Gaps under Skirting boards

[suenic]

One of my bedrooms has just been measure for carpet. When the measurer was here, he saw that there was a gap all the way round underneath the skirting board. He advised me to sort it beofre the carpets went down to prevent dust, dirt, cold and even moisture getting through. This did make sense to me.

However, I thought he meant silicone beading or something similar, but he said when asked, the trims like you use round laminate flooring.

So:

Do I actually need beading?

Should it be the wooden strips or silicone?

Should it be done before the carpet is fitted?

I will have a go whatever is recommended cos I want the room to right.

Thank you in advance for your knowledge and advice!

Sue

[Rich]

Hi Sue

Skirting boards are deliberately meant to have gaps around the bottom, for ventilation, and for carpets to be fitted under.

It sounds like your carpet fitter hasnt got a clue what he is talking about, because they are meant to fit whats called a gripper track around the edge of the floor, which is a strip of small nails pointing upwards that grip the carpet, and the carpet itself is meant to go over the gripper track and under the skirting board, hence the term "Fitted carpet", as this stops the edges of the carpets from rolling upwards and/or curling over time, and the gripper tracks keep the carpet stretched tightly so that it doesnt bubble in places.

The gap under your skirting boards, it should be about 1 or 2 centimetres at the most...

You would only put those wooden strips down if you were to have whats called a wooden "floating floor" fitted, typically laminate boards that click together.

when your carpet is fitted, they use a kicker tool to stretch the carpet, which is a handheld tool that has little points on the end to grip the carpet, and by slamming it with there knees towards the wall, it stretches the carpet flat towards the gripper tracks that hold it in place, and a simple cold chisel to tuck it under the skirting board..

If you didnt have the gaps, then the carpet is trimmed a bit more, and the excess is tucked behind the gripper rod/track..

Have you got a picture of the gaps under your skirting boards?