Sealing the gap between laminate floor and skirting?

[rezarf]

Hi,

So I am fitting a laminate floor in my living room, I've removed all the old skirting and I'm going to be fitting new stuff.

I will be installing the laminate flooring first the fitting the skirting on top.

I'm wonder what should I fill the gap with if any between the floor and skirting?

Should I fit a rubber seal or something to prevent any potential spillages getting to the edge of the laminate, also prevent any draughts?

Rezarf

 

[Mottie]

When I did mine, I just lapped some thick plastic a couple of inches under the under boards and lapped them up the wall, finishing about halfway up the rear of the skirting boards. That was just to prevent drafts though, I wasn’t worried about spills.

 

[Tigercubrider]

so where are these drafts supposed to come from?

 

[Doggit]

You should have put down underlay first, and if it's lapped to the edges, then there shouldn't really be any draughts, and you shouldn't really be worrying about spillages getting down there - very unlikely. If there are any large gaps afterwards, then you could fill it with silicone sealant.

 

[Mottie]

"so where are these drafts supposed to come from?"

Well, downstairs it will come from under the floorboards as it is open to vented air via the air bricks. I have tongue and groove floorboards downstairs, presumably to stop draughts but there is always a gap around the edges where they meet the wall. Upstairs, I only did it on the front walls as I have a single story front extension with a pitched roof and the roof area is vented. The upstairs joists terminated in the roof void. Believe me, I got draughts coming under the gap between the laminate floor and skirting board at the front in both bedrooms before I lined it with plastic. In fact, I used a selection of heavy duty rubble bags to do it.

 

[Mottie]

You should have put down underlay first, and if it's lapped to the edges, then there shouldn't really be any draughts, and you shouldn't really be worrying about spillages getting down there - very unlikely. If there are any large gaps afterwards, then you could fill it with silicone sealant.

For my laminate floor, I used the 10mm thick fibre board type stuff. Would have been a bit awkward to lap that up the wall - skirting wouldn't have exactly fitted flush!

 

[Doggit]

I use 3mm underlay on floorboards, and fibreboard on concrete floors, and I've never lapped anything up the wall, but I can see you're reasoning for it. It sounds as though you've just got to evaluate each scenario, and then decide how best to handle it.

 

[rezarf]

I will be using this as my underlay ' virtex premier wood and laminate underlay boards 5mm' from screwfix.
So will need to leave an expansion gap.

This is the edge of my room.

So I'm thinking that if the skirting isn't exactly flush on top of the floor then there will be a gap which could allow a draft in or allow any spillage to flow in.

I don't want to run a bead of silicone between skirting and floor.

I was considering a self-adhesive rubber P Strip. 3-5mm gap seal.

 

[Gerrydelasel]

I was considering a self-adhesive rubber P Strip. 3-5mm gap seal.

Yeah I would just put some of that adhesive foam draught strip (normally for doors) along the bottom of the skirting before pressing it down onto the floor and fixing to the wall.

 

[Doggit]

Interesting lateral thining Gerry, but it'll never compress completely. Looking at that wall, I'd be inclined to hack off the damaged plaster, and rebond the lower section, and maybe squirt some expanding foam into the floorboard gaps first.

 

[Gerrydelasel]

Interesting lateral thining Gerry, but it'll never compress completely.

Umm... that's kinda the point? It fills the variable gap. If you want a really super-thin gap (why?) then use some thinner foam, like 3mm underlay cut into strips.

 

[rezarf]

All the skirting is finished. Decided not to use the draught strip as when I was measuring up and laying the skirting it was mostly flat with only a few areas needing filled.

I think the draught strip would have made the gap far to noticeable. The 5mm underlay I used allowed me to cover most of the gaps around the floorboards and still leave an expansion gap.

Between this and the skirting, plus a bead of flexible sealant I should not have any gaps for draughts to get in.