This guide is here to talk you through the process in a few simple steps, whether you're decorating one room or renovating your whole house.
1. GET MEASURED!
Use a tape measure to work out the length of Skirting boards you need and then add 20% to the total as a contingency. Skirting boards can be ordered in 4-plus meter lengths so if you have long walls and would prefer not to have unnecessary joins then bear this in mind when you source your materials.
2. MARK THE SKIRTING BOARD
Mark clearly on each piece of baseboard which side you want facing into the room and which way up you want it to avoid any mistakes. This is particularly important when you order dual-sided boards like those shown in the image above. Each side has a different decorative detailing along the top so it's vital that you know which side should be facing into the room when you make your cuts.
3. START WITH STRAIGHT CUTS
Start with any boards that can go in with square-edged cuts at either end, for example, on either side of a chimney breast. Measure and then use a mitre saw or mitre box to give a good, straight cut. If you are using a mitre box be sure to clamp or screw the box down and clamp the baseboard to the box before you cut. The more sturdy the box is the more accurate and neat your cuts will be.
4. ATTACH THE FIRST BOARD
Instant-grab adhesive is the most popular way of fixing boards, particularly in houses with plasterboard walls. Apply blobs and press the board onto the wall so the adhesive makes good contact, then wipe off any excess. 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 baseboard and the wall at these points.
5. SCRIBING SKIRTING BOARDS FOR INTERNAL CORNERS
The next board you fit needs to be ‘scribed’ so it slots into the first board you have attached to the wall. To do this, first cut a 45-degree angle at the end of the new piece of the board using a mitre saw or mitre box.
Then, use a coping saw to cut away the waste section. You’ll be left with the profile of the baseboard that will slot onto the section that is already attached to the wall. Practice with an off-cut first. This method is better than relying on two 45-degree cuts which only work when your corners are exactly 90 degrees and your walls are perfectly straight.
6. EXTERNAL CORNERS
Where the boards meet on an external corner, mitre both pieces at a 45-degree angle to create a neat join. Measure both boards to the corner and then mark this length on the back. Place the first board on the mitre, line the saw, set it at 45 degrees, up with the mark you made, and cut.
7. CUTTING THE EXTERNAL ANGLE
Make sure you cut the second board so that the 45-degree angle is in the opposite direction so that they meet. Create the opposite cut by moving a mitre saw to the other side of its axis.
8. FILL-GAPS
Once complete, fill any gaps between the wall and the top of the baseboard with the decorator’s caulk and then run a damp finger along the join for a neat finish. Allow drying before painting.
So, for all your timber supplies look no further than the team at Johnsons Timber Supplies. Call us today on 0121 706 0404 or email sales@johnsonstimber.co.uk.