Uneven gaps between skirting and flooring

3 years ago

Hello.

Got my flooring redone recently, the builder used self-level compound, but the flooring squeaks and moves in certain areas. Also the skirting has uneven gaps in many places. In one room the builder attempted to cover this with silicone with not much success.

What can I do now? For me it feels like I have to start over with levelling the floor properly then put new flooring (The builder glued the boards together) :-( I wish I haven't started this at all.

The subfloor is concrete and this is Kahrs engineered wood.

Many thanks

Featured Answer

Steven Metcalf

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

I had the same issue. Not helped by my flooring experts being absolute cowboys. The gaps were sometimes quite wide. I selected a silicone colour that was similar to the flooring. I decided using white silicone would create a more obvious unevenness. The skirting boards are straight so using white would have made them noticeably vary. It is the floor that has the issue, and it is at the floor level I wanted to disguise it. So I have a brown silicone. It is actually very useful for keeping out drafts and it gives insects no place to hide. Just use masking tape on the bottom of the skirting and along the floor. Run your silicone and then pull away the tape to give yourself a clean finish. Anyone can do it.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (17)

Sonia
3 years ago
It does look a little untidy. Did he lift the skirting boards, lay the floor, then put the skirting back? I think it may be rectified, at least visually, by getting a proper mastic person to fill the gaps neatly.
Jel Holyoake
3 years ago
Mastic. As a tiler, i can tell you that almost no substrate is ever flat-flat. A proper mastic man would aesthetically make that disappear, this would also alleviate any dust getting under the skirting.
Related Discussions
Karndean and Skirting Board
Q
Comments (17)
LTS you really shouldn't get a huge gap, it's not thick like a real wood floor or engineered flooring. It's a nice thin linoleum that glues to the sub floor. Therefore, you wouldn't really call it a gap, it's a tiny little space if any that you can then run your caulking around if needs be to tidy it. You definitely don't need beading, that's over kill. We've got a solid wood floor in the lounge that was laid after the skirting. Instead of beading, which I don't like, we've used shipping rope. Looks nice in an old cottage, but realise it's not for every house.
...See More
Wood floor gap at skirting HELP!
Q
Comments (19)
Re infills - I meant if they remove the skirting and you had some spare flooring, you can put small pieces in to cover the larger gaps. However they would have to be glued in place as they might not stay put being so thin. Also need to leave the expansion gap still so it might not be worth it. I think get some ideas on weighing up the cost of buying thin profile beading to match the floor to put around all the skirt or, look to replace the skirting with a thicker one. Beading looks fine and no one will know that you didn't just put the floor down after the skirting was already there. At least it will be uniform. Beading isn't cheap though so get a price for both
...See More
Is this skirting left by builder acceptable?
Q
Comments (2)
hi kit n, they have not completed then job properly! The bead used against the skirting should have been finished with a 45 degree mitre that return back to the skirting at the point of the architrave. You need to get them to come back and finish the job properly. best Rowland
...See More
uneven gap between skirting board and wooden floor
Q
Comments (0)
We bought our new build house during lockdown last March, they haven’t been able to come back and finish any of the snagging due to lockdown. The 1 year deadline period is approaching to let them know of our snagging issues. Our kitchen living room is quite long and has the same wooden floor throughout. The gap between the skirting board and the floor differs quite a bit in different places in the room. Is this normal? It does feel a bit cool down there and we can often feel a cold draught and unsure if it’s coming from the bifold doors or the gap (or both) Thank you!
...See More
cannonja
3 years ago
Should have scribed the skirting before fitting,
Mastic will look crap , and likely discolour

As Jel said you can mastic but it's not ideal
Greg ory
3 years ago
I'd agree that you can sort this one yourself. If you get a silicon applying tool from your local DIY chain and take your time, it'll look much better. Just a shame they didn't do it properly in the first place!
Lucy S
3 years ago
I have this exact same issue with grey floor tiles & white skirting boards in my kitchen-diner. Just need to work out whether I can find someone who can actually sort the issue properly or have a go with mastic myself!
Lee Kent
3 years ago
I had this issue with my self build. I used masking tape and then decorators caulk. It looked perfect for about a year but as everything expands and contracts you inevitably get a certain amount of cracking. It’s not at all bad though and I redid it this year anyway. Just in places though not everywhere. This was 3 years after I originally did it. Hope this helps?
Steph Houghton
3 years ago
I had a really bad floor in buy to let.. I filled it with white divine sealer to match the skirtings but it only amplified the gap! Redid with silicone matching the flooring colour and it is much less noticeable, so glad I redid it!
Steph Houghton
3 years ago
Sorry, above should say silicone sealant! Autocorrect!!! 😩
Jen
3 years ago
This is a really good tip to use a sealant that matches the floor rather than the skirting board!
natashahall1
3 years ago
I have the same problem. Variable gap widths between floor and skirting and some too wide to use silicone. I was considering fitting a bead to the bottom of the skirting to cover the gap as you would use on flooring which butted the skirting.
spookyduderino
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Don't use silicone! It's horrible stuff, and an absolute nightmare to get out if it goes wrong. Use flexible decorators caulk/filler, which will move with your timbers. This was one of the first DIY jobs I ever did -about 30 years ago - it's so easy, and works like magic. I would match it to the skirtings, not the floor, because the change of plane (horizontal floor/vertical wall) changes the way the light looks, which might result in a more, rather than less wavy looking floor.
Greg ory
3 years ago
there's also expanding foam gap filler (not the type you squirt, the type that comes on a roll). It would also do the job for you.
Juliet Docherty
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
My sister had this issue in her house with old floorboards having moved. They applied a very thin layer of mdd over the lower part of the skirting up to where it goes in. Of course this would need to be scribed. Faffier than beadng but could look good if done well.
minnie101
3 years ago
The gap doesn’t look very large so I’d try caulk. I have the same issue as colourhappy’s sister and am getting a joiner in as the gaps are just too big but have had various opinions from people!
Joanne xx
3 years ago
I agree that a filler is probably better for the size gap you have, I find caulk really easy to apply and you can make it look tidy with damp cloth wipe over but it will probably crack in time as you say the flooring moves and is all glued together. Flexible filler might be an option but is difficult to get off if it goes wrong on application at least with silicone if you go wrong you can peal it off! Another option might be a pencil like beading around the perimeter between the floor and the skirting. Good luck!
PRO
Lifestyle Kitchens
3 years ago
Decorators caulk and then redecorate, problem with silicon is you can't paint it (easily), decorators caulk you can gloss paint over so its then part of the skirting.

Uneven gaps between skirting and flooring

Steven Metcalf

Comments (17)

Sonia

Jel Holyoake

Related Discussions

cannonja

Greg ory

Lucy S

Lee Kent

Steph Houghton

Steph Houghton

Jen

natashahall1

spookyduderino

Greg ory

Juliet Docherty

minnie101

Joanne xx

Lifestyle Kitchens

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US