Skirting Boards

creedp

I am looking for advise regarding the thickness of skirting boards. My wife wants white oak or maybe white oak veneer skirting boards and polished concrete floors. The problem is I want to fit a min of 25mm thick edge insulation and therefore as there will be no floor covering the skirting has to cover the edge insulation.

Im told that 22mm is normal thickness of skirting but Im wondering if it is possible to get skirting boards which are 25mm thick and if this would add significantly to their cost?

Thanks

1chippy

this sounds like a new build (presuming) if your putting a 25mm insulation around walls, the depth of the plaster on the wallls usually will extend you out far enough to cover insulation with a 22mm skirting. if you want 25mm finished it means youll have to run the skirting out of 1" 1/2. this pretty much means a 50% increase on the raw material cost and as far as i know you cant get heavier than 22mm in veneered. you could always put on a second skirt over the first to give a bulkier finish, put on a plant on scotia or quadrant. or what we done on a timber floor was put a cork filler around the edges as there was no skirting. hope that helps

creedp

1chippy wrote: »

this sounds like a new build (presuming) if your putting a 25mm insulation around walls, the depth of the plaster on the wallls usually will extend you out far enough to cover insulation with a 22mm skirting. if you want 25mm finished it means youll have to run the skirting out of 1" 1/2. this pretty much means a 50% increase on the raw material cost and as far as i know you cant get heavier than 22mm in veneered. you could always put on a second skirt over the first to give a bulkier finish, put on a plant on scotia or quadrant. or what we done on a timber floor was put a cork filler around the edges as there was no skirting. hope that helps

Thanks 1chippy. Yes its a new build. Unfortunately walls already plastered below ffl so the plan was that the edge insulation will be placed against plastered walls and will have to be covered by skirting. However this doesn't seem to be very easy to achieve.

Could you advise what 'put a plant on scotia or quadrant' means to someone who has extremely limited knowlege of the building scene. Also when you say to 'put a cork filler around the edges' what does this product look like? Is is like a mastic type product that is flexible or is it a solid product that is placed along the bottom of skirting like is sometimes done when timber floors are put down without removing skirting boards?

Thanks

Paul.C

the skirting can be machined from basically any wood to any size and thickness. It will cost more but if it its an option. There are a few places around that offer custom wood profiles abbey woods is one I have used before. Another option is to use your 18-22mm skirting and glue thin strips on the back flush top and bottom. If done correctly It will give the impression of thicker shirts.

Hope this helps as Im not 100% sure what your asking;)

creedp

Paul.C wrote: »

the skirting can be machined from basically any wood to any size and thickness. It will cost more but if it its an option. There are a few places around that offer custom wood profiles abbey woods is one I have used before. Another option is to use your 18-22mm skirting and glue thin strips on the back flush top and bottom. If done correctly It will give the impression of thicker shirts.

Hope this helps as Im not 100% sure what your asking;)

Thanks Paul.C. I think the main problem with non-standard skirting is additioal cost but I suppose if you opt to go down a certain path you pay the piper:)

Your suggestion about gluing strips to top and bottom of skirting would certaintly widen the skirting. Just not sure who would do this kind of work and secondly if 'not done right' then you could be left with a right mess at the top of the skirting.

What I am trying to describe is the fact that my ffl will be the concrete screed which will be polished smooth, i.e. there will be no tiles or wood covering the ff screed. Because of this its not possible to hide edge insulation with a floor covering such as tiles. So its the skirting that will have to cover any irregularities along by the perimiter walls. Given that skirting is only 22mm wide it won't cover 25mm edge insulation. Also even if the skirting was 25mm thick, if the polishing process damages the edge of the screed then this damage would also be exposed. I may be forced to reduce the thickness of the edge insulation at the top such that the screed is effectively going all the way into the wall. Any damage to the edge of the screed would then be covered by the std skirting.

Thanks for suggestions

jack of all

I've done (specified and overseen) polished concrete floor screeds before and your problem is not new, if the insulation is cut a shade undersize in depth/width (12mm or so less than the final screed thickness) it will allow the screed to be trowelled over it and with a 19 or 22mm thick skirting you'll only have a few mil of the screed "exposed" where it is thin (if you get me). Take extra care at internal corners to ensure the insulation is not exposed; if you take special care when cutting and placing the insulation and subsequent concrete placement you won't have any trouble.

creedp

jack of all wrote: »

I've done (specified and overseen) polished concrete floor screeds before and your problem is not new, if the insulation is cut a shade undersize in depth/width (12mm or so less than the final screed thickness) it will allow the screed to be trowelled over it and with a 19 or 22mm thick skirting you'll only have a few mil of the screed "exposed" where it is thin (if you get me). Take extra care at internal corners to ensure the insulation is not exposed; if you take special care when cutting and placing the insulation and subsequent concrete placement you won't have any trouble.

Thanks very much. That would seem like a plan. In your exeprience this wouldn't result in a crack along by the bottom of the skirting? If I couldn't get the skirting to cover the screed I was considering chamfering the insulation from 25 back to say 10mm at the top so that the screed could be pushed in under the skirting. However, as above, I was concerned that this thin piece of screed might crack all along the skirting especiall as I understand the polishing process is quite brutal

Sorry as I know this topic has moved well away from the purpose of this sub-forum.

jack of all

Your chamfer idea is a good one, but don't worry too much about cracking here, remember only a few mil will show beyond the skirting thickness. The polishing machine is a serious piece of kit but it will not run right up to the wall and in most cases the strip nearest the wall, internal corners and obstructions will be polished using a smaller machine so damage is less of a concern from the actual polishing work. If you can do the chamfer it sounds like the way to go as you will have a nice strong edge and less worries about pits and voids around the perimeter as there will be more concrete (and "fat") to trowel. Sounds like you've thought this well out, good luck with the job.

creedp

jack of all wrote: »

Your chamfer idea is a good one, but don't worry too much about cracking here, remember only a few mil will show beyond the skirting thickness. The polishing machine is a serious piece of kit but it will not run right up to the wall and in most cases the strip nearest the wall, internal corners and obstructions will be polished using a smaller machine so damage is less of a concern from the actual polishing work. If you can do the chamfer it sounds like the way to go as you will have a nice strong edge and less worries about pits and voids around the perimeter as there will be more concrete (and "fat") to trowel. Sounds like you've thought this well out, good luck with the job.

Thanks Jack for your help and advice. I'll try the chamfering first and if I can get it done cleanly and evenly I'll go down that route. Glad for the 'heads up' on polishing edges and corners. I had visions of this big monster polishing machine making trash of the threshold of the 3m wide door in the kitchen. Hopefully the small boy will be kept well under control:)

jack of all

If you are worried about the actual polishing operation you should discuss this with the contractor; my advice is based on experience with a firm that specialises in this type of work and I saw the machines in operation, others may be different. If you have access to a table saw (even a lidl/ Aldi special) you could run off chamfered strips very quickly and cleanly. Say your screed is 100mm thick, rip your insulation sheets down to 200mm thick, according to the linear metres you will require. Then set the blade to bevel (I'd go for 60 deg or similar, so as not to have a weak feather edge which could break off and foul up your trowelling later). Set the fence to 100mm and rip each 200mm wide strip, yielding two approx. 100mm strips, each with one square edge and one bevelled edge. Quick and easy.

1chippy

the cork strips went in against timber, i,m thinkingprobably wouldnt work against conc floor. did see a polished concrete floor in dub that had an aluminium( i think) edge. this was done by floor layers it could be worked in a couple of extra mm to allow for skirt. I think your idea of chamfering is probably best one. it would have to be put on pretty accuratel though.