Expansion gap options for engineered flooring with skirting and underfloor heating

[DoneTeachin]

Really appreciate anyones experience here: We are putting engineered flooring in our new house (where there is currently carpet) on an underfloor heating system.

I am rather unsure about how to deal with the expansion gap needed against the skirting board. I have had different answers from different flooring firms:

1. add thin wood beading around the skirting boards
2. add white 9 cm high wood strip above the floor (sort of like a beading), against the skirting (looks like part of the skirting then).
3. remove skirting boards, fit floor then put skirting back above floor
4. leave the skirting boards in place and cut a slit along the whole of the skirting to fit the floor edge in.
5. leave skirting in place, put flooring down then sit new mdf skirting cover over the skirting boards above the edge of the wooden floor.

Hope thats clear! our skirting is in good shape so all of these options are feasible its just they vary considerably in effort and cost.

Whats your views ??

Remove skirtings, fi floor with gap to wall, insert foam draft sealant between floor edge and wall. Fit new skirting.

Remove skirting or cut a slit if they think they can do that (I had to do this once in an old house where the skirting would have taken half the wall with it if removed). The other options will look bodged.

Another “remove the skirting”. Replace with new. And leave a gap between the flooring and the wall which will be hidden by the new skirting.

Definitely remove the skirting. Beading never looks as professional a finish.

The skirting goes over the new floor. The floor doesn’t butt up to the wall. You cannot use existing skirting.

I use beading and I think it looks fine. I don't really get why people hate it so much.

That said, I would not use wood effect beading which looks a bit tacky to me. Just get some white and then once it is in seal the gap to the skirting with decorators caulke and paint the whole skirting board (I paint the beading beforehand to save having to do the edge on the floor). In mine the beading blends in and actually looks like part of the skirting board.

@GasPanic Because it cheap and tasteless? Who actually uses it in a stylish house?

I do and as I mentioned it looks fine.

Like most things if it is done badly it looks crap.

I've had many people comment that my floors look great and ask me who did them and were surprised when I said "me".

No one has said anything about the beading. Probably because like I said, it's difficult to tell it apart from the actual skirting board if you integrate it properly and choose the correct profile to match the board.

But I guess it is a subjective rather than an objective viewpoint.

@GasPanic There’s no good look with beading. It’s naff.