Are you planning to renew your house’s flooring? You may be moving into a new house or maybe you just want to give your own house a new refreshing look. An essential part of giving your ‘home sweet home’ a new outlook would entail replacing or adding skirting boards to the house walls.
A fundamental question might be, “how high to set the skirting boards to add carpeted flooring? Unfortunately, there is no particular height at which the skirting should be installed to fit carpeted flooring.
In this article, I will explain what skirting boards are, why a house might need them, and how to install a skirting board properly.
What are skirting boards?
Skirting boards are pieces cut in a long plank-like shape with designs carved into the front. They are placed on the bottom of a wall to give the floor’s connection to the wall a clean, professional look. They may be used for many different types of flooring, such as laminate, wooden flooring, or even carpeted floors.
Skirting boards serve an essential role in terms of utility too. By installing skirting boards, necessary gaps can be left between the floor and the wall to allow for expansion.
The rough edges and the gap can be covered by the skirting boards allowing for flooring that will not crack or fold due to expansion all while giving an attractive outlook. They cover up the messy woodwork allowing for a cleaner look to the place.
How to install Skirting boards
To install the skirting boards, you would need to measure the width of each wall and leave a buffer of a couple of inches on each side. This will make up for the transition between the edges. You would also need to cut the edges diagonally at a 45-degree angle to have a seamless transition on wall corners.
The skirting boards can be attached to the walls through several different methods.
Firstly they can be fixed with adhesive liquid along with nails. In that case, apply an even layer of wood glue through the length of the skirting board. Remember to apply an even coat of glue. The nails will help keep the skirting boards propped up against the wall, but other tools like blocks or clamps may also be required.
The best possible method would be to install the skirting boards with screws which would need to be installed at equal intervals of around 0.6cm. These nails must be placed as high as possible but on a flat surface of the skirting boards. They cannot be installed into the carving or designed as part of the skirting boards.
Should skirting boards be installed with a gap from the floor?
Most types of flooring fit underneath the skirting boards, which is why the skirting boards should not touch the floor. The height they should be installed depends on the thickness of the material used for the floor, whether laminate or marble.
However, unlike all other types of flooring, carpets do not fit underneath the skirting boards. Instead, they are secured beside them. In this case the skirting you can install the skirting boards in contact with the floor.
How to install skirting boards with carpets
When installing skirting boards for a carpeted floor, it is good practice to install them before the carpet is laid. The reason is that the carpet is not tucked under the skirting board. Therefore, there is no reason to leave a gap between the floor and the bottom of the skirting board.
Once the skirting board is installed, the carpet is laid over the floor and stretched. Rather than tucking it under the skirting boards, it is secured with gripper rods. Skirtings are installed first, and then the carpet is stretched to the edges of the skirting boards, where it is secured with gripper rods, and the excess is tucked underneath the gripper rods.
In other cases, carpets can also be installed underneath the skirting boards. In this case, the carpet must be installed before the skirting boards. However, this is not good practice as carpets vary in thickness. To use this method, the exact thickness of the carpet would have to be measured, and a general measurement could result in an untidy finish.
If the skirting rods are already installed, and the flooring needs replacement, the carpet can be tucked under the skirting. If the height is such that the gap remains, it can be filled with a sealant that comes in different colors. You can choose the one that matches the color of the floor to give a neat and tidy finish.
Conclusion
A general height measurement from the floor can be used when installing skirting boards on top of most flooring materials. However, in the case of carpets skirting boards are installed beside the skirting boards rather than underneath. So to answer the question “How high to set the skirting boards for carpet?” it can be said that the boards need to be installed in contact with the ground leaving no gap.
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FAQ
What are gripper rods?
Answer: In order for a stretched installation of carpets, gripper rods are used. They are slim strips of resin that are secured together with plywood. Diagonal pins, nails, or similar objects are attached to the gripper rods so they can catch the stretched carpet and keep it secure in place.
How much room should be left under skirting boards for carpets?
Answer: A general measurement used by most people is 10 mm. This will fit most carpets under the skirting boards. However, this measurement may not fit thicker carpets. To do a more professional and cleaner-looking job leave no room at all.
Should there be a Gap between the skirting board and the floor?
Answer: A gap is required for most flooring materials, but no gap is necessary for a carpet as it must not be tucked under the skirting. But if you are intent on tucking in a carpet underneath the skirting then leave at least a centimeter.
