Replacing pine floorboard upstairs

Cargoboy

Hi All

In our bedrooms upstairs there are standard pine floorboards that are varnished and stained very badly. They seem to be nailed down to the joists and we hate them. we dont like the wood and wont sand and varnish them. They go under the skirting also which is painted white.

We would like to replace them with laminate (click together type) like this one from B&Q
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9586562&fh_view_size=10&fh_eds=%3f&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB%2fcategories%3c%7b9372013%7d%2fcategories%3c%7b9372028%7d%2fcategories%3c%7b9372109%7d%2fspecificationsProductType%3dreal_wood_top_layer&fh_refview=lister&isSearch=false

My questions id like some help with are

Do i rip up the old floorboards and if yes, how ?
i want to keep the old skirting - can i just use a trim to allow for the expansion gap ?
do i just lay the new boards over the joice or do lay plywood or use underlay ?

any other tips. trick ro links that could help me ?

thanks

mp22

Keep old floorboards,trim will be ok if you like that sort of finish

Cargoboy

Thanks MP

When you say keep the floorboards do you mean put the new laminate ones on over the old ones ? Wont that raise them high and up and look high up on the old skirting ? if I go this way and remove the door saddle and reseat it on the new floor boards wont it look ver high from outside ?

I'm just curious if i pull up the old ones will there be plywood underneath or were they laid across the joist and can i do the same or do i need to install a subfloor of some sort for the new ones ?

mp22

Yes lay the new floor over the old one,yes it will be higher up the skirting,and no it would be unlikely that there is anything but joists under the floor boards.A subfloor will have to be 3/4 ply or osb and you will end up with the same height at the skirting.Easiest thing to do is carefully remove skirting,lay new floor,remove door saddle run it down a table saw till the room side edge is aprox 14mm thick and put it back down it will look like its meant to be there,refit skirting.