When old carpet is removed from a room, there is often a gap between the exposed timber floor and the existing skirting board. Removing and lowering the skirtings would fix the problem, but it would also be a time consuming job. Instead, Scott Cam suggested installing beading or timber moulding in the gap.
Beading or moulding is available from hardware and timber stores. There are lots of different profiles to choose from, including Scotia, Ovolo and the most commonly used, Quadrant. Beading can be purchased raw (ready for staining), pre-primed (ready to paint), or pre-stained for instant installation. Choose a profile that suits your decor and existing skirtings, and one that is wide enough to cover the gap.
How it was done
- Scott measured the perimeter of the room along the base of the walls, then added 10%, to give the total length of beading required. He measured the widest point of the gap, then added 5mm. The gap was 25mm, so Scott chose a 30mm glazing bead. (Tip: it is easier to stain or paint the beading prior to installation – then you’ll only need to touch up joins and nail points.)
- Starting at a doorway, Scott worked in one direction around the room. He attached the beading every 300-400mm with panel pins. (Tip: always nail the beading to the skirting, not the floor.)
- Scott used scribe joints in the corners. This is done by fixing the first moulding in place, then cutting the end of the other piece to fit the face of the fixed moulding. (Note: mitre joints are not suitable in this situation.)
- Finally, Scott punched down all nails with a nail punch, filled the nail holes with putty and touched up the paint.
Approximate beading costs
Quadrant, $1.25 per metre
Scotia, $1.25 per metre
Ovolo, $1.25 per metre
Glazing bead, 30mm, $2.10 per metre