A 12 Step Guide to Laying Skirting

According to the skirting board perth company, a skirting board needs changing now and again and the whole process is quite a simple one that’s quite straightforward and relatively simple. So, take a look at our guide and it should be an easy DIY task.

One of the most common mistakes people make is to place the skirting board down too early or late during re-flooring. Skirting should be fitted after wood or tiled floors and before carpets.

To fit the Skirting

  • Measure up the total area and add around a fifth to this to ensure there is enough to cover mistakes
  • Skirting often has two profiles on either side of the boards. Mark the side you wish to use to prevent issues occurring later on
  • A good starting point is to measure up and cut and place pieces of skirting that can be placed with a ‘square edge’. These can be prepared with a mitre saw. See why torus skirting is popular here.
  • If you are fitting from an internal corner then the board will need to be fitted with a scribe to ensure it slots in. Initially, cut a 45 degree angle using a mitre saw. Then use a coping saw to cut the waste section away. You will then be left with the profile of the skirting board. This can take a little practice if the mould is complex.
  • Now check that the boards fit and once happy mitre the other end of the scribed board. Make sure the boards fit well to prevent issues at either end. If you scribe at both ends you will need to be very accurate. If you leave one end square and scribe the other, this can be a lot easier.
  • If the boards are external, scribe at 45 degrees – this creates a neat joint. Measure and then mark this length on the rear of the board
  • Place the face of the board into the saw and then line the saw up using the mark left from the previous cut.
  • To create the opposite cut, just perform the previous two steps again, but angle the skirting board in the opposite direction. By placing it the opposing way around the cut will be on the other side of the axis and so the other side of the board.
  • The boards can be placed to the walls as they are cut to size. Placing these boards in pairs allowing you to adjust them means they will fit more accurately. Using instant grab adhesive to fix the board to the walls. This can be done by using a few blobs so the adhesive makes contact.
  • If you want to screw the boards to a plasterboard wall, mark the position of the wooden studs and then put a pilot drill through the skirting board and the wall at these points. If you don’t have a pilot drill use a tool hire liverpool or local service to for rental. If you are fixing to a solid wall, run a pilot drill through the skirting board to mark the wall behind every 600mm.
  • Drill and rawlplug these holes. Before you insert the screws, countersink the holes with a larger drill bit so the screw heads will disappear when fixed. Screws should be long enough to go through the board and at least 30mm into the wall or studs behind. Use wood filler to cover over the countersunk screw holes before painting.
  • Use decorators chalk to fill in any gaps. For the best finish run a damp finger along where the boards join.

Cormac Reynolds has written for a number of great websites and is a lover of home improvements. He writes this piece with tool hire needs in mind.

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