In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
wrote:

Hi,
I need to replace the skirting in a room I am currently re-decorating
- a new carpet will be laid when I have finished.

The skirting that is currently fitted (throughout the house) has a gap
below it which the carpet fits under.

Is it best practice to have the gap under - or should I fit it flush
to the floor so the carpet fits up to it and not underneath it.

My gut feeling is to fit it flush to the floor so the thickness of the
carpet and underlay will not matter but which is correct?

One other thing, it's a PVC tiled concrete floor (circa 1966) - are
the grippers glued to the floor or is the underlay glued to the floor
then the carpet glued to the underlay?

Thanks,


Kev

Fit the skirting flush with the floor, and stretch the carpet over the
grippers to butt against the skirting. Seems odd that you have a gap with a
concrete floor. On a wooden floor, a gap often develops as the joists and
floorboards dry out and shrink a bit after the skirting has been fitted.

It's unlikely that the floor is *actually* concrete on the surface. More
likely that there's a 50mm or so screed over the concrete - in which case
gripper rods with masonry nails can be nailed straight onto it. Obviously,
the spikes need to point towards the skirting, and you should leave a gap of
about 1/4" between the grippers and the skirting, and push the carpet into
the gap with a blunt bolster chisel.

If you use Tredaire or similar underlay - laid rubber side down - you don't
need any glue. Just trim it to fit *inside* the grippers, and tape the joins
with parcel tape.
--
Cheers,
Roger
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