Skirting board powered saw for trimming skirting in situ?

Hello all.

We are having a solid floor (T&G, nailed) fitted over existing original floorboards but unfortunately cannot take the skirting off and replace because it is Grade II listed and we can't risk breaking it.

Ideally we do not want to use any sort of scotia or edging profile for aesthetic purposes, therefore we were thinking of using this specialised machine to slice the required void out of the skirting, then 'tuck' flooring under the skirting.

http://www.ps-tools.com/catalog/virutex-rz270s-skirting-door-trimmer-p-4697.html

My questions are:

*Has anyone used this type of machine before? Thoughts, recommendations?

*Might the fact that each starting board would have to be tucked under the skirting impede the installation in any way? Time? Awkwardness?

*Would the cutting height of the skirting have to be a couple millimetres higher than the finished floor level to allow a tapping device to be used to snap that last board back into the next?

Thank you for your advice.

Think that trying to fit the flooring with the skirting in place will become nigh on impossible.

Try taking off the skirting - if it does split and cannot be repaired, does the grade 2 listing prevent you having a machine shop manufacture an exact replica as a replacement?

I have used this type of machine before (mine is a Bepo) and it will work to certain extent. The blade is circular and will not, therefore, get right into the corners - you will have to use a machine like a Fein multimaster or similar. You need to be careful of what is behind the skirtings and architraves (pipes/cables etc.).

As long as the flooring can slide under the skirting that will be ok but you need to mark the boards to ensure sufficient clearance expansion.

The skirting would normally hide face nailing of the first and last boards - with your method this will not be possible so you'll just have to accept the finish.

I don't know if you are doing the job yourself but it will be awkward and maybe best left to someone experienced.

If possible your best option might be dextrous suggestion.

you can get old skirting off. It will probably be cut-nailed to wooden wedges. Some of them will be loose, and there might be soft lime mortar in the wall. If you put several bolsters behind the skirting and gradually tap them all down (so the load is spread) and pull them forward, it will eventually come off. If you get any splits you can glue then together.

It will be easier to strip and sand the boards while they are off anyway.

My personal preferance is to fasten wooden grounds to the wall and fix the skirting to them with small screws, makes it easier to get them off in future if you ever need to, including for painting, wiring and flooring.