Skirting Board & Flooring Installation Guide Scope of Works Remove existing skirting, beading and fixings; lift carpet or laminate edges as needed. Check wa...
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
| Floor type | Material £/m² | Fitted £/m² |
|---|---|---|
| Laminate (mid-range) | £10–£30 | £25–£55 |
| LVT / vinyl plank | £15–£50 | £35–£75 |
| Engineered oak | £25–£80 | £55–£110 |
| Solid oak | £40–£120 | £80–£170 |
| Wide-board reclaimed timber | £60–£200 | £120–£280 |
Skirting — typical UK costs
| Profile / material | Material £/m | Fitted £/m |
|---|---|---|
| MDF pre-primed (chamfer / pencil round) | £3–£8 | £12–£25 |
| MDF Ogee / Torus profile | £5–£12 | £15–£28 |
| Solid pine (period style) | £8–£20 | £18–£35 |
| Solid oak / hardwood | £12–£30 | £25–£50 |
| Bespoke / period reproduction | £20–£60 | £35–£85 |
Order of work
The right sequence prevents 90% of finishing problems:
- Strip out existing flooring and skirting. Remove nails and fillers, sand any high spots in the subfloor.
- 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.
- 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.
- Flooring — fitted with a 10–12 mm expansion gap around the perimeter (essential — wood and laminate move with humidity).
- Skirting — fitted on top of the new floor, covering the expansion gap. Mitred or scribed at corners; nailed and glued to wall.
- 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
Should I fit flooring or skirting first?
Flooring first, skirting after — almost always. The skirting then covers the floor's expansion gap. The exception is renovations where you're keeping existing skirting; in that case you fit the floor up to the existing skirting and use beading to hide any gap.
How much skirting do I need?
Measure the perimeter of the room (length of all walls excluding door openings), add 10% for cuts and waste. A typical 4×5 m bedroom needs about 17 m of skirting.
Can I keep my old skirting and just fit new flooring?
Yes, but you'll need beading (a small quadrant moulding) to hide the expansion gap between the new floor and the existing skirting. Slightly less tidy than removing and refitting, but quicker and cheaper. £8–£15 per metre supplied and fitted.
How long does it take to fit a room?
For a 20 m² room: strip-out half a day, subfloor prep half a day, flooring 1 day, skirting half a day, decoration half a day. Total: 2.5–3.5 days for one room. Multi-room jobs can be sequenced and run faster per room.
Can I fit skirting over wallpaper?
Yes, but skirting will be slightly proud of any newly papered area later. Better to remove the wallpaper down to where the skirting will sit. If you must fit over paper, glue and nail rather than just nail — the paper layer can compress and create gaps.
Is MDF skirting OK or should I use solid wood?
Pre-primed MDF is fine for most rooms — stable, doesn't cup, accepts paint well. Use solid timber for period homes where the joins between skirting and door architrave need to be jointed in traditional ways, or where you want to stain/oil rather than paint.
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.
This guide was written with AI assistance and is intended for general information only. Prices are estimates based on UK averages and may vary by region. Always get at least three quotes and consult a qualified professional before starting any work.
