Install skirting before floor or afterward?

[ln1234]

We have just had our rooms plastered and am looking to get them decorated next, and the floor laid afterward (laminate). The subfloor (ply) is relatively level.

Should the skirting boards/architrave be fitted after the room has been painted/floor laid, or before? Skirting will be oiled oak

cheers

 

[BristolBuild1]

Why make life harder for yourself?
Keep your lovely oak skirtings safe while the decorating goes on. Then lay your laminate then you can ensure adequate expansion around the edges and fix a nice sharp skirting line above.
Have fun!

 

[ln1234]

Why make life harder for yourself?
Keep your lovely oak skirtings safe while the decorating goes on. Then lay your laminate then you can ensure adequate expansion around the edges and fix a nice sharp skirting line above.
Have fun!

Would you install an edging strip after the skirting has gone on?

 

[plumbobleatherpants]

Why would you?

 

[ln1234]

Why would you?

I have seen installations where the floor isn't totally straight, and these leaves gap under the skirting.

 

[plumbobleatherpants]

If the sub floor isn't level to within 3mm per metre it will fail anway and you can force the skirting to these tolerances.

 

[DIYWell]

Yep, decorate then put the flooring down, then put the nice wood on the walls. Use the skirting to act as edge to hold your laminate down but allow a little space for expansion and fill the gap with some sort of filling - silicon sealent if you want it to look tacky, foam strips like draught excluder pushed carefully in place if you want a neater finish.

If the sub floor isn't running flat, skirting will bend, but if you have to bend it, you've ruled out "no more nails" and you'll have to screw and plug the holes with matching grain plugs. It's just fiddly, and if anyone's looking that hard at your skirtings to notice, there's something wrong elsewhere

 

[foxhole]

Skirting sits on top of laminate, no need for expansion upwards as it expands in depth less than .5 mm.[Unless you spill water on it in whcih case it would need replcement]