Laminate/Real Wood Flooring

[semorgan]

I am about to lay Laminate and Real Wood Flooring from Homebase (Packs)

I can understand the logic in having an expansion gap, but does this gap have to be all around the flooring

I can lay the planks up to the skirting (as I don't want to remove skirting) and put a beading around it but what happens when you get to a very small rounded area (like door ways, rounded poles on stairways)

Do you simply jigsaw very neatly up to these areas

 

[masona]

It's best to follow the manufacter instruction otherwise the floor could have a tent reaction. As for door way cut a gap to allow the flooring to slide under.

 

[semorgan]

Thanks masona

I dont want to remove skirtings (as old), whats the best way to 'cut into them' whilst in situ, hammer/chissle ?

Also, after the trim (to cover gap) has been fitting around edge of room, is it normal to run same colour (pine) wood filler to fill-in hairline gaps between trim and laminate

Cheers mate

 

[chappers]

you can cut away the bottom of your skirting using either a door trimmer or biscuit jointer

 

[big-all]

if i read this rightly you are putting trim round after you put the floor down

you only need one or the other so you either cut the skirting out ORfix the trim not both you also fix the trim to the skirting to allow the floor to expand

 

[semorgan]

Thanks big-all, there are several differing sides to this room (in this case a hallway) where a skirting is on one and banister et-all on the other

 

[big-all]

you must alway have clearence never cut tight you may get away with one tight point but every bit will expand and contract
my advice is never cut close at any point the very least is 3mm if it is a small selfcontained area

if you try and restrain the floor one side you may get away with it but the interaction with laminate expanding from a different room or area will put preasure on the edges and if there isnt room to expand it may as masona says lift

 

[semorgan]

BIG THANKS

Starting to lay my floor for the first time in approx 1 hour

 

[semorgan]

Hi Masona, do you still recommend this with the quadrant ..


//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9989&highlight=laminate

 

[masona]

The beading on top is the quickest and the easiest way of doing it but you would still need to cut a small section under the door frame as well. Having said that I use a door trimming saw as mention above to cut into the exsisiting skirting board and just slide the laminated flooring underneath it instead of the beading. Really up to you how you want it to look......

 

[big-all]

semorgan i allways use quad bought from a timber merchant or wood yard and paint skirting colour it has 3 main advantiges it is about half the price you dont have to join the 2m lenths[you can usualy get it well in excess of 3m]and if you make a mistake and a larger gap appears along the edge you can use the next size of quadrent up to cover the gap

most off all follow the instuction and ggggoooooooodddd llluuuccckkk

 

[semorgan]

Thanks chaps, well underway now, about half the floor layed

As I dont have a door trimmer, I used an electric drill to cut out along a line then chiseled out and slid boards under door frames

I will need to buy a cutter as I had to take a door off

Buy on Ebay and resell when finished

Cheers

 

[semorgan]

Thanks big all, masona et-all

Job done in time for a great rugby w/e

 

[buzz]

Job done in time for a great rugby w/e

Pity they lost