Why is there a gap between skirting board and floor?

Question

We've had the floor replaced but why is there now a gap between the skirting board and floor?

Chris · Accepted Answer

The flooring should go under the skirting ideally. So normally the flooring goes on then the skirting after. If there is a gap under this it's due to the floor not being flat. Either the skirting should have been shaved to sit flat or silicone along the bottom.
If skirting was in situ it depends on the type of flooring. Laminate requires another small skirting to hide the expansion gap. Carpet should be tucked under. Tiles do stop short of skirting if the skirting is too low to squeeze under so it requires a silicone normally matched to grout colour to fill the gap but still allow for expansion of the tile

Rohimul · Answer

The gap allows this movement without buckling.

The skirting board is installed to cover the expansion gap, not sit tightly on the floor.

Lewis · Answer

It’s really difficult to send 100% of the new floor under every bit of skirt so a general practice is to remove the skirting board and reinstall after. This process will usually only be done for an agreed extra cost.

Mark · Answer

Depending on floor covering could be for expansion

Maxim · Answer

You’ve got a deep somewhere, meaning is that the skirting board is not straight or the floor is not even.

Joshua · Answer

This is for expansion so that when the flooring expands it has somewhere to go and doesn’t expand and lift the floor

Andrei · Answer

Most likely because the floor is not flat or the skirting board is bent out of shape

Adam · Answer

The new flooring may not be as thick as the older flooring

Vaclav · Answer

The subfloor is not leveled or dropped as it hapeneds in old houses compare to new build

Timur · Answer

The gap between the skirting board and the floor is completely normal. All floating floors need a small expansion gap between the floor and any fixed surface such as the skirting boards or walls.

Why is there a gap between skirting board and floor?

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