Fit scotia or beading along the skirting

Fit scotia beading to cover the flooring gap, pinning it to the skirting only so the floor can move freely.

SC-01Check the gap and choose your scotia sizeLook at the gap between your skirting board and the new flooring - most floating floors leave a 10-15mm expansion gap. Pick a scotia size that covers this gap comfortably, usually 15x15mm or 18x18mm. Never pin or glue scotia to the floor itself - laminate and engineered wood floors need room to expand and contract, so the fixing must go into the skirting only.

1 each · Tape measure

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SC-02Measure the room and buy your materialsMeasure the total length of skirting you need to cover, including internal and external corners, then add 10% for waste and mitre cuts. Buy scotia beading in that total length, plus pins or adhesive, filler, caulk and finishing materials. Check the beading is straight and free of splits before you leave the shop.

6 length · Pine scotia beading, 2.4m length

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1 box · 25mm panel pins (box)

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SC-03Clean the skirting board and clear the floorVacuum along the gap to remove dust, grit and offcuts left from the flooring job. Wipe the face of the skirting board with a dry cloth so it's free of dust and grease - this matters if you're using adhesive as well as pins. Lay a dust sheet along the run if you're worried about the floor finish.

1 each · Dust sheet

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1 each · Cloth

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SC-04Cut your mitres for corners and lengthsWork one wall at a time, starting with the longest run. Cut internal corners at 45° so the two pieces meet neatly in the angle, and external corners the same way so the beading wraps around cleanly. Dry-fit each piece before cutting the next, since small errors add up around a room.

SC-05Decide how you'll fix it - pins or adhesivePinning into the skirting board is the usual method and gives a strong, invisible fix. Use adhesive instead if your skirting has a tiled, stone or very hard finish that won't take a pin, or if you want to avoid any pin holes. Either way, you're fixing into the skirting board itself, not the wall behind it - there's no need to check for cables, pipes or stud type, because the fixing never reaches the wall structure.

1 tube · Gap-filling grab adhesive (optional)

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SC-06Pin the scotia along the runHold the beading against the skirting and floor line, then pin through the face into the skirting board at a slight downward angle, about every 300-400mm. Use a pin hammer or a fine nail gun, keeping pins clear of any mitred corners until they're glued or pinned together. Punch each pin head just below the surface with a nail punch.

1 each · Nail punch

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1 each · Pin hammer

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SC-07Fit corners and end piecesGlue and pin mitred corners together so they sit tight with no gap. If a wall isn't quite square and the mitre gapes slightly, take a thin sliver off the back of one piece with a sharp knife until it closes up. Finish any run that meets a door frame or another surface with a neat, square-cut end.

SC-08Fill, caulk and finishFill pin holes with wood filler, let it dry, then sand it smooth and flush with the beading. Run a fine line of decorators caulk along any small gaps at corners or where the beading meets an uneven wall. Once dry, paint or varnish to match your skirting board.

1 tub · Wood filler

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1 tube · Decorators caulk

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1 pack · Fine sandpaper (pack)

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1 small tin · Matching paint or varnish

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1 each · Paintbrush

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SC-09Tidy upVacuum up dust, offcuts and pin packaging from the floor. Wipe down the skirting and check the floor covering hasn't been marked. Store any leftover beading and filler for touch-ups later.

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