think I'd struggle to cut that without the proper tools.

Then find a local joiners shop who'll do the job for you, or a timber merchant who offers a cutting service - I live in a semi-rural area and there are three small joiners within 5 miles of me who'll do this as well as one timber yard, so it shoiuld just take a few phone calls. At the end of the day for 30ft of skirting - it's a 10 minute task for anyone, if that, so well worth a tenner or so on top

On the tools front, how do you intend to scribe the inside corners of the skirting without tools, or cut it to length?

I also now need to hide the rough edge, chipped paint etc on the walls where the old skirting was removed, the new raised skirting will hopefully do this.

Yes, but a change in skirting level in a corner or elsewhere often look like a bit of a bodge job, corner block or not (in fact they are and should only be used when joining two completely dissimilar profiles in which case they should be only a few millimetres thicker than the thickest of the two mouldings). Before fitting the new skirting you'll need to fill and sand back the wall.

Any thoughts on just undercutting the current old skirting from the threshold into the laminate section down into the corner and join both new and old in two corners of the dining room (which are non prominent and hidden by display cabinets)...

See comment above re-multitools and jamb saws

perhaps use a corner skirting block if they do them anywhere?

Corner blocks, plinth blocks, etc - in my experience they are always made to suit the task at hand. Never seen them sold in my life, but then I'm a chippy, so on the rare occassions I need one I make my own with a plane and a saw...

 

[doog442]

Then find a local joiners shop who'll do the job for you, or a timber merchant who offers a cutting service - I live in a semi-rural area and there are three small joiners within 5 miles of me who'll do this as well as one timber yard, so it shoiuld just take a few phone calls. At the end of the day for 30ft of skirting - it's a 10 minute task for anyone, if that, so well worth a tenner or so on top

On the tools front, how do you intend to scribe the inside corners of the skirting without tools, or cut it to length?

Thanks, sounds like the answer. I'm getting the skirting from B&Q and I guess they'd do it under their 15 free cuts offer, if not I'll find a joiners, shouldn't be an issue. I don't have a circular saw or the ability to cut 12mm off a 2.4m length of skirting, no issue cutting to size or doing corners. I think you've assured me there's no magical way of joining it without it looking like a bodge, cheers.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

I'm getting the skirting from B&Q and I guess they'd do it under their 15 free cuts offer...

TBH I thought they used wall saws, so your cut length might be limited to about 3 metres (?). Also not sure if they can run the saw head on narrow stock (to do a rip cut whilst supporting the material). Worth asking, though

At least I'm not suggesting buying a hand saw and ripping it down "old school"...

 

[jacko555]

a bodge job, corner block or not (in fact they are and should only be used when joining two completely dissimilar profiles in which case they should be only a few millimetres thicker than the thickest of the two mouldings).

Oh, did I do it wrong?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

OK, so where's your dog, then? Or are you PurpleRoad by another name?

Mind if I keep that for my "rogues gallery"?

 

[jacko555]

OK, so where's your dog, then? Or are you PurpleRoad by another name?

Mind if I keep that for my "rogues gallery"?

Hahahaha

Nothing so sinister. I saw and saved that pic a while ago and have been waiting to post it on relevant thread. Tbh my money was on Keitai...

Keep it by all means, although I suspect its staged

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Rip down the skirting going on the laminate section so that when installed the top is the same height as the skirting in the carpeted section. Whilst this is easier with a table saw, all it really requires is a portable circular saw with a rip fence and a fairly coarse blade (12 to 24t) and maybe a sharp block plane to clean up the cut afterwards,

An alternative would have been to have left the skirting in place and done an undercut with a jamb (flooring) saw or a multitool

If I'm understanding the question correctly - wouldn't a multitool be better, the skirting can then be cut down in position to suit the laminate height. You just lay a scrap piece of laminate in place along side the skirting and use it as a cutting guide.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

If the skirting was already in place (i.e. the old skirting had been left in place) it would have been easiest to use a jamb (flooring) saw (forward to 0:50 to see the cutting):

This is the sort of saw I've seen some of the flooring guys use on refurb jobs, but they are expensive to buy, potentially quite dangerous and can be difficult to hire. In my own tool kit I have a Multitool which I have used on shorter runs in the way you suggest:

(OK, so it's an advert, but it cuts to the chase quickly) These present far less of a hazard to the user, although they are slower. I think the OP might want to try begging, borrowing, stealing or God forbid buying one to do the odds and sods of skirting undercut left on the wall.

From what he wrote, he's already removed about 10 metres (30ft) of skirting I thought it would be easier to get some new skirting (assuming the stuff that has come out isn't reuseable), rip it to width and install it after the new floor is down

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

(OK, so it's an advert, but it cuts to the chase quickly) These present far less of a hazard to the user, although they are slower. I think the OP might want to try begging, borrowing, stealing or God forbid buying one to do the odds and sods of skirting undercut left on the wall.

I bought mine from Lidl a few years before I used it, in anticipation of needing it. It wasn't expensive and easily did all I asked of it.

 

[doog442]

If I'm understanding the question correctly - wouldn't a multitool be better, the skirting can then be cut down in position to suit the laminate height. You just lay a scrap piece of laminate in place along side the skirting and use it as a cutting guide.

I'd still have to take the skirting off on one side of the room to fit the laminate. I've always just removed it all and fitted new, mainly because the old stuff was nailed in and gets wrecked, just the first time I've had to deal with a threshold in the same room. A multi tool might come in handy for the remaining small sections but I'll whip those off and reduce the width old school like ...the longest is only 18 inches, I could probably cope with that.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I've always just removed it all and fitted new, mainly because the old stuff was nailed in and gets wrecked, just the first time I've had to deal with a threshold in the same room.

Taking mine off was fairly easy - it was all screwed in place. I just went along it with a metal detector, marking where I detected the metal of the screws.