# Forum Home Renovation Flooring  how to avoid using beading with new flooring

## robjer

Hi all 
have had a look but can't see any posts on how to avoid using wall beading with a new floor being laid 
i don't like the look ... installer says it is unavoidable however 
laying laminate boards on Thursday ... there is a skirting to which they will nail the beading 
surely someone has worked out how to install flooring without using beading or using existing skirting? 
ideas welcome

----------


## Uncle Bob

I was looking at this too, just the other day and the same thing put me off.
I think you would need to lift all the skirting boards to not have the beading. 
Anyway, we decided on carpet, as it also cheaper.

----------


## robjer

Righto Uncle 
thanks 
i think we decided that removing skirting was going to be too messy on the plasterboard/gyproc walls which have just been painted

----------


## Uncle Bob

Yeah, not to mention a hell of a lot of work to cut back door frames etc (hang on, I just mentioned it  :Smilie:  )

----------


## robjer

haha 
i  had a word with the installers about getting one of those new-ish tools that cuts little notches etc and using it to cut the bottoms of the skirts ... 
he said that wouldn't work because the boards have to be able to fall over while linked to the next board - so a skirting would get in the way 
you couldn't just slide the board under the skirting, affter you've cut off the bottom, he said

----------


## Micky013

You either have to lay it tight, which technically isn't right or as mentioned take off the skirting.  
You would want to undercut door frames regardless as it yields a better finish. With a multitool its a breeze.

----------


## robjer

> You either have to lay it tight, which technically isn't right or as mentioned take off the skirting.  
> You would want to undercut door frames regardless as it yields a better finish. With a multitool its a breeze.

  can you tell me a bit more about this?  
so it is possible to put the boards under the skirts and frames using a multi-tool? 
what do you mean "lay it tight"? 
ta

----------


## Micky013

By laying tight i mean hard up against the skirting and leaving no expansion gap. I dont know the specs when it comes to floating floor maybe they dont expand and contract as much - making an expansion gap irrelevant. With solid floors a 10mm gap is recommended.  
I wast referring to undercutting the entire skirting but i guess its possible if your prepared to put in the time. Basically you run around the perimeter with an off cut of the timber and mark the top of the floor on the skirting. You could then buzz round with a multitool and slice it off. Normally you only do this around door frames so you can lay the board (or part of it) underneath the frame. It gives the impression that the floors run under the frame and you dont need any beading or caulking.

----------


## robjer

righto ta 
bloke reckons this wouldn't work because how the boards lock in they have to be able to fall over flat - skirt gets in the way 
or he could just be being difficult to make his job easier 
this is the sort o product we have bought  Laminate Flooring | Solomons Flooring

----------


## Micky013

No doubt it would be time consuming but not impossible. 
Another option would be to caulk the gap with a similar colour. Provided he trys to lay it as close as he can, this would still look ok? 
You might have no choice but to use a small beading otherwise.

----------


## phild01

Personally I think any of this is futile.  Go with beading or lift the skirtings if you want it to look decent.  I am doing my floor and have lifted the skirtings.  I will likely buy new skirting and pre-finish though I can still use the old ones.

----------


## shauck

> Personally I think any of this is futile.  Go with beading or lift the skirtings if you want it to look decent.  I am doing my floor and have lifted the skirtings.  I will likely buy new skirting and pre-finish though I can still use the old ones.

  Totally agree. Especially with removing the skirting. If you've just painted, then any touch ups from removal of skirt will not be noticable anyway. It seems like more work but really, you would make the floor laying job that much simpler and a much nicer end result. The guy is not making excuses.

----------


## robjer

fair enough thanks guys 
what's the best way to remove a skirting from gyproc? 
ta

----------


## phild01

> fair enough thanks guys 
> what's the best way to remove a skirting from gyproc? 
> ta

  
With care!  It's a bit of a strategy so look at the paint where wall intersects with skirting.  Likely to be a painted bond which needs breaking.  Score well to separate.  Any errors here will likely be covered by the new height of the skirting over new floor.  You need to look at the skirting where it should overlap the next walls skirting.  Look at each corner and decide which one is best to start at.  One may be more loose than another or maybe an area of least visual concern.  With a sharp broad chisel and a piece of backing like ply, see if you can start gently lifting the skirting away from the wall, making sure you protect the wall lining with the piece of backing you have.  The trick is to get it started.  Usually the timber will come free with the nails but it may get messy if liquid nails was also used (bad practice).
When placing skirting back on, I angle grind the skirting nails flush and use new nails (banging the nails out damages the skirting surface).  Keep in mind new skirting height when re-nailing or try and locate each stud.
Beading is normally done because it is much easier, but I think what you want is worth it.

----------


## ringtail

Yep, pull the skirts for sure. I'd start at an external corner if possible and as has been mentioned, score the paint line.

----------


## robjer

ta all 
just went and bought a wide-bladed chisel  .... passed the point of no return 
*gulp*

----------


## Gaza

Cut top with knife first   
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

----------


## shauck

If they were installed properly, the internal corners will have one skirt (should be the longest wall or the wall that you face as you walk into the room) that is square cut to the length of the wall and the next one that is scribed to the first. This may continue around the room, for all internal corners. Removing this without damaging the scribed bit may well prove impossible. You will have to score the paint around the scribed bit to make sure it doesn't break off and when you pull that board out be careful not to break that tip off by knocking it. I was taught to start removing trim in the centre of the piece and work towards the edges. Don't use a good chisel. Be prepared to replace some.

----------


## robjer

so we're all busy people .... i called a guy and he and his son removed the skirtings ... they appear to have not followed the procedures outlined here ... but not to worry 
see attached pics ... floor is down but skirtings yet to be returned 
thanks all

----------


## SlowMick

nice looking floor.  what type is it?  you'll alos be really happy you popped the skirts.  :2thumbsup:

----------


## robjer

it's called "Trendline 6" from Solomons 
rustic shack look ... its a laminate

----------


## SlowMick

Cheers bloke.

----------


## robjer

skirtings going on today ...  
more detes about the floor - it is a floating board about 9mm deep with each piece locked into the pieces around it by a "N" kind of side profile 
base below the laminate looks to be craftwood or similar (am i showing my age?) 
they put down an acoustic dampening underlay beneath it that gives it a bit of a soft feel and reduces echo

----------

