How To: Install Skirting Board And Cut Scribe Corners. ""Bonus Content"" The Ultimate Scribing Tool

[@BradshawJoinery]

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[@philipwilliams8114]

Superb as ever. Black & Decker power file is a DIY tool at DIY prices but has awesome power

[@BradshawJoinery]

Cheers Philip. Tbh, you dont need a fancy power file, as long as the blt spins and stays on... they are all the same. Speed controll is nice however!

[@stephenkayll5241]

My son has a 175 year old house and has York stone flooring. His joiner has scribed the base of the skirting to the profile of each stone slab! Very skilful. Your videos give great hints at your approach to jobs and help us amateurs understand your process and skill. Also gives me great tips to use for some projects.

[@BradshawJoinery]

Nice one Stephen, yes some very skilled people about!

[@NeilDunlop]

Every day is a learning day. Thanks again for another tiptastic video. The power file does look incredibly handy for the scribes and the shroud looks like a great addition 👍👌

[@BradshawJoinery]

Thanks for that Neil! Yes its a very handdy tool, i use it all the time, stuff like door latches that need a little leading edge, window catches etc! all sorts

[@robertfrost4086]

OMG! thanks - I have to fit 12 framed kitchen units into existing brick openings with flag stones used as a work surface - Every edge has to be scribed into very uneven edges. This power file trick will save me hours and hours :)

[@BradshawJoinery]

Nice one Robert and thanks for saying! I use the power file on almost every scribe. Definitely needs dust extraction or you'll be choking in seconds

[@paultay23]

Best scribing tutorial i have seen ...nice one Ollie

[@BradshawJoinery]

Nice one Paul :) Thankyou

[@davelethaby1279]

This came just at the right time as I'm ready to install new skirtingboard after putting down some bamboo flooring ... thanks Ollie!

[@BradshawJoinery]

Nice!!! Good luck Dave

[@WIMBO_101]

Great video mate, I've seen another carpenter use a angle grinder with a flap disc. Fair play it was really good for scribe cuts

[@BradshawJoinery]

Yes the idea sort of came from that but for me I needed more control and dust extraction. With a grinder your choking on dust in minutes

[@cliveclapham6451]

Yeup done that myself along with coping saw, jigsaw not with inside miter saw 🎯🎯 power saw 👍

[@drmkiwi]

Job finished? 😉 Magnificent scribes and tutorial - 10/10. Thanks for the video. Cheers, David

[@BradshawJoinery]

Cheers David, yeah, them two rooms are finished atleast!!!

[@DavePawson]

Quite the masterclass. Thanks.

[@brianroscoe239]

Great tutorial, a Dremel is sometime handy on small curves.

[@BradshawJoinery]

Good idea that Brian!

[@RTSFoto]

Nice tutorial and nice wristband buddy.

[@BradshawJoinery]

Thanks Russell, Much appreciated!

[@chrisb4009]

Great vid. I’ve seen a few guys scribe skirting with a grinder. Same idea as your power file I guess.

[@BradshawJoinery]

Yeah thats kinda where the idea came from, but the speed controll and dust extraction is what put me off the grinder method. it floods the room with dust

[@iJoemo]

Great bonus tip thank you 🙏 can I ask where you get the belts for it from?

[@normanboyes4983]

Thank you for sharing, very helpful.👍

[@BradshawJoinery]

Thankyou Norman

[@keithblakeman2823]

I’ve always enjoyed scribing skirtings but this is taking it to another level. Mine are always made to look good by two pack filler. 🙂

[@BradshawJoinery]

Haha it depends on the job, but it's nice to make them tight!

[@jakephipps4006]

Great tutorial as always. Starting saving up for Christmas for a laserpen!

[@jakephipps4006]

Also rather than use a coping saw would a dremel work?

[@BradshawJoinery]

I've never tried but yeah, anything that could remove the material accurately 👍

[@graemescott4825]

Good video Ollie. I've fitted skirtings to a couple of rooms. The jobs went OK but would have been better if I'd seen this vid first. If anyone fancies the Evolution file sander, first check if it takes standard sized belts: I have an Evolution mini belt sander & the only belts that fit are the Evolution ones. ( & the circular saw blades are an odd bore size ).

[@BradshawJoinery]

Thanks Graeeme, Good Point, and well worth checking with any tool as its quite often the running costs that are more expensive than the purchase price!

[@bobmartin5101]

Great tutorial, thanks.

[@BradshawJoinery]

Thankyou Bob

[@baldanddangerous1572]

nice tidy job ollie

[@BradshawJoinery]

Cheers Buddy!

[@carllamb6711]

Hi Mate, just been catching up on some of your older stuff.. I'v been fitting skirting myself today and used the same technique apart from the power file which I’m going to order from Amazon tomorrow just don’t tell the wife lol 👍👍👍👍

[@BradshawJoinery]

Nice one carl. The narrow sander file is brilliant, i use it all the time for fitting. Especially good for high gloss or sensitive finishes and scribing them into brickwork etc! Worthwhile making a dust extractor connection for it or youll be choking on dust in seconds. Its pretty good with what i made! I wouldnt use it without. I think there is a cordless version which might be better, not tried it though

[@iwayini]

Great Video. Thank you!

[@BradshawJoinery]

Thanks Andy

[@olajikiemi5910]

Beautiful

[@matthewthiele3188]

Great videos Oliver! You are a very clever man. What brand is your scribing tool/mini belt sander? Do you have a link as to where you bought it please? Just stumbled across your sash window restoration vids, they are great mate, you are a natural teacher! I learnt so much from them this morning, cheers! Keep up the great work mate :) Kind regards, Matthew

[@BradshawJoinery]

Thankyou Matthew! Its a Makita corded. Id have a google for makita power file or narrow belt sander. I bought from axminster as i needed it one day so went and fetched it

[@konstantinivanov1986]

Glad I live in the world of drywall and studs. Here i dont even get paid for skirting (baseboard) usually if I install the floor which sucks.

[@BradshawJoinery]

Doesnt sound like a good deal not getting paid for work! id head that off!

[@lwilton]

Interesting technique! I can see why the builders of my house decided to put pillars in the corners that matched the bottoms of the door frames, so they could do butt joints all around. Some questions if I may: 1. After the skirting is in place, do the plasterers come back and erase the gaps between the wall and the top of the skirting? 2. How do you handle a splice on a long wall that is longer than any single board? A flat 45 miter, or something else? 3. Scribing seems a lot more work than a simple internal miter. I'm not clear on the advantage of scribing the corners over mitering them. Thanks!

[@BradshawJoinery]

Ive never seen corner blocks before tbh! thats a new one on me! Most just mirte into the corner! I filled the top gap in using a paintable but non shrinking mastic (MS Polymer) Use masking tape to your lines on both skirting and wall then tool it flush and remove tape. Its fiddly but perfect. Traditionally a 45 mitre through the height of the board. If its flat profile or very small moulding ill butt joint and add a Festool domino x 2 or more. Scribing means the fibres of the timber when tapped into place are crushed on both pieces, meaning less likely to open up a gap. A mitre will always open on the inside first as timber shrinks so you get corner gaps that are very visible and you can see right in them. To see in a scrived gap you have to go to the same plane of the skirting and look down the length. You also have to be very accurate with a mitred corner, cut a board 2mm too short and its wrong. With a scrive you just cut one in square so the top part fits the rest can be undercut, then the scribed piece can be fettled for a good fit and again a easy cut on the other end.

[@HashMeister]

Great video. I think one of the most in depth videos on fitting skirting. Would you recommend using 40 or 60 grit sandpaper to adjust the scribes instead of the files?

[@BradshawJoinery]

Thankyou, i dont watch much youtube on woodworking funnily enough, but some of what i have seen is one of the reason i started doing videos haha, You could use sandpaper yeah, like always sharp sandpaper is best, although compressed wood fibres in a scribe aren't a bad thing

[@theprofessorfate6184]

If you can't afford one of those fancy sanders, an angle grinder with a diamond blade(non-segmented) works really well too.

[@BradshawJoinery]

yeah of the abrasive flap wheels i see people use. Its Just too dusty for me. Your choking in seconds and it gets everywhere

[@theprofessorfate6184]

@@BradshawJoinery the diamond blade doesn't do that, but I can see where an abrasive wheel might. Like I said, it's the poor mans way to do things.

[@jezza42]

Yet another great video 👍 What concrete screws are you using to fix the skirting ?

[@BradshawJoinery]

these ones are from screwfix, i think 100mm or slightly shorter from memory 7.5mm

[@jezza42]

@@BradshawJoinery thanks. What diameter drill do you use for those?

[@BradshawJoinery]

I use a 6mm hilti (4tip) bit but on really hard block/brick use 6.5mm. same in the wood, unless I want it to just pull in then use 7.5mm

[@jezza42]

@@BradshawJoinery great, thanks for your advice, much appreciated 👍

[@davidgarofalo3800]

Seen a few guys use the lamello on external miters

[@BradshawJoinery]

Good Idea! I normall stick a couple of dominoes in if thickness allows, they hold up really well!!!

[@daverowe4566]

Can you do a video on external corners?

[@BradshawJoinery]

They are mitred. I try and place the face down on the saw and make sure it's flat against the bed.. also use biscuits or dominoes in the joint if possibken

[@Frieslick]

great video

[@michaelplays2449]

Good video, rhanks !!!

[@BradshawJoinery]

Cheers Michael

[@abdulwadud363]

Hi mate, what type of skirting board are you using? Is it pine ?

[@zephyr1408]

Amazing how much time your allowed to put on Base Board? In the states I use a cope joint using a Banco cope saw or just my 12” Makita w/ a Chop Master Blade by Forest also an FS Blade. It has to be a full kerf blade! I use a Bosh digital miter finder w/ the ability to solve the miter angle. I attach the boards using a Senco 15ga nematic nailer , not cordless ! The cordless model are not consist enough ! I mark my studs before hand and if I think I need something I use a biscuit ! I cut a 20 hole & use a # 10 biscuit! I move fast , fast like 2400 ln ft in 2.5 days! U looked great! U would go broke here though? Not saying it’s not excellent work , cause it was! Just kinda sight seeing speed!

[@BradshawJoinery]

No worries, its a completely different scenario tbh, I think for a video its best to learn the best way to do it for high level of finish then work on speeding it up later. I can lob stuff in too though, i am a farmer at heart aswell!!!! haha

[@E.Moralejo]

How do you treat / finish the gap between the "skirt board" (aka "base board" in the USA) and the wall / plaster?

[@BradshawJoinery]

I mask and use a ms polymer sealant tooled flat with the top. It's incredible strong, paint able and doesn't shrink.

[@moodfox6024]

You sound exactly like George Russell the F1 driver.

[@BradshawJoinery]

Haha, someone mentioned this before you know! I used to follow F1 but havent for 3/4 years tbh

[@J.M.Lander]

Great video as always. Love watching how you work and your level of craftsmanship. A few questions if I may, what solid wood skirting are you using there? Would that always be your go to even when painted? And would you also plug the screw holes again even if it’s a painted end product rather than filler?

[@BradshawJoinery]

I think it's the most durable form of skirting once you start looking past 10 years. I am not too keen on bought in timber skirting, the movement is vast and requires redecorating after a year or so. I acclimatize mine before machining and don't see much movement atall. Having the double fixings helps lock it in position and being tulip too. Plugs are fine, there probably isn't much in it but filler will have a better bond if pressed in properly whereas a pellet only glues around the outer edge and sometimes not that deep on a tapered pellet

[@9P38lightning]

Mint video...!

[@BradshawJoinery]

Cheers Matey

[@rob10101]

Great video - really helpful! If you were fixing oak skirting would you still screw and then use a plug cutter to make plugs to cover each hole or would you consider just using an adhesive?

[@BradshawJoinery]

Screw and plug with a cross grain pellet. Tapered preferably. Oak needs holding as much as possible. 👍

[@rob10101]

@@BradshawJoinery Thanks for your help! Much appreciated.

[@mattcable6379]

Hey Ollie, Did you know Festool used to make one of these... back when they were Festo.

[@BradshawJoinery]

No I didn't, good knowledge! Do you know what it was called?

[@mattcable6379]

@@BradshawJoinery can't remember buddy. It was 15years ago. I always had the makita

[@stewartmay365]

great video one question how to center join skirting square cut with with biscuit insert or 45 cut with biscuit insert. reason a 6 mtr wall and 4mtr skirting

[@BradshawJoinery]

The traditional way is indeed 45 degrees and probably in a renovation scenario I would stick with that! It will look authentic and done properly. Make sure the joint is backed /supported properly from behind with a battenit can be fixed and glued to so it's nice and strong, atleast 6" either side, not just left floating or it'll come apart! If it's MDF and no mouldings I'd stick a couple of dominos in and butt joint it.

[@stewartmay365]

@@BradshawJoinery thanks for the reply this is a new build with red pine skirtings but I am not familiar with the term battenit could you explain pls

[@BradshawJoinery]

"Batten, it " Put a backing piece in the wall behind fixed securely to wall/brick if there isn't a solid plaster backing where the joint is and glue all the skirting back 6" either side of joint

[@MartinPhee]

What size pilot hole are you drilling?

[@BradshawJoinery]

6mm through everything. Recess head so about 20mm of timber has a 6mm pilot hole. It holds nice then but if need to be pulled level it can do it... 👍

[@akfisher7138]

How would you cut the piece initially (where you cut at 45) if the skirting board is not meeting at 90, but around 60, for odd shaped room?

[@BradshawJoinery]

its always a division of the angle. if its 6o degrees acute angle you could stil scribe, 60 degree obtuse angle id probably mitre it.

[@abdulwadud363]

What type of skirting board are you using?

[@BradshawJoinery]

Its Tulipwood, i made it.

[@Argyll1000]

Why do you use expandable foam?

[@BradshawJoinery]

It seals all the air passage behind the skirting, and gives an even hold all over the back of the board helping it keep straight and is also very tolerant of the gaps left by the void of plaster at the bottom of the wall. Some brands seem to set harder than others

[@Argyll1000]

@@BradshawJoinery What brand do you use?

[@freddieleethompson3536]

How do you rate those blades for the KS60 mate?

[@BradshawJoinery]

was it the key blades? they are a good budget option but i actually think the standard festool blade represents the best bang for buck. great quality and not too pricey.

[@AMPARICIENTA]

Creo que este tipo de instalación es para quien no tenga una sierra. Pero tu tienes un ingletadora festool con ángulos. Tardas mucho en la instalación y no creo que sea rentable

[@BradshawJoinery]

A mitre is quicker but not as good, there is less movement allowance with a mitre and also makes some corners difficult getting the boards in place! Mitre on MDF is about all its good for in my opinion

[@akfisher7138]

how accurate is laser pen?

[@BradshawJoinery]

more accurate thean bending a tape in, especially ove long distances. its within 1mm

[@pyrrhical3423]

What foam did you use and can you recommend a decent foam gun?

[@BradshawJoinery]

I was using wurth foam, it's ok, they do 3 different ones, general use, a d4 glue foam and a board adhesive foam. Oh and fire rated. I used the dirt cheap £10 guns they last year's, just never take the can off. As soon as they run out put a new can on and that's it. Don't leave empty or try and clean it'll last a long time

[@Frieslick]

The Hilti foam gun is a game changer, but its like £110.. Well worth it if you have to use one often or for precision filling though. I personlly just use a £40 teflon coated thing from tool station, which is ideal for the rare/occasional use for windows/prefilling mines gets. Do want that Hilti though!

[@danielspringer4010]

Silly games 👍🏾

[@matsjohansson1882]

Varför strömbrytare i golv nivå, det är vi vana vid och ha ca 1- 1,2cm från golvet MVH SWEDEN

[@BradshawJoinery]

Because in this piece the ceiling goes down to floor level. Generally they are lower though, keeps them hidden behind furniture etc.

[@66oggy]

Fine cutting your scribe to a 45 degree cut on dead flat MDF , and your walls and floors are dead true .... Try doing this in a 150 year old house with 7 inch dished softwood or oak, and trying to fix to rubble walls, and it's a totally different story .... Or is it just me who gets the shit jobs.

[@BradshawJoinery]

THis is timber skirting, but like i mention, the narrow sander is great at scribing into cupped skirting etc. Fixings, if there is nothing decent needs sorting before you try and fit the skirting, a twisted piece of wood works well into a mortar joint, or resin in blocks.

[@cliveclapham6451]

Skirting blocks you don't see them much these days.

[@BradshawJoinery]

No! well i say no, but pretty much every job ive ever done has them haha!!

[@djhago3123]

Why go to the hassle of drilling and screwing.. i use gunoprene and ive a concrete piner with 50mm.so much handier.. and if they have warm board on just use gunoprene and normal pins fired in at angles opposite eachother never falls off. Never screwed a skirting board on in my life unless it was on a curved wall or something like that.. and im at it for the last 20 years and they still haven't came off

[@BradshawJoinery]

Simply because it's the best way to do it. Sometimes there is the best way everyone does something when they are bashing out on price and there is a best way of doing it for quality. Screwing is 100 percent. Filling a hole left by a nail will raise as you've dented the fibres not cut them like a clean cut hole for a screw/plug. I've seen timber skirts pull adhesive and pins before, it's only the strength of the substrates underneath, the pins don't do a lot once stuff moves and the adhesive is useless once the plaster has cracked. It does do the job however 👍

[@djhago3123]

@@BradshawJoinery so you screw your architraves aswell and door stops