Skirting & Existing Carpet

[Johnnybreaks]

I am looking to replace some old skirting that looks pretty awful in our hallway down and upstairs from previous owner. However the carpet doesn't need replacing. It was new when we moved in and we have no desire to replace it just because we are sorting the skirting.

Is it ok/possible to replace the skirting without laying a new carpet? We dont have the £ to get a new one.

Thanks in advance
John

 

[kjacko]

Err....well, welcome to the boards (always nice to introduce yourself first mate).

So, no of course you don't need to replace your carpet, unless some muppet fitted it under your skirting board.
When you take your skirting off you'll probably find the carpet grippers are right up to the skirting. You'll certainly need to get the same width skirting though or you'll see a gap if its narrower. You can't really go wider for obvious reasons.

Just take a little care when taking the skirting off, you don't want to damage your carpet.

 

[Johnnybreaks]

Hi, sorry didn't think to introduce myself - it's a good idea as I think I will be on here a fair bit being the novice I am!

So I am John, just got a house with my newly married wife and we have a lot of work we want to do throughout the house but not a lot of money to do it!

Although a bit of an amateur, I am looking forward to getting my hands dirty

Thanks for the advice, it all sounds straight forward.

One more thing - What is the skirting attached to the wall with?

 

[kjacko]

Could be a number of things really:
Grab adhesive
Screws (which may or may not have been hidden)
Nails (usually into shims of wood that have been wedged into the mortar space between bricks.

Get a small crowbar or long flathead screwdriver and start to pry the skirting off from the top edge.
You may damage the wall plaster a little, but that can be easily filled (or you can replace it with higher skirting to cover it )
Go along the top edge prying of the skirting in sections so to speak.
If it's been bonded on with grab adhesive, its gonna be a little trickier.