Should skirting corners be sealed?

[max89]

I've got these skirting corners that aren't sealed. Should they be? If so, what is best?

 

[JacobZ]

Hi @max89,

Thank you for your question and welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.

Did you have the flooring installed recently? 

It looks like you might have floating floors which often use Scotia Trim to cover gaps against walls while still allowing small movements of the flooring.

The way the scotia was installed is likely due to the step in the timber making it difficult to continue the scotia trim around the corner. There is no functional reason that the scotia needs to continue around the corner.

It looks like the timber has been undercut to allow for the flooring to slide underneath. If you were to use a sealant, the flooring would be chemically attached to the timber, which would restrict its ability to "float".

As it looks clean, I don't see any reason to change anything.

Let me tag some of our helpful members for their opinions, @Dave-1, @Noyade, @Nailbag.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

[Nailbag]

Hi @max89 looks like the installers have taken the easy way out by not completing the corner return to the door frame. Other than a cosmetic finish, it's a simple resolve to apply a clear oil to the end of the Scotia trim to seal it. Then. run a bead of a matching gap filler where the architrave meets the floor around the corner.

Regards, Nailbag

[Dave-1]

Morning @max89 

Do all your trim on the walls finish like that to your door frames? If they are all the same then I would suggest that there is a reason for it.

I think @JacobZ has hit on the correct answer and wouldnt be sealing it to the floor for the same type of thinking. 

Dave