Laminate/wood floor edging around curves
 

I'm about to lay either a laminate or wood floor in my hallway. There are a
couple of spots where the edges are round (opposite the foot of the main
stairway the wall curves like a pillar, leading the corridor from the
entrance hall, passed the side of the stairs and at the end of that hallway
there's a step to the kitchen with a rounded edge). Having looked at the
edging strips available, the wooden ones are unsuitable for bending more
than a small amount over a long distance. The more flexible plastic ones are
still not flexible enough for these spots.

I'm sure I'm not the first person to come across this problem, but I cannot
find any products specifically for such spots.

What is the best way to keep the finish and edge uniform around such corners
and to mask the edges of the laminate/wood at the end of the corridor, on
the step?

I need to edge both above the floor (ie stuck to the curved face of a piece
of skirting board in the same way as to the straight faces) and also on the
edge of a step with a curved face (like a piece of flexible, 90 degree
edging trim).

TIA.

"JustMe" wrote in message
...
I'm about to lay either a laminate or wood floor in my hallway. There are
a
couple of spots where the edges are round (opposite the foot of the main
stairway the wall curves like a pillar, leading the corridor from the
entrance hall, passed the side of the stairs and at the end of that
hallway
there's a step to the kitchen with a rounded edge). Having looked at the
edging strips available, the wooden ones are unsuitable for bending more
than a small amount over a long distance. The more flexible plastic ones
are
still not flexible enough for these spots.

I'm sure I'm not the first person to come across this problem, but I
cannot
find any products specifically for such spots.

What is the best way to keep the finish and edge uniform around such
corners
and to mask the edges of the laminate/wood at the end of the corridor, on
the step?

I need to edge both above the floor (ie stuck to the curved face of a
piece
of skirting board in the same way as to the straight faces) and also on
the
edge of a step with a curved face (like a piece of flexible, 90 degree
edging trim).

I had a similar problem in my kitchen with a curve around the base of an end
unit. I got around it by cutting a series of tapered 'blocks', each about
15mm wide on the outer radius, off an offcut of normal edging strip. I then
stuck these to the curve using 'no more nails'. Once it had dried I filled
the joints with a matching filler and it's a very successful fix. One or
two people have commented, "How did you manage to do that?" !! You'll have
to experiment with the taper on your blocks to suit the radius of your
curve. (If you want to do it this way that is!)

Kev

Hi
Having looked at the
edging strips available, the wooden ones are unsuitable for bending more
than a small amount over a long distance. The more flexible plastic ones
are
still not flexible enough for these spots.

You could try 'kerfing' the back of the wooden strip
http://www.cabinetmaking.co.uk/sawkerf.htm

Very much depends on the radius of the bend.

Dave

We normally use corkstrips for round edges (10 x 10 x 60). Looks nice, easy to fit and of course very flexible.

"Uno Hoo!" wrote in message
...

"JustMe" wrote in message
...
I'm about to lay either a laminate or wood floor in my hallway. There
are
a
couple of spots where the edges are round (opposite the foot of the main
stairway the wall curves like a pillar, leading the corridor from the
entrance hall, passed the side of the stairs and at the end of that
hallway
there's a step to the kitchen with a rounded edge). Having looked at the
edging strips available, the wooden ones are unsuitable for bending more
than a small amount over a long distance. The more flexible plastic ones
are
still not flexible enough for these spots.

I'm sure I'm not the first person to come across this problem, but I
cannot
find any products specifically for such spots.

What is the best way to keep the finish and edge uniform around such
corners
and to mask the edges of the laminate/wood at the end of the corridor,
on
the step?

I need to edge both above the floor (ie stuck to the curved face of a
piece
of skirting board in the same way as to the straight faces) and also on
the
edge of a step with a curved face (like a piece of flexible, 90 degree
edging trim).

I had a similar problem in my kitchen with a curve around the base of an
end
unit. I got around it by cutting a series of tapered 'blocks', each about
15mm wide on the outer radius, off an offcut of normal edging strip. I
then
stuck these to the curve using 'no more nails'. Once it had dried I filled
the joints with a matching filler and it's a very successful fix. One or
two people have commented, "How did you manage to do that?" !! You'll
have
to experiment with the taper on your blocks to suit the radius of your
curve. (If you want to do it this way that is!)

Kev

So, just to confirm what you suggest, many small straight segments of
edging, stuck in a row to follow the curve. Then fill in the gaps in
between.

I guess once dried and before filling I could also sand them down a little
to create more of a curve, so might be best with wood rather than plastic
edging, using that approach.

I will give that a go!

Or...

Just browsing other posts here and saw how someone got a piece of plastic
curtain pole to be flexible for their need. I might try heating a piece of
the plastic edging strip and seeing if I can make it flexible enough for the
task - either very hot water to soften it or gently with my little
heat-shrink flame thrower (it's a short length - about 30 cms - around a
tight curve).

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if I pre-drill a couple of small pilot holes, I
would be able to nail the piece in place (it wont follow the contour of the
surface and hold that shape without trying to spring back and so I would
like to nail and glue (I fear that nailing it without the holes may cause it
to split).

"David Lang" wrote in message
k...

Hi
Having looked at the
edging strips available, the wooden ones are unsuitable for bending more
than a small amount over a long distance. The more flexible plastic ones
are
still not flexible enough for these spots.

You could try 'kerfing' the back of the wooden strip
http://www.cabinetmaking.co.uk/sawkerf.htm

Very much depends on the radius of the bend.

Dave

Cool idea - might get a more uniform finish which is easier to complete,
compared with lots of little cut pieces.

I'm going to try softening up a piece of plastic edging before I start, to
decide on the best route.

"WoodYouLike" wrote in message
...

JustMe Wrote:
I'm about to lay either a laminate or wood floor in my hallway. There
are a
couple of spots where the edges are round (opposite the foot of the
main
stairway the wall curves like a pillar, leading the corridor from the
entrance hall, passed the side of the stairs and at the end of that
hallway
there's a step to the kitchen with a rounded edge).

We normally use corkstrips for round edges (10 x 10 x 60). Looks nice,
easy to fit and of course very flexible.


--
WoodYouLike

To use as a decorative edge to match the edging used along the straight
walls?

How do you get it to match the colour and shape?

How would that work in place of a 90 degree edging strip, over the
curve-faced lip of a stair?

No, you don't place the corkstrip along the straight walls, that would fill-up the expansion gap. We use (flexible) cork-strips where beading cannot be used, like around pillars and rounded stairs etc. That way you still have a bit of expansion gap (cork will press in when floor expands), plus 'nice' finish because 'gap' is filled with natural product.

You don't colour the cork, it's has a natural brownish colour.

Not sure what you mean with last question.

JustMe wrote:
I'm about to lay either a laminate or wood floor in my hallway. There
are a
couple of spots where the edges are round (opposite the foot of the
main
stairway the wall curves like a pillar, leading the corridor from the
entrance hall, passed the side of the stairs and at the end of that
hallway
there's a step to the kitchen with a rounded edge). Having looked at
the
edging strips available, the wooden ones are unsuitable for bending
more
than a small amount over a long distance. The more flexible plastic
ones are
still not flexible enough for these spots.

I'm sure I'm not the first person to come across this problem, but I
cannot
find any products specifically for such spots.

What is the best way to keep the finish and edge uniform around such
corners
and to mask the edges of the laminate/wood at the end of the
corridor, on
the step?

I need to edge both above the floor (ie stuck to the curved face of a
piece
of skirting board in the same way as to the straight faces) and also
on the
edge of a step with a curved face (like a piece of flexible, 90
degree
edging trim).

TIA.


Do the job properly and remove all the skirting boards. Refit
afterwards (or fit new) to hide the expansion gap and there's no need
for unsightly trim.

You'll probably find the skirting is curved by having lots of cuts
across the back of it, allowing it to be bent.

MBQ