Gaps under skirting board

[con1_uk]

Hi,

We had our old laminate floor removed and replaced with LVT, the new floor is somewhat thinner than the old wood laminate which has left gaps under the skirting boards which is causing a draft in the kitchen. What’s the best method here please? I can probably remove them and lower them after filling the gaps behind between the wall and floor or is there some good product available please?

 

[JohnD]

A neat method I saw was to run white silicone sealant under the skirting. Since the skirtings were painted white this looked good and was not noticeable.

 

[Koolpc]

Cut up all ur old socks and stuff em under the skirting!

 

[robinbanks]

If you're getting draughts under your skirting I'd say you may have a bigger air tightness problem to attend to; all that air blowing round means you're paying to heat the world somewhere along the way..

 

[JohnD]

The subfloor void under a wooden floor is supposed to be cold and draughty, with plenty of airbricks providing a throughflow of air to keep it dry. This is not wrong.

Now that a new floor has been laid, it is a bit late to open it up, investigate, clean out and insulate.

 

[robinbanks]

And that's why we're in the state we're in re energy use

 

[JohnD]

Very little heat is lost THROUGH a floor. There is obviously no convection, negligible radiation, and only slight conduction to the joists. Heat loss is mostly through draughts blowing up under the skirtings, and any gaps or holes in the floorboards.

Draughtproofing the skirtings will make the biggest improvement, at quite low cost.

 

[Odds]

How big are the gaps?
Silicon will do the job if they're not that big, as JohnD said but if they're over 5mm maybe cork strips would help mind the gap.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

...if they're over 5mm maybe cork strips would help mind the gap.

Or get some compressible foam piping to stuff in there, such as Fossa Caulk Saver or the like (from decorator centres, other brands available, various diameters). Then silicone over that.

 

[robinbanks]

Very little heat is lost THROUGH a floor.

And that's why building regulations don't insist that floors are insulated, right?

 

[JohnD]

"Very little" is not nothing.

Many new houses have concrete floors, which is not the case here.

By draughtproofing the edges the OP will cure his problem.

 

[con1_uk]

Hi, my floor is concrete, house was built in 1995

 

[Tigercubrider]

So where is the draft coming from?
it can’t be the floor.

 

[JohnD]

Hi,

We had our old laminate floor removed and replaced with LVT, the new floor is somewhat thinner than the old wood laminate which has left gaps under the skirting boards which is causing a draft in the kitchen.

So there must be a gap.

But you say it is a concrete floor. Draughts do not come through concrete.

Is the concrete floor tight to the wall?

Are there holes for pipes, drains or cables?

Ard there gaps in the wall behind the skirting?

Is it blowing under a door? Or through a ventilator? Or is it a cold air current running down a window or external wall?

You need to investigate. Buy some joss sticks. They are very good for trackng draughts and other air currents.

 

[robinbanks]

"Very little" is not nothing.

10% to 20% is not "very little"