Hmmm, trim skirting or suck it up?!

[schroedm]

Hi All

Ok, so we just finished decorating top to bottom and all looks lovely, skirtings re-glossed etc. However, we have decided that instead of the carpet downstairs we should have gone with our initial feeling and tiled. This means the carpet coming up and me tackling the tiling job.
So, my first question is the skirting. It’s all lovely and painted and I don’t want to pull it off. Nor do I really want to have to cut every tile perfectly in order to have a perfect grout line up to the skirting board. Soooo, would you recommend trimming the skirting and architraves using a Multi tool so I can slide the tiles under the skirting and finish with a small bead of silicone? I’m guessing I measure the thickness of the tile plus the thickness of the adhesive plus 2-3mm that the silicone can cover.
Am I missing anything. I don’t have a multi tool yet. Any recommendations of a suitable model? I probably have about 50m of skirting to trim now so not sure if a cheapy will last that long or not?

Any help gratefully received.

Cheers
Mark

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Yes. Plonk a tile on the floor, on top of a thickish piece of cardboard (to match your adhesive thickness plus maynbe 1mm) and run your multitool on that as a guide

 

[BlueLoo]

No.

1. Leveling the tiles and getting them sat properly will be a pita if you need to wedge them under something.

2. The skirting will need touching up anyway because of the carpet.

3. Silicone will look awful and not last.

If the boards go down to the floor, tile up to them leaving a grout line and touch up the boards afterwards.

It will look far better, last far longer and be less hassle.

Imho anyway.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

1. Leveling the tiles and getting them sat properly will be a pita if you need to wedge them under something.

I never said it would be be easy

3. Silicone will look awful and not last.

Why? Doesn't silicone in bathrooms look good if done professionally or at least to a reasonable standard? Also, doesn't it last for years?

 

[schroedm]

Hmmm, thanks both. That’s 1-1 in approach!

Any other thoughts/opinions from people?

Thanks
Mark

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Properly specified silicone lasts just fine in such locations.

 

[Lower]

I'd tile up to the skirting and grout the gap. It'll be difficult to get the tiles to sit down evenly if you try and tuck them under the skirting without removing the skirting.

 

[schroedm]

Thanks all. So, I peeled some of the carpet back and the skirting doesn’t go to the floor! It’s about 5-6mm from the screed. If I leave a grout gap and grout I think the grout is going to seep into the gap under the skirting?
Does this change the approach? Does it now make more sense to trim a bit more off the skirting and slip the tiles under and run a silicone bead? The tiles are 6mm and I imagine I’ll need 3-4mm extra for adhesive and a little gap for ‘play’?

Thanks

 

[Lower]

Thanks all. So, I peeled some of the carpet back and the skirting doesn’t go to the floor! It’s about 5-6mm from the screed. If I leave a grout gap and grout I think the grout is going to seep into the gap under the skirting?
Does this change the approach? Does it now make more sense to trim a bit more off the skirting and slip the tiles under and run a silicone bead? The tiles are 6mm and I imagine I’ll need 3-4mm extra for adhesive and a little gap for ‘play’?

Thanks

No, i'd still tile up to the skirting and grout. You'll just need a bit more grout.

However, it would appear that you're looking for someone to tell you that it'll be fine to cut the skirting and push the tiles underneath. In which case, JFDI. If you're careful you can make a decent job of it either way.

I just think it will be harder to make a tidy job by cutting the skirting and then trying to get the tiles to sit level underneath it. Multi tools are also not the easiest tools to use to make long cuts.

 

[abbadon]

Hire the right tool for the job at 20-30 quid, cut the skirting, crack on... leave enough clearance and fill the eventual small gap with slicone. Id not grout up to skirting, which is wood and expands and contracts...

 

[schroedm]

Hire the right tool for the job at 20-30 quid, cut the skirting, crack on... leave enough clearance and fill the eventual small gap with slicone. Id not grout up to skirting, which is wood and expands and contracts...

Out of interest, what would the right tool be in your opinion?

 

[Deleted member 292770]

.

 

[mordzy]

Ive been thinking about this exact same thing for my own job. Ive decide on removing the skirting. I think it would be far easier to pop that off and put back once I've tiled to the wall. I also thought that trying to cut a nice straight line with a multi tool would be a right ball ache. Along with the cuts of the tiles.

I also think if I saw a grout line all the way round the edge of the skirting id feel like id bodged it and would so my head in a as such. Unless you are going for a tile layout with a different tile border, then id say take the skirting off.

 

[Luckyphil]

Out of interest, what would the right tool be in your opinion?

This is along the lines of the right Tool , it’s a Skirting Board saw , most good Hire shops will have them

Phil