How to Fit Skirting Boards - DIY Step-by-Step Guide

Here, I show you my lesson on fitting skirting boards. I'll talk you through attaching to plasterboard, brick wall and tips around plug sockets.

Did you know that fitting a piece of skirting board was one of my very first DIY videos? I had no idea it would attract so much attention over being female or what I wore with it being a hot day.

Personally, I'd delete it or maybe I'll ban comments. But I think it's useful to reflect back on how far I've come on my DIY journey. But what had happened was, we'd originally had the new flooring put down first before having new skirting on.

However, we discovered some leaks and insisted on it being repaired. And once fixed, it was up to me to put the skirting board back. I simply used Grip it adhesive and it's still secure. But instead, I'll show you the proper method as taught by my carpenter dad.

I was especially keen on learning how to mitre corners the traditional way with a coping saw. Especially since many told me in my very first skirting video that two mitre cuts isn't correct.

My Dad said it's not incorrect. It's just not the traditional method. And now that mitre saws have been made for the every home owner, they've made life easier.

So for my first piece, I've got a mitre cut on the far left and then making a cross cut to sit next to the architrave we installed.

How to Fit Skirting Board the Traditional Way

I'm now about to show you a traditional mitre join for the carpenter purists. And I'll let you decide which method you want to approach how to fit skirting board.

So after my first regular mitre join is cut, I'm now cutting another mitred edge for the adjacent skirting.

Don't worry, we'll cut it down shortly to the correct size.

Then take your piece of skirting to a work surface or sawhorse and clamp. Or have someone hold it for you.

And using a hand saw, I'm cutting the protruding mitred piece off from the bottom up to the curved profile.

Using a hand saw again, I'm now sawing just underneath the curved profile, but length ways of the skirting.

This is so we remove the back piece of mitre entirely.

Cutting Skirting Board with a Coping Saw

Then I cut around the curved profile with a hand saw.

Note, you'll need to twist the blade as you go. (There's tabs near the blade to twist).

Keep cutting until you've finished following the shape.

Now your coping sawed mitre join should slot perfectly as above. And push is as far it goes into the corner.

Then mark where the corner of the wall ends and draw a mitre line of which way you need to cut.

Tip: It's best to cut on the big side than too short. And absolutely take your time with the mitre saw. It's so easy to get mixed up with your cuts from experience, so don't rush it.

How to Fit Skirting Board to Plasterboard

When it comes to a plasterboard on a partition wall, it's dead easy.

Simply hammer to the wall with nails, but it helps if you know where the wooden frame is. We knew as we installed it here.

Then use a nail punch to bury them so you can fill and decorate later.

Tips for Fitting Skirting Board

There's one major tip I learnt when fitting skirting board. And that is NEVER nail or drill underneath a plug socket.

Also, when your skirting board lengths are shorter than the wall itself (as above), join with more mitre cuts. Crosscut joins (aka straight cuts) are more noticeable after they're decorated.

DON'T drill holes too close to the edge of your skirting as it may split the wood. Try at least two inches away.

Fitting Skirting Boards to a Brick Wall

Two images above, you'll see that I added adhesive first to my skirting board.

I then temporarily nailed to the wall to help me for my next stage. Note, I didn't nail all the way as these are not masonry nails.

While nailed, I drilled through the wood and brick wall.

Note: only go as far as the length of your nail. Some tape on a drill bit helps as a marker.

Then tapped in a rawl plug with a hammer.

Hammered the rawl plug further with a screw and hammer until I felt it go back.

Then fixed the skirting with a screw.

Tip: if the screw keeps spinning, remove the screw and add another rawl plug and screw again as you may have drilled as far as the cavity.

If no luck, try drilling in another spot.

Follow along with my video!

Anyway, if you enjoy this video, you can see my extensive playlist here.

Other posts you might like are:

• How to Build a Partion Wall
• Knocking a Wall Through for a New Doorway
• Basic wallpaper stripping tips