Installing skirting boards is a relatively straightforward task and can be rewarding as it is certainly possible for a relative beginner to achieve a good finish.
Here we will go over what you know you need to know before you start, and continue until the job is completed.
Buying Skirting Board
Here we will go over what you know you need to know before you start, and continue until the job is completed.
Buying Skirting Board
The first decision to make is the type of skirting board that you want to use. The decision is primarily an aesthetic one. It can be polystyrene, MDF or wood. The boards in modern buildings often have a plain rectangular profile whereas older boards were more complex and ornate.
[pic of modern board] [pic of traditional board]
It is possible to buy both types from most DIY shops. If you are in London, a place we can personally recommend is Catford Timber, where the service was first-class.
[pic of modern board] [pic of traditional board]
It is possible to buy both types from most DIY shops. If you are in London, a place we can personally recommend is Catford Timber, where the service was first-class.
Going for a simpler board rather than a complex and ornate one will make installation easier, as we will see later.
Types of Corner
It is hard to continue from here without talking about corners! There are three main types of corner. The following picture shows an internal corner with two external corners to its right.
[diagram!]
An internal corner is another right angle corner, but this time usually in the corners of the room. You would think that you could also mitre these corners, but as walls are usually pretty long, just one percent shrinkage or expansion could cause a mitre joint to open up badly. So a technique called scribing is a better bet.
[Write about scribing]
The third type of corner is any that don't fit into either of the above categories. This means that they have an angle that isn't an easy ninety degrees. These corners cause the most brain ache, though don't require as much skill with a saw as internal corners can do:
Sometimes you will be able to just cut the board straight, like around doors:
Sometimes you will be able to just cut the board straight, like around doors:
If you are intending to lay carpet, then you should install the skirting board before the carpet is installed. There are many reasons for this: the carpet layer will want to have a straight surface to work to, you will want to replace carpet far more often than the skirting board, and also, installing the board when the carpet is in place would make an unbelievable mess of the carpet!
If you are planning to install wooden floor then this should be done before the skirting board is installed. This is the easiest way to achieve a neat finish. You will need to be very careful not to damage the wooden floors.
Planning the Cuts
It is a good idea before you do any cutting, to plan exactly what cuts you are going to do. The key is to try and have one simple cut and one complex cut on each piece of wood. Of course, if you can have two simple cuts on a piece of wood, then all the better. A complex cut might take several attempts to get right and therefore using a little more wood each time you need to have another go. If you got a complex cut right, then doing a complex cut on the other end would mean that you would have to get it right first time, because if you cut more off to have another attempt, the wood would now be shorter than it needed to be to match the length of the wall.
Tools
Tape Measure and Ruler
You are going to need to measure long pieces of wood, for this you will want a tape measure. You are going to want to measure short pieces of wood, accurately. For this, a tape measure isn't ideal - it's not designed for accurate measurement. You want a ruler, ideally a steel one, but any would probably do the job.
Set square
I don't know if this is the correct word for it. But you will want to tell if parallel to the wall.
Tape Measure and Ruler
You are going to need to measure long pieces of wood, for this you will want a tape measure. You are going to want to measure short pieces of wood, accurately. For this, a tape measure isn't ideal - it's not designed for accurate measurement. You want a ruler, ideally a steel one, but any would probably do the job.
Set square
I don't know if this is the correct word for it. But you will want to tell if parallel to the wall.
Mitre Saws
The most important tool for installing skirting board is a mitre saw - awesome! You can get by with a mitre block, as long as you don't need to cut any corners that the mitre block doesn't provide and the block is at least as high as your board. You will need a normal saw to go with a mitre block.
[picture of mitre block]
Instead of a mitre block and normal saw, another option is to get a dedicated mitre saw. This will again make the job easier if you plan to do several rooms. It may be necessary to get a dedicated mitre saw if you can't find a mitre block as tall as your skirting boards.
[picture of mitre block]
Instead of a mitre block and normal saw, another option is to get a dedicated mitre saw. This will again make the job easier if you plan to do several rooms. It may be necessary to get a dedicated mitre saw if you can't find a mitre block as tall as your skirting boards.
Coping saw
If you have old-fashioned boards with detailing, you will need to do some cutting by hand, that is, without the guide of a mitre saw. For this you will need a coping saw, which is a thin saw used to carve out details, which a mitre saw is unable to do.
Regardless of what type of wall you want to attach skirting board to, you are going to need to drill holes in it. Any electric drill will do for plasterboard walls. If the walls are solid - brick and plaster, you will probably want a drill with a hammer action. And some good drill bits.
Screwdriver
Crowbar, or Chisel and Hammer
You will need a crowbar or a chisel and hammer for removing old skirting board.
Disposable Items
- Wood Filler
- Wood Glue
- Screws and Rawl Plugs
Preparation
Removing Existing Skirting Boards
The first step if you have existing skirting boards that you wish to replace is to remove them. It can take a degree of strength to remove existing boards, depending on how they are attached to the walls. You want to try to get a crowbar behind the boards and to lever them off. You may end up with boards coming off but with nails still firmly stuck in the wall. In this case, you need to apply strength liberally, but take care not to damage the plaster. Holding a piece of wood against the plaster to support it while levering with the crowbar will help to protect it. It might be useful to have a person to help you at this point.
Removing Existing Skirting Boards
The first step if you have existing skirting boards that you wish to replace is to remove them. It can take a degree of strength to remove existing boards, depending on how they are attached to the walls. You want to try to get a crowbar behind the boards and to lever them off. You may end up with boards coming off but with nails still firmly stuck in the wall. In this case, you need to apply strength liberally, but take care not to damage the plaster. Holding a piece of wood against the plaster to support it while levering with the crowbar will help to protect it. It might be useful to have a person to help you at this point.
Cleaning the Walls and Floor
If the walls have bumps this may cause the skirting board to not sit flush against it. Similarly, if the floor has lumps of old wall or dried plaster on it, it might stop the board from sitting flat onto the floor. Get a broom and sweep the floor around an area before you start installation.
Applying Filler to Make the Walls Flat and Screw-into-able
Charge your power tools!!!!
If the walls have bumps this may cause the skirting board to not sit flush against it. Similarly, if the floor has lumps of old wall or dried plaster on it, it might stop the board from sitting flat onto the floor. Get a broom and sweep the floor around an area before you start installation.
Applying Filler to Make the Walls Flat and Screw-into-able
Charge your power tools!!!!
Cutting The Board
Making a 45 Degree Cut for External Corners
External corners should be relatively simple to cut. As usual, the mantra 'measure twice, cut once' applies. The first thing that you can do wrong is to cut the board too short. If you cut it too long, you can have another stab. Either way, incorrect length will cause it to look bad.
There are a few different techniques recommended for this. Here's one.
Joining Multiple Boards Together
Sometimes you may need to join two boards together, for example if a wall is longer than the longest piece of skirting board you have available.
Making a 45 Degree Cut for External Corners
External corners should be relatively simple to cut. As usual, the mantra 'measure twice, cut once' applies. The first thing that you can do wrong is to cut the board too short. If you cut it too long, you can have another stab. Either way, incorrect length will cause it to look bad.
Cutting Internal Corners
There are a few different techniques recommended for this. Here's one.
Joining Multiple Boards Together
Sometimes you may need to join two boards together, for example if a wall is longer than the longest piece of skirting board you have available.
Painting the Board
The wood will need to be painted twice, once with primer and once with gloss. You could do both coats at the end once the board is installed, but it might be easier to apply the primer before you start attaching the board to the wall.
Wonky Floorboards?
If you are planning to have carpet installed, you may want to put some board underneath the carpet. If you do this before installing the skirting, you will find that this gives a flat, level surface to install boards on, which will make the job simpler,
[picture of boards with skirting]
The wood will need to be painted twice, once with primer and once with gloss. You could do both coats at the end once the board is installed, but it might be easier to apply the primer before you start attaching the board to the wall.
Wonky Floorboards?
If you are planning to have carpet installed, you may want to put some board underneath the carpet. If you do this before installing the skirting, you will find that this gives a flat, level surface to install boards on, which will make the job simpler,
[picture of boards with skirting]
Installing the Board
How you attach board to a wall depends very much on the type of wall.
[If it is a plasterboard wall].
If the wall is made of brick, you will first need to make sure that the floor and surface are clean.
Tidying Up - Caulking
A smooth finish can be achieved using decorators caulk. See the section on using [using decorators caulk]. If the gap between the top of your skirting board and the wall is small enough, it can make everything look a lot more precise. Decorators caulk is usually white, and it therefore only makes sense to use it where the walls and skirting board are white, unless you use paintable caulk.
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