Install skirting board & flooring.

Skirting and flooring are typically fitted in sequence — flooring first (engineered, laminate, LVT or solid timber), then skirting installed on top of the new floor with a small expansion gap hidden behind the skirting. Typical UK cost for a 25 m² lounge: £600–£2,500 for the flooring (depending on material) plus £250–£550 for skirting supplied and fitted.

Getting the order right and the gaps correct prevents the most common DIY problems — squeaky floors, peaking joints, and skirting that pulls away from the wall when the timber settles.

Flooring — typical UK costs

Skirting — typical UK costs

Order of work

The right sequence prevents 90% of finishing problems:

1. Strip out existing flooring and skirting. Remove nails and fillers, sand any high spots in the subfloor.
2. Subfloor preparation — level any high/low spots, fix loose chipboard, replace rotten floorboards. A 5 mm hump in 2 m can crack laminate; level it.
3. Underlay — appropriate to the floor type. Laminate and engineered: 3–5 mm foam or fibreboard. LVT: usually no underlay (thin foam at most). Solid timber on joists: no underlay; nailed direct.
4. Flooring — fitted with a 10–12 mm expansion gap around the perimeter (essential — wood and laminate move with humidity).
5. Skirting — fitted on top of the new floor, covering the expansion gap. Mitred or scribed at corners; nailed and glued to wall.
6. Caulking and decoration — fill nail holes, caulk top edge against wall, paint or stain to finish.

Skirting profiles and what to choose

• Pencil round / chamfer — minimalist contemporary look. £3–£8/m. Easiest to clean.
• Ogee / Torus — classic British profile, suits Victorian and Edwardian homes. £5–£12/m.
• Bullnose — simple curved top edge, period feel. Cheap and forgiving.
• Custom reproductions — for listed buildings or high-end period restorations. £20–£60/m.

Heights: 70–90 mm for contemporary, 145–180 mm for period properties, 220 mm+ for very tall ceilings or large rooms. Match to the door architrave style for visual cohesion.

Things people often miss

• Acclimatise timber and laminate — leave packs in the room for 48–72 hours before fitting so they reach equilibrium humidity. Skip this and the floor expands or shrinks after fitting.
• Expansion gap — non-negotiable for laminate, engineered and solid timber. 10–12 mm around all walls, doorframes, pipes. Skirting hides it.
• Door undercut — most internal doors need 5–10 mm trimming off the bottom to clear the new floor + underlay. Check before fitting; harder to do once the floor is down.
• Underfloor heating compatibility — LVT, engineered timber, and certain laminates work well with UFH. Solid timber and thick boards (over 18 mm) often don't — check the manufacturer spec.
• Scribing vs mitring corners — internal corners on skirting are best scribed (cut to the shape of the adjacent profile), not mitred (45° cut). Scribed joints don't open up when the wood shrinks.
• Caulk the top edge — paintable caulk between skirting top and wall fills small gaps and prevents a visible line when painted. £3 a tube and 30 minutes' work.

Frequently asked questions

Want a local pro to handle this? A carpenter or experienced flooring fitter will get the sequence, the expansion gaps, and the corner cuts right. The difference between a DIY laminate fit and a professional one is rarely the material — it's the prep, the gaps, and the finishing details.