Skirting board / different floor heights

[jjcd]

Hi all,

We have a parquet floor in our lounge at one end. The floor level then drops down 18mnm to the concrete floor at the other end which will have carpet fitted.

I'm unsure of how the skirting board should go - should I cut an 18mm section out along the parquet area so it sits flush on the concrete floor and then carpet can go up to it? Or do i just run it at the parquet height (with ~18mm gap underneath in carpet area) so the carpet can be tucked underneath?

With the second option i wasn't sure if underlay+carpet would still leave a gap?

Any suggestions welcome - thank you!

[shtu]

I would tend to go for a tall skirting, and fit it to the floor all the way along.

While you intend to fit carpet now, you never know what you might choose in the future that would leave a gap.

[RGG]

Some clarifying questions -

What depth skirting are you considering - not including the 18mm aspect?

The skirting, presumably it's complimenting the skirting in the room?

Is contemporary or a classic design?

Preliminary thought is an 18mm fillet.

[DonkeyApple]

Any particular reason for just not stepping it down where the floor height changes with a filet piece?

[TA14]

As I understand you, the quetion relates to; parquet flooring usually runs below the skirting to allow for expansion whereas for carpet, the skirting usually sits on the floor. I would sit the skirting on the floor for the whole room; stop the parquet floor ing short of the skirting board (9mm short?) and fill the gap with a mastic of a very slightly darker colour than the parquet flooring. Or possibly, instead of the mastic you could use a rubber strip although this might be difficult to size, source and keep in place.

[OutInTheShed]

TA14 said:

As I understand you, the quetion relates to; parquet flooring usually runs below the skirting to allow for expansion whereas for carpet, the skirting usually sits on the floor. I would sit the skirting on the floor for the whole room; stop the parquet floor ing short of the skirting board (9mm short?) and fill the gap with a mastic of a very slightly darker colour than the parquet flooring. Or possibly, instead of the mastic you could use a rubber strip although this might be difficult to size, source and keep in place.

It's fairly normal to have the carpet shoved into a gap under the skirting.

The proper answer might involve boards over the concrete to raise the carpeted area somewhat, maybe not the full 18mm.

I would be talking to the nice people at our local carpet shop about the levels, you don't want a trip hazard step up from carpet to parquet.

How do you intend to deal with the transition?
Metal edging over the carpet?

[Crafty_]

I've seen height differences managed by cutting at 45 degrees and having a vertical piece, as seen here, not the best picture but you get the idea, after a bit of filler you don't see the joins, but picture clearly shows the inserted piece.

.

Same basic idea, but 22.5 degrees cut for a gradual transition (pic won't show but will open) : https://i.sstatic.net/lDF7U.jpg

Can look quite neat once finished

[DonkeyApple]

Crafty_ said:

I've seen height differences managed by cutting at 45 degrees and having a vertical piece, as seen here, not the best picture but you get the idea, after a bit of filler you don't see the joins, but picture clearly shows the inserted piece.

.

Same basic idea, but 22.5 degrees cut for a gradual transition (pic won't show but will open) : https://i.sstatic.net/lDF7U.jpg

Can look quite neat once finished

That's how you'd normally deal with the height transition, just a filet.

Even this example will look perfect with filler:



As for gaps, setting the skirting around 1mm on top of the parquet will allow for any wood expansion and if desired you can lay the foam strips that compress to stop any draughts if there would be any and then usually a few mm off the floor where the carpet section is.