How to Install Skirting Boards - a DIY Guide

[@squidlings]

Who wants to see a perfect floor board being fit against a perfect wall. This video shows huge problems and how to deal with them. Brilliant!

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks buddy 👍🏻

[@olivierroubieu]

No nonsence, no embelishing, just accurate and good techinques used in the trade. Keep up the good work!

[@embecmom5863]

well apart from the Amazon selling pitch...

[@tonyefc8423]

As a retired joiner, I can say that your videos are rather accurate and informative. One small point. When marking the bottom of your skirting boards, where there is a bow in the floor. Use a proper carpenters pencil, with flat sides. Keep the flat side tight to the floor. The profile of the floor can then be marked accurately on to the skirts.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks so much Tony - humbled to be getting praise from a retired joiner! I love that tip and will definitely do that next time. I always wondered by carpenters pencils were so flat and apparently cumbersome. They are the only ones I can't stash behind my ear!

[@Stewbert_72]

I use this on guitar work as well so pencil can be flush to guitar frets . Definitely more accurate and I shall bear in mind with skirting job I am doing later this week for my bedroom

[@anneparker5378]

Enjoying the videos! I glued skirting board to a 9 meter by 4 meter games room converted from a cow shed. There were 10 internal mitres and 12 external mitres, because we elected to put plasterboard around the supporting pillars to retain as much space around the room as we could. Lengths of board were held in place while the adhesive set overnight, by using two paving blocks, one on top of each other, wrapped in tea towels, at several points along the lengths and pushing hard against the skirting - worked like a charm!

[@KeelanJon]

I love your positivity through all the hurdles you encountered 😂 Great video and very informative, thank you

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks, I appreciate that 👊

[@stevenprince9907]

Charlie that was the best video tuition on the cutting and fitting of floorboards I have ever seen. Thank you so much. You are really good at what you do

[@CharlieDIYte]

Aw, thanks so much Steven. Just about to buy some skirting for the kitchen. Think I'll use MDF this time.

[@andrewarthurmatthews6685]

Well done Charlie on yet another calm, no - music, no back to front baseball caps, no American accents but narrated with nice clear spoken English. As a professional woodworker , restorer/ conservator of antique furniture your single saw cut reminded me of the cabinet makers method of curving timber by ‘saw kerfing’ ; making numerous cuts from the back of the board to about 3/4 of the thickness. These cuts need to be made as close together as possible thus by removing material from the back allows the timber to gently flex. Keep them coming.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Andrew, I really appreciate that, particularly coming as it does from a professional woodworker. 👊

[@michaelmiller5387]

Nice vid Charlie! I say MDF anyday! on modern homes. I only used timber on period houses but charged a fortune for the work given all the added difficulties, time and hassles which you expect on homes over 100 yrs old. This was my speciality putting back what others had ripped out over the years to so call 'modernising, I call it vandalism un-flushing doors stripping & refurbishing, servicing and refitting window boxes & sashes. I always bring the MDF indoors for week before I fit to counter the shrinkage. I glue the skirting using T REX power grip and as for the smaller pieces around nibs and corners I first glue the corner joints together using hot glue before fixing as a unit - work a treat. Expending foam around the floor/wall gaps works a treat.

[@a.a.alexander6030]

You spoke at a good pace, not too fast, which is good for us DIY'ers. I had to pause the video to get a glimpse of that very useful mini spatula you used to fill the screw holes 'n gaps with and thanks for showing the products and where to get them. It's small things like that that matter to those of us that diy infrequently/ less. Great video.

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're very welcome. Thanks so much for the comment - always good to get feedback. Drop me a line if you need any other help 👍

[@GeordieChap]

Appreciate this video so much! I installed my MDF skirting weekend just gone and went with your idea of the lost tite screws, I was stunned at how much they grabbed & pulled the board to the wall! Yes it’s more time taking but I find mechanical fixing so much better than glue personally.

[@CharlieDIYte]

They're great aren't they! I've just done a video on using expanding foam and you still need mechanical fixing with that. You're so right going MDF. I'm fitting it in the kitchen and it's a joy compared to pine.

[@GeordieChap]

@ honestly I was stunned, I did use expensive Fischer duo plugs for the whole job just to make sure they had a real good grip. I doubt I’ll use anything else now when fixing boards. Yeah I did see that one also! Foam most likely ideal for the ‘best’ scenario but I live in a property where the walls aren’t perfect. I got my MDF un-primed also to save even more money as I already had a 2.5L tub of Leyland undercoat & primer from a previous project. Much appreciated! Happy DIYing. 🫡

[@360eyetours4]

I’m just about to install skirting board and laminate flooring into bedroom which has gaps in the wall where the skirting board will be fitted. The expanded foam tape should help me here. The plaster where the skirting needs to go looks cracked and loose so will need to repair before drilling or using adhesive. I like your idea on the lost head screws if I need to screw board in. Overall a very helpful video packed with useful information. You have saved me hours. Thank you

[@CharlieDIYte]

Glad you found it useful. Good luck. A lot to do but it will be worth it. 👍

[@CraveThatCoin]

The last few months I've converted a brick built workshop to an office. Did everything from building the stud walls, plasterboarding, insulation, filling, vapour barrier, fitting back boxes, fitting a vinyl plank flooring for the first time etc (left plastering and electrics to the pros). The final job is to fit skirting boards, something I've never done before. But watching your video has given me confidence to do it. Wish me luck :D

[@CharlieDIYte]

Awesome work. I've got exactly the same situation at the bottom of the garden. D'you want to come and do mine? 😉

[@MrDamodee]

Hi Charlie, every video you do is done in the real world, you tell it like it is, you are also straight talking and informative without being boring or over the top. Will have to send you a contribution as I find your videos invaluable!

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks mate. The editing sometimes (nearly always) runs into days, with DIY jobs ironically piling up around the house, so you have no idea how important comments like that are, for motivating me to keep producing this content 👍

[@raminybhatti5740]

I bought a block plane for some trim and door work, and it's fast become one of my favourite tools. Aside from its effectiveness, using it is so much fun.

[@archiebob11]

Brilliant Charlie, thank you. I wish I’d seen the tip on cutting the skirting to lower it to an uneven floor. I recently did our lounge and used MDF, it was great and as you found much easier than working with timber. After a tip from a friend, I used expanding foam to attach the skirting to the wall (just a thin bead) and used bricks or blocks (wrapped in cloth) to hold the skirting against the wall. The foam goes off enough in a few minutes to hold the skirting securely against the wall. A bead of caulk along the top and job done, they’ve been done for two years now without any movement 👍

[@Elconbrioso]

Wish I had the gear, and the bottle - to go Kayak fishing in Cornwall

[@archiebob11]

@@Elconbrioso Thanks for looking Peter 👍

[@Steven_Myers]

Excellent video. Extremely informative, very well edited and above all, supremely coherent! 10 out of 10, sir. Give that man a round of applause.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Why thank you Steven, really appreciate that 🙏👊

[@willmaster9822]

I'm a little embarrassed to admit it but this is genuinely one of the best videos I have ever seen on youtube. Fantastic info and nearly every tip is one that I will need to put into use on my own project but would not have known or figured out for myself - many thanks, Charlie - I am really looking forward to getting stuck in now.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks so much for that, mate. Can't thank you enough. It's a hard slog putting these vids together but comments like this make it worth while 👊

[@matthewclarke3989]

As someone currently dealing with warped walls and boards I found this helpful. Thanks.

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're welcome Matthew. Thanks for the comment 👍

[@chrisjtm666]

Thanks very much! great video. I know the pain of fitting skirting to an old house with crumbling uneven walls and floors. Takes for ever and a day your tips are much appreciated.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Chris. It's a pain but the end result should keep you motivated. 👊

[@JamesKeane-p2f]

Charlie - your channel is amazing mate. Just come across it and absolutely loving it. Don't think I have ever seen a channel that has such genuinely positive comments and contributions. Kudos to you - you should be knighted with all that public praise! Sir Charlie DIYte 🙂

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks so much mate. Really means a lot to read that! It's not always easy doing this but the positivity in the comments has kept me motivated over the years 👊

[@samhickson5917]

Great quality video. I was surprised to not see the use of low expansion foam which I've used on window boards and skirting. It is the quickest method by far and has a super strong hold. I use a particular foam that is not just for filling but for adhesion as well. Also mentioned earlier. Cutting at 45 degrees gives you the perfect scribe and to cut out. MDF or smart board is my favoured choice. Sealed correctly is very long lasting.

[@samhickson5917]

Here is a link to the low expansion foam adhesive I prefer www.toolstation.com/insta-stik-multi-purpose-expanding-foam/p40173

[@lazylad9064]

You showed and demonstrated every issue and problem you might encounter. But with great editing and detailed explanation you covered every Base. Thanks for the video I always have some or other problems with skirting and scribing thanks. 👍👍👍👍

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're very welcome - massive thanks for the comment 👍

[@billconiston8091]

Hi charlie, Great video, just starting skirting my house throughout, 2 rooms in so far! I've opted for pre-primed MDF, which I sand and re-prime with BIN, then fix to the wall with nothing but foam. There's some great threads on the screwfix forums and having tried it, it really works very well indeed. I made some cramps with 2x3" and Irwin spreader clamps to hold it along the wall as the foam set and after 20 mins it's fixed and super solid. On wood filler I just use car body filler now as I'm sure it's exactly the same stuff as 2 pack wood filler and it's half the price! Re scribing, I've been hogging out the majority with a back cut on the mitre saw then using a flap disc on the angle grinder to shape. It's surprisingly good. Thanks again for the great video and good to know i'm not the only diy'er battling with skirting at the moment!

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Bill. Yes, that sounds like the way forward. Nice work 👍

[@Edward-G-i1c]

Hi Charlie! I watched this video when it was published back in April. I was intersted because I installed skirting boards a few years ago using only grip adhesive which did work but was very awkard to get the aghesive to take hold and was more work than necessary. I have recently installed new skirting in our bedroom and this time as well as adhesive I decided to use those small screws you showed in the video. I used MDF primed and your method worked very well. Drilling pilot holes and then holes for the raw plugs was very straight forward. My only issue was that my drill was not able to recess the screws fully and I had to use a countersink bit. But that only meant some extra filling. My drill is getting on a bit and so are the batteries and MDF is very dense. would reccommend the screws to anyone doing this job. Keep up the good work.

[@davidrivett8406]

A brilliant masterclass on skirting installation. Loved the single cut to depress into a dip. You make tricky stuff look relatively easy.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks David, I really appreciate that 👊🏻

[@toradelmar9279]

Dude, you are a star! Keep doing these videos, even the most dubious beginners will learn how to do it saving a ton of money! Thanks.

[@CharlieDIYte]

I certainly will do, my friend. Thanks for the comment 👍

[@AccountantDoesDIY]

Excellent workarounds Charlie. Especially that cut to force the boards down. And that splinter looked a beast!

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Chris. Yes I was very worried by that splinter, save the hospitals were inundated with COVID so I couldn't have gone in there. Luckily after a week of pain I was typing away at my desk and it suddenly poked out from under my nail. Was such a relief pulling it out!

[@danieloconnor895]

So glad I watched this before fitting a skirting board. I'd have 45 degree'd the corners. Scribing is so much better. Especially in this old, wonky house! Thanks.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks for the comment Daniel. Glad you found it useful👍🏻

[@1960Martin]

Great clear explanations Charlie, as ever. I've just been replacing the skirting boards in my house. The bottoms of the door architraves were finished with "Plinth Blocks". I reused some and made new ones where necessary. Very simple to make but also elegant and make the intersection of skirting board and architrave much easier and more professional looking.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Martin. Yes I think there's a lot to be said for plinth blocks 👍🏻

[@TerryMcGearyScotland]

Genius stuff, thanks. I do this kind of thing so seldom though (and being 71) I won’t be spending several hundred pounds on tools but will be relying on my dodgy saws etc. 😂 MDF skirting is my project this afternoon now that the flooring is down. Having dropped the skirting pieces in place before the radiators were put back on will make glueing impossible unless I can carefully encourage hot glue to drip down the back. Your video was great by the way and I love the fast presentation. No umm-ing and ah-ing but pushing the points thick and fast. Much appreciated . Subscribed .

[@tcatz2176]

My often used comment when learning "New Skills" is, 'you don't know until you know". thank you for your explaining as you worked..

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're welcome. Thanks for the comment 👍

[@jamesgrant3343]

Excellent video, thank you. The lost head screws tip is excellent and the dealing with bowing floor by adding a cut to the top 3/4s of the skirting is genius!!

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks James! 👍

[@stuartgillies2896]

Brilliant videos as always but there was an audible 'wow' from me at 17:27 then you tackled the uneven floors! Great work

[@y002cjw]

A tip for getting your splinter out. Before you go to bed - put vaseline on your finger. Then cover with a plaster. The splinter is drawn out - small ones just disappear by the morning. An old carpenter gave me that tip years ago and it works. Might have taken a few nights with your one!! Good Luck, Charlie.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Charlie. My mother used to swear by plain plaster but I've never tried vaseline. I'll remember that. This one was a beast. I was working on my computer a week or so later and suddenly this little bit of wood poked out by the nail. The relief pulling it out was huge!!

[@josher3436]

Love watching other DIYers being honest with their pain and regret. Great to learn from other people. Glad the splinter came out!

[@CharlieDIYte]

That's Josh. Yes the relief was massive when that splinter suddenly came to the surface!

[@markrowland5393]

Excellent video, thanks. I specially liked the idea of making a cut in the skirting so that you could bend it to the dip in the floor - nice one!

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks, Mark. I had no other choice, as I had a steel bar and tried jamming one end on the skirting and one end under the beam but I only got it down about 15mm!

[@newmmusic]

Yeah that is a great trick! My floors are all on the wonk old house etc so I’ll be using that trick for sure. Great video Charlie Thanks

[@GordMcF]

Top tips. Skirting better fitted in my bedroom than in any other room in the house after watching the video this morning! Great idea to use small-headed screws, and the single cut to counter the bowed floor was a gem. The only pet favourite tip I’d add is to paint skirting before fitting. I always find the filling, sanding down and touching up quicker and easier than cleaning up after my sloppy painting…

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Gordon - pleased you found it useful. Yes I agree painting first is a good option even though you've got to touch it up where you've screwed it to the wall.

[@johnriggs4929]

Try using gun grade expanding foam as the adhesive. It is less expensive, has a flexible bond, pushes back easier... and if you ever need to get the skirting off, just run an old saw down the back of it and pull it off. That way, it won't pull the plaster off. And if you want to put it back on, it's easy to scrape off.

[@HouseFairyDIY]

Sounds like a good tip!

[@Michaelz04]

Great Video! I had a nightmare of a job removing old skirting boards in a 3 bedroom house a year ago. 8cm long Screws were very well hidden and there were many of them! Ending up damaging some of the walls in the process and was a rather messing and backbreaking job. This led me to recently using expanding foam rather than glue or many screws to stick the skirting on with much success. It minimises on the number of holes made by screws /nails. It Feels solid afterwards and easy to apply. Another benefit is the fact that it can be easily removed if there were any leaks or damp behind. Simply cut the caulk, pry the board slightly, use a long sharp knife and run it along the wall slicing the foam like butter, and that's it! I usually mist the walls first so that it adheres better.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Michael. Damn it, I should have mentioned expanding foam - there's always something!! Yes, I can see a lot of benefits of that. How did you secure it whilst the foam was curing?

[@Michaelz04]

@@CharlieDIYte If walls and skirting are both straight, simply hold it with something heavy and within 10mins it should be solid. For slightly warped I usually place a few pins to hold it in place, the holes will be smaller than screws so easier to cover and easier to pry out if removing skirting. I've not had any serious warping as I mainly work with mdf and choose my pine very carefully. However, I've heard that some use mitrebond or clamps to keep it in place.

[@CharlieDIYte]

@@Michaelz04 Thanks. I'm thinking I might use the grab adhesive (the other one, not Grip Fill) and tool it as if it was caulk, as it's paintable. That should keep the little ******* from moving.

[@AshleyWragg]

Wow! I love your videos. You address every possible scenario. Thank you for these absolutely in depth tutorials for us DIY-ers. Regards.

[@minimur12]

Hey, I actually bought a sheet of mdf and cut with a fence my own skirting, angles it off with a trim router. I used your little kerf tricks and cutting halfway into it to help with the angles in the walls/floors. Really glad I watched this vid, thanks for your efforts!

[@andyjamesnoon]

Thank you brilliant video- followed it exactly step by step and for the first time ever we have perfect corners both internal and external angles on a detailed bit of skirting. Actually cant quite believe it, easy once you know how.

[@utilitarian]

Y'see this is why I love your channel Charlie. I watched this ages ago knowing I'll be following your method one day. Cut to today and I'm fitting it. Thanks for the awesome videos and hints/tips!

[@CharlieDIYte]

Aw, thanks mate. How are you getting on?

[@dwillo2682]

One of the most informative, logical and pragmatic DIY clips I’ve seen. Love that you worked the warping of the floor and boards into the process and provided guidance around multiple options for many of the stages. You obviously put a lot of time in heart into this process of not only construction but production of the videos. Hats off to you💪🏼😊👍🏼

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks buddy. Appreciate that. Yes it took a while to produce this one. Chuffed you found it useful 👊

[@mickfrost4423]

Excellent video Charlie as always, informative and easy to follow Instructions with great tips. I especially like the one where you part cut through the skirting to combat the sagging floor, nice one. Keep the videos coming I always look forward to the contents and comments you make, always honest and unbiased. Thank you

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Mick, means a lot, mate. To be honest, if I was doing these vids in a vacuum without any comments I'd find it pretty tough. You guys are my checks and balances, constant source of great ideas and of course encouragement. Just when I'm flagging I get an amazing comment that reminds me why I'm doing this!

[@mandyg.3004]

Hi Charlie. Great video and presentation. An idea for you is that when you have large gaps use " Soudal filler foam " first before you caulk. It does make the project time longer but the foam handles that slight movement which causes caulk to crack.Also you can find a flexible caulk for exactly this type of issue.

[@thisisjackcole]

Thank you Charlie. Your ingenious tip at 17.20 has just saved me a LOT of head scratching!

[@hargres]

Hi Charlie, I've learned a lot from your videos over the last couple of years in particular but this one really saved my bacon! We've been in this 1930s house for 10 years now and have been refreshing room by room over that period. Thanks for the clear advice as to how to deal with skirting installation (not to mention all the other tips your videos have covered). I especially found useful your suggestion of how to deal with a dip in the floor level. Our spare bedroom has a floor that wanders all over the place having clearly taken a battering from people less careful than us lifting and replacing floor boards. You really helped!

[@CharlieDIYte]

So glad to hear you found this useful and thanks for letting me know - I really appreciate it. 👊

[@SteveRogers461]

I had the exact same problem and it drove me mad!!! I even tried soaking the reverse side of the bends with boiling water which helped but was impossible to calculate precisely. Then recently I had an incredible carpenter from the Ukraine and he had the same problem but what he did was to plane down the bends which worked amazingly well!!! Genius!!! 🤓🤓🤓

[@CharlieDIYte]

Yep, good point Simo. I should probably have done that with my electric plane, thinking about it. Quite a laborious job though!

[@treehouse7861]

i dont understand what you mean, what does 'plane down the bends' mean?

[@CharlieDIYte]

@@treehouse7861 Basically turn the skirting so it's face down, and remove the bowed section from the back with a plane, so that it sits flat against the wall.

[@SteS]

With a scrub plane that wouldn't take no time at all.

[@ianthomas739]

Charlie, i've fitted quite a few skirtings and found out the hard ( and expensive ) do's and dont's. Worked out the warped pine skirting so now always stick to mdf. Anyway, always learn soething off your videos and in this one the vertical cut for sagging floor was brilliant. Thanks.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Dave, I appreciate that! Yes, I'm ready to ditch the pine now. Problem is, now it's installed it looks pretty marvellous. I'm going to have to remind myself what a pain it was by rewatching this video, before I buy the next lot!

[@audiorackcompany4468]

The last house I did I went with Primed MDF Ogee & really liked it being stable & also didn't need knotting solution before painting - I think the extra 30p is worth it as you save time & don't have to pay for Primer. Also look into 2 part Car Body filler as a much cheaper alternative to the Ronson 2 part - I bought a large 3L tin of UPOL NO1 years ago & it's still going strong - currently available for under £23 on Ebay!

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks. It wasn't so much about the 30p. More about trying to respect the history of the place, but that sentiment is out of the window now!!

[@markmiller6402]

Audiorack Company . Good tips, I’ve used car body filler for years, on wood and filling cracks in walls, lasts forever

[@RelaxwithSeizure]

I always avoid MDF sils and skirtings, just a small bit of moisture and they will swell in most cases i've come across really badly. Yes soft wood skirtings are not always 100% straight and true but they'll last far far longer than MDF. MDF on external corners are too soft, doesn't take much for corners to show signs of wear. Avoid MDF like the plague.

[@Christopher_T_Paul]

Last year I refitted my living room and had terribly uneven walls. My decorator friend told me to avoid caulk and use Easifill on the top edge of the skirting. It is a far nicer finish and sanded level to match the skirting profile. Looks amazing still and no cracking and no shrinkage of the filler.

[@CharlieDIYte]

He's right. I've done that on a number of occasions in the past and use Easi-fill all the time bit.ly/37aov70. I swear by the stuff. Here though it was reassuring to glue them to the wall given how much they were warping.

[@Cookie.x.monsterr]

Does it come in a tube ? How did you fill the top ? Just looking at easifil now.

[@esky6930]

The final tip on the sagging floor was absolute gold! Thanks!!

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks, really appreciate the comment 👍

[@MrEogin21]

Good one as always Charlie. We used fully painted MDF and it was great - sat in the house for weeks before being used, no warping and the Chippy did a fantastic job fitting it, looks great - MDF all the way and all glued e.g. no solvent instant grab worked a treat, no fixings other than temporary spacers holding up the sections.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks mate. I'm with you on all that 👍

[@vikingofengland]

I hate MDF but this has changed my mind.

[@youtoob1811]

My first experience a few years ago with skirting hit all the problems you described so it's a relief to see them present in this video along with solutions. Love the solution for the sagging floor section - genius. Due to the warped wood problems I encountered, I've committed to never using wood for skirting again, just too much hassle - chips in MDF can be filled and painted. I also used double-sided skirting which the carpet-fitters broke, despite me warning them of the type of skirting. So anyone tempted by double-sided, avoid like the plague.

[@zt7489]

Ditto with carpet fitters - rushed the job and slashed into my skirting board!!!

[@stevebosun7410]

Hi Charlie, some very useful tips as usual. I agree about the unused Ogee (or Torus) moulding on these dual purpose skirtings, but it is possible, with a little searching, to buy without. Or, I know it will be more expensive, buy the deeper skirting and cut the unwanted moulding off. Yes, a bit of a faff, but you will at least get what you want. I also have an Irwin floorboard saw that I really like, apart from the upper teeth waving around in mid-air.

[@grafnemilligun9183]

Great video. One tip is to put a strip of wide masking tape (I use the wide green or yellow frog tape) down along the wall and put the skirting baord down on top of it. You can then tape paper around the outside of the room on top of this strip. Then when you paint you already have the floor masked off. Just run a knife round under the skirting when tour done and remove the masking tape.

[@user-xu4dv7qi5m]

Cheers Charlie. Watched many of your videos now. The lost tite screws are a great idea. 💡👍

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks so much for watching so many of my vids. Really chuffed you've found them useful 🙏👍🏻

[@Oli_Hudson]

17:25 - that's really clever! A good tip, cheers Charlie

[@johnriggs4929]

It is...if you fancy the joint opening up when it gets knocked, and the topof the skirting looking stupid. He's already (correctly) shown how to join skirtings longtitudanally... i.e. 45 + 135 deg... then he makes a 90 deg cut in it! If there's a large gap between floor and bottom of skirting, you have to scribe it. That may mean scribing the piece it meets, too - but you should have checked the floors before you start.

[@grahamarnold2591]

OMG Charlie that warping,Another well presented video, full of facts and practical idea's, I only ever buy MDF, straight--primed --ready to go ----time is money, I generally get them fully painted prior to installation, 8/10 always used adhesive STICKS LIKE SHXT OR CT1 OR MULTI STICK. another great video -- for all diyer's and pro's.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Graham - great tips. I agree, if you can get away with glue only it has to be the way forward. A few people are talking about foam. Have you tried that?

[@grahamarnold2591]

@@CharlieDIYte Never tried foam, why not. Any good quality adhesive just negates filling of a mechanical fixings..The world of adhesives, worthy of a video I feel.Think back to the SPACE SHUTTLE and the tiles of the heat shield all attached by adhesive, failure not an option here..When I was contracting "Tiling" Omg some fabulous adhesives here --FASTFLEX for example, and them "Mitre fix" in kitchen fitting less than 10 seconds done, and most folks forget Silicone makes a great adhesive. Cheers Charlie..

[@jamescox2430]

Next time when you use primed mdf do a 45 cut on the chop saw and your scribe is there marked out. Just cut on the line between brown and white. That saves a huge amount of time.

[@christopherrichardson7001]

40 degrees bud and you won't have a 2-3 mm gap ;)

[@CHIL2903]

Don't cut the scribed line at 90° either, as internal corners are rarely right angles. Much better to undercut the scribe line to allow for corners greater than 90° but the cut will still work with lesser angles.

[@christopherrichardson7001]

Also another thing we do is use white gripfill on top edge and joints, let it squashe out and tool off this means you wont have to chaulk it after ;)

[@CharlieDIYte]

@@christopherrichardson7001 That's a nice touch. I ended up using that other tube of grab adhesive (ie not the green grip fill) and piped that into the gap, tooling it flat with a Cramer tool, which would have sufficed, similar to how you're describing. I ended up caulking on top purely for research purposes, for the next vid, but the grab adhesive is so much better than the caulk.

[@markmarlow]

Christopher Richardson 40? With 45 you will not get a gap

[@donkey1007]

Great video Charlie, Love the tip putting a slice in the skirting to reduce the gap, never would've thought of that

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Don! 👍

[@AJ-ds5gf]

brilliant tips wrt to using those small locktite screws and genius wrt to using a cut in the skirting to allow enough flex to push it down.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks mate 👍

[@a.a.alexander6030]

I loved the mini plane and how invaluable it proved and how infirmative the video was as regards uneven walls and especually flooring. The vertical cut in to the board cut to help it sink in to the dip in the floor was a simple but such a fantastic idea. Its small stuff like that, that blows us away. I saw you use expanding foam in skirting gaps in another video and this video expanded my knowledge quite a bit as to what's possible... I now feel I could do a good job of it myself. Great video. Thanks.

[@deejay8844]

This video was really well put together. It was explained perfectly and gave extra information. 10/10

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks so much Kemar 👍

[@johnchampion7819]

I've done quite a bit of DIY joinery, but I've never come across your simple way of making a part vertical cut to allow the skirting to flex. Many thanks for the tip. I like your videos because there is no messing around with long winded intros etc. This applies mainly to America guys who think they're up for a best actor Oscar. As soon as I hear phrases like "Hey, how's it going man", I switch off. Keep up the good work.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks John, I really appreciate that. Yes I think there's giving it the big I am on one hand, and explaining the back story to why you use something, (which people accuse me of from time to time) but I'm always striving to make my vids as concise as possible...

[@tommo4k]

Great video, it really helped me with the pine skirting I bought recently. Out of the nine 4m boards I bought, three were just as warped as yours. 1. The first board twisted along it's entire length (like a corkscrew). This one was cut up and was used as small runs of a meter or less where the warping was less of an issue. 2. The second if laid flat bowed upwards at both ends massively. I ended up weighing down both ends and putting some folded towels under the middle to bend it the other direction then leaving it for a few days - this really helped straighten it out a LOT (I suppose you could do the opposite also - turn it over, towels under the ends and a weight in the middle). 3. The third was concave across it's height, similar to one in your video - it was impossible to keep it flat to the wall as either to top or bottom kicked out. After struggling for an hour or so, the only fix I had was to flip it and use the other design instead. This way the top and bottom of the board was flush with the wall and the middle bowed outwards, but since it's consistent along the length luckily it's not noticeable. If anyone buys pine skirting, first thing I'd suggest is inspect every board if you can before buying (I had ordered online), then once home (if they start to warp) inspect them again and group them together. If you're unlucky and have a load of concave boards it's better to find out early as it limits the side to you can use (unless you want big gaps). The warping on mine forced me to use the Torus side.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks for this. The other suggestion I would have is leave them outside (or in the unheated garage, similar to where you bought them) until you need to use them, and mechanically fix them before they have a chance to warp. Only problem is they will shrink and leave gaps underneath.

[@DerekTJ]

I love that last tip on lowering the board to the dip in the floor

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks 👍

[@Bobby8270]

I bought those lost head screws. They are fantastic. Thanks Charlie.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Cheers Bobby. Glad you liked them. You'll find a multitude of uses for them 👍🏻

[@Vyker]

That final tip to drop the skirting was just genius!! I appreciate clever maths like that. Another great video. Thank you very much.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks mate you're very welcome and good to hear from you again👍

[@auscurrymaster]

Fantastic DIY instructional - so to-the-point with nothing but essential, excellent information, and well delivered. Perfect.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks mate, I really appreciate that 👊🏻

[@meldrew728]

Virtually the same problems I had compounded by a mitre saw I couldn’t calibrate to cut quite accurately in any plane, so it seemed. Also the double sided pattern and walls not being plastered completely to floor is still a major issue. I might give the Tackfix a try and add a few Lost Tites. Thanks Charlie.

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're welcome, Kev. Thanks for the comment and good luck sorting them out 👍🏻

[@meldrew728]

@@CharlieDIYte I wondered if small amount of expanding foam through small hole at strategic intervals might support the double sided boards from vacuum cleaners etc

[@terryatkins408]

Great video. Just about do my own skirting, and I know the floor has a dip as well,great idea to cut down the skirting. Cheers.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Terry, and Dave who works for us in the old soft furnishings business would approve of your logo!

[@mikes6844]

Another great useful vid Charlie, been through too much pain with knots in the wooden skirting, I only use MDF now and have fitted hundreds of feet of it in my own and 2 lads houses. Had very mixed results with glueing so I just screw to the wall and had no failures with that method (years ago builders just nailed into wood plugs). Someone else below commented on a 45 degree cut to expose an accurate scribe line. I’ve also seen a carpenter just clamp two boards together for the overall length and cut them using a handsaw creating a perfect join. Some old habits die hard before. Compliments on your scribe cuts they look very neat. Keep safe and well. Regards Mike

[@paulyoull5472]

Great tip with the relief cuts to allow the skirting board to lower into the valleys of uneven floors.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Paul. 👍

[@jesshothersall]

Cutting through the top to lower the skirting board is an inspired thing to do! :). The planing line was handy too, though not on the same level. It took me a while to realise that when scribing, you only cut one end, vs 45% degree saw cuts, when you have to cut both ends, hence potentially a much better fit...Thank you! New extension skirting coming up as soon as the tiles and underfloor heating are down. French doors hung yesterday, no longer have an OSB plugged hole in the wall, kitchen might even get finished soon :)

[@maheshchauhan9290]

Very nice video. As a keen and experienced DIY-er, it's good to see that others face the same issues too and the solutions are similar too. Thanks mate. 👍

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Mahesh, I appreciate that, mate 👊🏻

[@konradk8311]

extremely professional and informative, true tradesman with skills and knowledge yourself sir.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks buddy, I really appreciate that 👊

[@joanburke8721]

I feel your bowed and twisted floors.... very similar to my own, should have poured self levelling compound, but hindsight is a great thing.... that cut for the bows to press down the skirting is quite genius... that splinter was nasty, again did the very same thing..... fair play with the DIY ... love the videos.... keep up the good work lad.....

[@bobbo9549]

Good video. I always mark the scribed corners on the front of the skirting and bevel the cut slightly so that you are guaranteed the front of the shirting makes a tight joint when butted up. That’s just my preference. If your skirting

[@bobbo9549]

If your skirting is warped you can use a circular saw to run some cuts along the back of the shirting about 2/3rds deep to aid pulling the shirting flush when fixing back to the wall. Remember to not screw directly below electrical sockets in case the wiring to it comes up from the floor.

[@redd605]

Very good video ,I like the showing of material and pricing and equipment used to do the job and where to get it.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks, really glad you found it useful 👍🏻

[@FatNormanCoathanger]

As per usual...Tip Top video .!!! Straight to the point, and especially none of the usual KZbin faff.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Much appreciated

[@elkerimo]

I’ve just bought my first home and have subscribed! Very useful video, thank you!

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks, I really appreciate that 👍🏻

[@lunavx]

I just use expanding foam now to fix skirting, last lot I fitted I used leftover caberfix d4 from fitting the flooring - takes no time to go off and helps with uneven walls. The problem with grab adhesives is that they don't stick well to fresh plaster..

[@SteS]

Yes, this is the method I'd use. If it's good enough for dot and dabbing plasterboard then skirting shouldn't be an issue.

[@johnriggs4929]

Expanding (gun grade) foam is catching on in the trade - it's off fully in half an hour and so much easier to push back.

[@squidlings]

I'd say your the best diy video dude out there. Learned so much from you

[@CharlieDIYte]

Humbled by that. Thanks so much 👊🏻

[@graceineverything9064]

Great video. I’m a complete novice at this but have some skills. This has given me the confidence to tackle the job and rectify the mistakes of the previous owner. What was he thinking 😂😂😂

[@CharlieDIYte]

Good to hear it, Nita. Good luck 👍

[@gregorydobson4307]

Another suggestion for internal joints on skirting is instead of coping saw I now use angle grinder with a flap wheel in it

[@carllamb6711]

Great video mate. I’ve been doing joinery now for many many years and I’m still learning new stuff thanks Charlie

[@robgausden]

Mate.... I'm a time served chippie and I found this hilarious.

[@AG64845]

You’ve released a number of unbiased and very useful vids, earnt my subscription by now for sure

[@darrenpaulgreen]

Great video Charlie. Nice work with the top relief cut on the dipped floor, never thought of that. Just a thought, but I don’t think this would have worked quite so well with the less forgiving MDF......

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Darren. D'you know, I think it would though, but I'll try it out sometime out of curiosity.

[@johnriggs4929]

@@CharlieDIYte do yourself a favour - don't. SCRIBE IT TO THE FLOOR!

[@tomedmond8278]

For wooden skirting boards that are "cupping" away from the flat of the wall, a relief cut (or two) can be made lengthways along the middle of the rear face of the board. Can be done with a router or even that small power saw you showed. Trial and error on a scrap board will tell you how deep to make that cut - it also helps flatten the board on the mitre saw when cutting the 45 degree cut for the subsequent coping cuts.

[@the-elliott-day]

I couldn't remember how you did the holes to know where to put your screws (& plugs)...pilot holes! Of course! 🤦🏻‍♂️ Thanks again Charlie for this timeless resource for poor sods (like I) going through the interesting pains of renovation 🤣🛠️

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're very welcome. Any questions just drop me an email 👍🏻

[@TonyMcCartney]

I typically cut the boards at 45 degrees, then use the coping saw to follow the profile of the cut. I back cut with the coping saw, so there is less material to file when making corrections. Here with skirting boards, I can see straight cuts on the “straight “ parts is advantageous.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Good work Tony 👌

[@mrsmc9066]

Hat a fantastic video. It’s so comprehensive. I feel confident to put the skirting board myself. Though it shows you that a simple skirting has its complexities. I’m tired of being at the mercy of dodgy tradesmen....

[@ratchriat1716]

I totally agree with Charlie the best practice is to use a coaping saw and the floor board saw.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks, and good to hear from you again 👍

[@dwillo2682]

Thanks

[@CharlieDIYte]

You're welcome👊

[@Thedlama]

Hey Charlie, fantastic videos you have accumulated so thanks for sharing. Best method for gaps in skirting is expanding foam. You cut it flush then recess slightly where you can then use caulk but ideally I use ronseal white wood filler which I buy in cartridges so I can fill from a caulk gun in super quick time. Never ever had a gap reopened using this method. Reach out to me if you need any more details.

[@turnbull321]

cutting the board to make it drop in to the dip is genius! Thanks, I will use that.

[@rovermg25]

It really was

[@thelordofdarkness141]

Yeah it was never seen that before would like to try it now

[@27stasiu]

Its not realy good idea becouse you will end up with bend on the top when you look from distance 🤷🏻‍♂️would never recomend it

[@rovermg25]

@@27stasiu sometimes u got to make the best of a bad situation, removing material from bottom would make its alot more noticeable

[@27stasiu]

stephen mc gonagle not my style mate

[@MarcGray1990]

Hi Charlie. Hope you are well? Just a quick one when you caulked you’re skirting around the 8 minute mark due to the uneven walls and warped skirting you were on about. Just a tip if you don’t mind me dishing one out.... get some soudall foam or similar and foam the back of the skirting down the back. Just to take up any movement where glue or screws have not got. Allow to go off. Scrape off hardened foam and then proceed to caulk or even use pollyfilla. I’ve lost count on how many times I’ve done this to prevent cracks in skirting board coming back 👍 foam just absorbs any shock and really prevents any residual movement . If you want to go a step further moisten the skirting back and wall with pva diluted with water to help speed the foam setting process and improve adhesion of the surfaces. ☺️

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thanks Marc. Great advice and much appreciated as I'm caulking imminently. I was considering using that tube of adhesive I was brandishing (ie the one that wasn't Gripfill) to do that. It's paintable so I could even tool it as if it was caulk but probably less risky to just leave it level and caulk on top. I also have some of that foam left so I could use that as you suggest 🤔

[@MarcGray1990]

Charlie DIYte give it a go mate see what you think. Works everywhere really... skirting cracks. Plasterboard cracks that keep coming back in places like up the stair stringers... take out lose material, wet in with pva and a few squirts of foam. Then fill or caulk over... no movement means crack won’t come back. Plasterboard which has detached from a dab and sounds hollow... drill a hole squirt some foam in and problem solved. Good stuff is the van of squidgy foam haha! And mate that warping on that skirting is something else. Yet looked fine in the store... place by me will sell it to you warped which is the annoying thing 🤨

[@tyrellmiles663]

Thank you my dad won't do my room so I'll do it myself it's been a very educational video.

[@CharlieDIYte]

Thank you Tyrell. I'm sorry to hear that but you'll go a long way in life with that attitude 👊