Installing Tall Skirting Board / Baseboard in a Victorian House

[@GaryThomsonJoinery]

Very Professional Andy 👍😄📐

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers buddy! Everything was green after that job...

[@Kyle89T]

I wish our workmen were this thorough and professional!

[@darnellcollier8391]

They can be They have to be taught until they get it that's IF they are willing to learn

[@jimtomlinsom1279]

Those things in the wall are old lead gas pipes for lights. If you cut them open you sometimes can still smell the old gas residue from years ago.

[@tonyontrack1967]

Good example of "Real World" skirting job. Most walls even in newish homes are a challenge. Loving the channel Andy.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers bud! 👍🛠

[@RJ_Taylor]

Hi Andy. I’m working through your excellent back catalog. I nearly stood up and applauded when you slid in that three piece CA glued assembly around the bump out around 25:10. Well done sir!

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers bud! 👍

[@JamieCumming94]

Ryan Taylor Never mind nearly! I actually did stand up and applause after watching him cut that wood and slide it into place using that CA!!!!!!

[@richardmasters3571]

That 'bump' looks like an old chimney breast. It looks like the remains of a concrete fire pad in the middle.

[@robcole332]

Really like the way you make things work for your job to come out right. Showing how to shim to make the molding level was great

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers Rob! 👍

[@MarkMiller-zm2th]

Very professional work mate. The three piece glue up and slide in made my day.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Thank you 👍

[@adrianmillington9203]

Had a similar situation in my house reverb, had to plaster all the holes before fixing the skirting as there are no timber to support. Well done, looks good.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers - yeah these can be quite a big job! 👍

[@MrBez007]

great job Andy. same cannot be said for the builders who did the shoddy work before you got there. couldn't be bothered to take the board far enough down the wall, de-nail the studs or even clear up between the studs. I hate having self trimming tradesmen on my jobs !

[@v88krb]

Very interesting. I once had to fit a skirting in a bow window bay and I was very pleased with the result considering it was not a job I'd done before an I'm just a keen amateur!

[@Excel510]

Well done Andy, excellent video. Just doing my lads house and wondered how to deal with no plaster at bottom of walls to support the skirting.

[@felixreali7101]

Andy, you make this look so easy. I can guarantee you that if I was to attempt that, I would end up throwing something out the window :-))) hats off to handymen all around!

[@JackWestrop]

Good video thanks for posting... Glad to see all the tools you needed and glad some bits were sped up, the video assumes the viewer knows a little about cutting and sticking so it served as a really good overview of the project without being slowed down

[@andylogan3718]

Can't stop watching these videos. Weirdly addictive.

[@Pistol_Knight]

OMFG a chippie who don't leave all the filling to the decorator!!!! your my new hero!

[@GosforthHandyman]

Ha ha - I always fill and caulk. I hate painting over wet caulk and don't see why the decorators should have to do it. 👍😀

[@I9kieran94]

i live in an 1890 build and the walls are horrendous at times. Thanks for this.

[@ianthompson9058]

I always like to finish my own skirting too. Lots don't but I like to know it's been done with care

[@nobbystyles4807]

thats a brilliant tip. measure the gap and cut pieces to fill rather than using foam or looking for exact m,acthes.

[@lifter98]

Excellent job. Would've taken me about 4-months to do this!

[@timgillison1175]

Likewise :-)

[@lobbylobbster]

Thanks for sharing. Love seeing how others tackle jobs. Great work. Thumbs up !!!

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers Pete!

[@stuartlockwood9645]

Hi ,high quality job there mate, good for another 100yrs, lol ,your chancing it breathing in all that mdf dust, but you don't need me to tell you, look after yourself Andy, I'm watching this older video while on lock down 21.4.20, here's Whishing you and your's all the best, stay safe,Stuart.uk.

[@ryk3899]

Genuinely think that's pure art

[@travelswithbilbo7526]

How is it that Carpenters are always clearing up other trades before we can start work and yet we leave it ready for the next trade to come along, finish the job and take all the credit.😊

[@2e0mpg]

I have been a joiner 37 yrs the word is. “The joiner will do it “ as other trades are not a skilled on hand tools and neatness, sparky are the worst no skill at finishing .but 19 edition , last page says consult joiner .

[@funcle8572]

@@2e0mpg I am a sparky but was looking for comments about this mess. Disgusting laziness and disrespectful to the owner of the property by all those who left this behind

[@robthewaywardwoodworker9956]

The painters must love you! Doing all that filling for them! Top notch.

[@ernestoalicea4594]

It's not that as much as a painter can make it look good they can also make it look real bad if they overlook critical areas .. I do the same thing totally ready for paint .... high end finish work 👌💯

[@carllamb6711]

Hi Andy Just catching up on some of your older vids mate, I love tall skirtings and doing jobs just like this one, I’m just in the process of making my own at the moment, as I’ve just built for my Mrs a walk in dressing room.. so I’m in her good books at the moment lol 😆 great content my mate

[@peterskidmore8222]

I've put 3 lots of skirting in my living / dining room in 20 years! From the original small cheap white, to a taller ogee, painted white, then my wife wanted dark wood, then my wife wanted pine. I glued the first 2 on. The last time I screwed and plugged them in for easier removal. ;-) I wish I'd seen this video a long time ago, as the Wickes skirting was bowed and needed to be shimmed at the top. Great videos...

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers Peter! 👍

[@garethheathcote4988]

In college we were taught to try and avoid having to cut a piece that it's scribed on one end and mitred in the opposite end which would dictate cutting and fitting the chimney breast and returns first and then scribe the alcove pieces to those returns. This would only really be an issue for somebody who isn't particularly experienced though as it isn't that hard to get it right, it's just more awkward if you have done your cuts and need to take a little off the piece. Simply commented this for anyone trying to do this themselves.

[@michaelburton4521]

Nice job Andy. I just did a lounge with a very similar situation, wonky walls, New plaster, gaps between the bricks and skirting board. Turned out fine but didn't make it look as easy as you did,

[@toobad9946]

You've proved that you care about the finished product in the way you prepped the work surfaces and methodical approach to the task. I have a lot of past experience working in 150 + year old properties and the old plaster walls are never plumb. However, I hate caulking, even though it is a necessary evil. I have invested the time using plaster to straighten walls when they have bad spots. At the end it looks like you had to use an awful lot of caulking, which did not exist when the house was built. If I was the building owner, I'm not sure I would have wanted caulking used. It's a question of personal preference.

[@harrygirgin9093]

Very nice. I like your enthusiasm. Keep up the great work

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers bud!

[@qadeerhussain5751]

Thank you for your valuable time and effort in making this video 📹 Cheers

[@Giove83]

This is exactly how the job I have done is. And you have done it pretty much how I have

[@lafemmelaMon]

Lucky the floors were straight, in the house refurb I am doing I had sand down the skirting to sit flat on the floor. Covid 19 project. House was built in 1907. Had to cement bricks in walls too. 🤦‍♂️ I still prefer them to the new builds. Hope your house move happens soon. Good luck, looking forward to seeing the new workshop.

[@kirkdunn1379]

What a trip way things are done over there......we plaster or drywall all way down to floor so dont have that issues you have

[@GosforthHandyman]

You just tend to see this in older properties - new houses are drywall to the floor. No excuse when the room's been re-plastered though! 😂

[@brimplas1]

If you plaster to the floor in an old property you will bridge the damp course....

[@orbepa]

Brilliant as always Andy

[@patchadam37]

Thank you for this video I’ve learned so much great job too.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers! 👍🛠

[@harry24780]

Hi Andy, great video. Did you make the tall skirting out of mdf or purchased ready made. My property is 1900s, and the walls have been skimmed over the top edge. It looks terrible. Planning on removing them to install a taller skirting well at least to over lap the wall plaster. Regards..

[@andrewclarkehomeimprovement]

Thanks. Your toolkit rundown reminded me I needed to order some 1mm Packers!

[@johnthompson3462]

Nice job liked the way you did the long runs

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers John! 👍

[@ianfinch1522]

Just came across your channel and noticed your method of using the jig saw to cut your scribe. Surely it’s better to cut a 45 cut on the chopsaw first which exposes the actual scribe then back cut which allows for a variation in and out. That’s how we and most chippies would do it.

[@GosforthHandyman]

That chop saw was terrible for cutting square, especially on the 45, and these boards were too big for my DeWalt. But yes, would agree. 👍

[@joshuamatheron1]

Calling yourself a handyman is probably a disservice to yourself. As a carpenter I’ve seen much worse from a lot of carpenters I’ve worked with. Very nice work. The fact you bothered to plumb them and pack to suit was most impressive to me.

[@diggerboyce1013]

Well done mate, fantastic job👍

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers bud! 👍🛠

[@nigelmiller5860]

Great job found the video very interesting and informative keep the videos coming thanks.

[@lukescruton8038]

Out of interest, were you coping the internal corners free hand with the jigsaw? Wouldn't have thought they would come out too well being done free hand? Perhaps that's what the caulking at the end of the vid was for? OR you are just very skilled, hats off to you sir!!!!! Great job, looks great

[@harpo187bling]

Great video. Can you do a video on how to measure and fit skirtings using a normal circular saw one day? Ta

[@tahmed9572]

Very professional and really helpful.... thank u.

[@GosforthHandyman]

No worries! 👍😀

[@firwood46]

Hi im renovating a Victorian property with similar issues with the skirting once removed, is there a reason why you wouldn’t recommend making the wall good once old is removed and then all re plasterer so you have a flat surface to fix new skirting to?

[@MiddletoM]

looks like my pre 90's house. its a pain in the backside to do anything to it. Ive abandoned coving in a few rooms because the ceiling and walls are too uneven.

[@lison766]

Nice job. Learnt a few things here.

[@gav2759]

It is a disgrace you had to deal with that shambles Andy. You should have had the skirt on first, as it would have been done originally. Or the plasterer should have seen to it there were horizontal battens for you to nail to and him to finish his bottom edge to. Still you sorted it out. Well played sir.

[@MrSkippylen]

Master class.brilliant job.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers MrSkippylen! 👍

[@italpeel]

Man,you are a fu¢πing boss. I'm having skirting fitted on Monday. If he's as good as you I'll be well happy

[@GosforthHandyman]

👍🛠

[@ivanfinlay7758]

Great job Andy these wee jobs take alot of time and gear a fella would need a couple a hundred quid for the like of this Nightmare at the start but you sorted it out very nicely Just found you and will follow you from now on All the best from THE FAILED JOINER from Northern Ireland

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers for the kind comments Ivan!

[@BiteTheBulletUK]

another good job, crisp finish

[@neilmckinlay]

Thats a nice job, Probably my least favourite job is fitting skirting in Victorian houses. Good meeting you at the weekend :)

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers Neil - great to catch up. You'll have to stop over and have a beer with me & Gary next time! 👍🛠🍺

[@TheJunkyardgenius]

Good job Andy. I've never seen bare mdf skirtings that are not primed. I'm sure they would be cheaper but would that not be a nightmare for the painter with the contoured edge.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Lol probably - glad I wasn't painting them! 😂 Customer supplied them. 👍

[@Zeldoz]

Im going to doing this shortly at a house im buying. Im curious if you need to leave a gap at the bottom for carpets to "tuck under" as such? I noticed here you didn't? This is the best video iv found on YT for this work. Looks so good finished well done mate!

[@michaelregulski6496]

No you don’t need to leave a gap…

[@bellrobert1978]

My floors as well as the walls are all over the place. Do I need to scribe the bottom of the skirting to the floorboards? Also is that caulk or no nails you're using? Thanks

[@Sherminator2010]

Great video. Are you just gluing the wood blocks to the old house brick? I'm surprised that it would stick given the nature of old dusty brick

[@jxtdenco1]

What did you use to stick the spacers and skirting to the wall? Is that caulk or some sort of glue?

[@jamesspencer3233]

im impressed with the finishing. most chippies would leave the corking and sanding to the painters. fair play to ya :)

[@ephi5333]

Hi, what is the stuff that you mixed and put between the joints, then sanded it down? Thanks for the vid very helpful

[@piee683]

Good job,I myself love doing this type of work,but it bugs me the amount of tools I need to do this

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers Jerry! Yeah especially with the tall skirtings it's tricky without an array of tools! 😃👍

[@tomvincent5596]

Great work. But every time you said "level" I was thinking he means plum!! Haha

[@watcherofwatchers]

Who cares? It doesn't matter at all.

[@bobbrown2143]

Would be nice if you explained the type of bonding adhesive you used solvent v Polymer and the filler was it water based or expoxy and your preference to makes ,

[@paulm4637]

Best skirting vid by far. Do you caulk with solvent free no nails or proper caulk ?

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers buddy - proper caulk... but no nails works if you don't have anything else to hand, don't think it's particularly flexible though.

[@paulm4637]

Gosforth Handyman I brought some solvent free adhesive today. We've been using solvent based pink grip or gripfill and caulking. Hopefully water based adhesive will not be brittle.

[@abyshepherd6944]

Brilliant Video and very timely for me as I’m renovating my 1920s house. Thanks. I want to install skirting over a laminate floor. Would it be ok to paint, do floor then install and paint the skirting.

[@KiatHuang]

Very useful. Well done.

[@markelane]

Quality job; really useful video thanks. Can I ask what size nails you were using in the nail gun?

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers! 18ga - 35mm 👍

[@HashMeister]

Any idea where this skirting was from? Would suit my Victorian renovation quite well.

[@johnabenna]

Hey! Thanks so much for making a fantastic video. Can I ask, at 18:05, why did you use a jigsaw on the top bevelled section of the skirting? Wouldn't two mitre cuts meet anyway? Sorry if this is a daft question, we're just novice DIYers. Thanks!

[@GosforthHandyman]

The corners are often bowed and are rarely 90 degrees so you get a much cleaner fit if you do scribed joints if poss.

[@johnabenna]

Gosforth Handyman ok great! Thanks again for replying and making the video!

[@manceboy1]

Great job and well explained video.. just for curiosity how much I can charge for a job like that ?

[@neillindsay2687]

Good job. What glues did you use to stick the boards/shims to wall and what did you use to glue the outside mitres on the fireplace reveal?

[@dannymistry5876]

Great looking job thanks for sharing 🇬🇧👍

[@qadeerhussain5751]

Excellent job 👏

[@johncole9964]

nice video, great job. Man you must be fit to work on the floor, up and down all the time. I'd want a hell of a lot of money just for that!

[@GosforthHandyman]

Fortunately I don't do many jobs like that - I don't touch flooring at all for that exact reason. Already had one knee op! 😀🛠

[@elzilcho2380]

Nice vid. If carpet is going to be fitted do you need to leave a gap between the skirting and the floor, is it just a few mm?

[@GosforthHandyman]

No, you shouldn't need to leave a gap as long as the floor is level. 👍

[@rivergate]

Nice job Andy.

[@topgazza]

Great job. Would have liked to see more detail on joining at the corners. I have two golden rules with tradesmen. No smoking and NO music but that’s of course because I live in the house. When I was an electrical apprentice back in the 70s the sparky that trained me forbid radios and tape players. “Not our house”

[@davidjones4291]

Andy, one thing, perhaps it’s just me , I couldn’t leave all the crap behind the skirting. Nice work though 👍

[@jaylockwood3408]

Do you have a slower more in depth video of how you scribe those ends with the jigsaw please?

[@johnriggs4929]

A few tips for you: 1) Use expanding (gun) foam, not 'no nails' . I know that might sound odd - but try it... if you ever need to remove them, you'll find it sticks much better, but can be removed by simply sliding an old saw down behind it - after that, it's easily scraped off, for re-fixing. Not only that - it costs less than a tenth of liquid nails, and will support the bottom of the skirting, between the packings. 2) Fix the packings to the walls with the SDS and plugs - then nail to them, rather than screwing through the mdf on the face - otherwise the filler on the screw heads will pop, eventually. 3) Cut the scribes at 45 deg on the chop saw, then follow the line with a handsaw and for the moulded part, a coping saw. You can't get an accurate cut with a jigger. 4) Remove those gripper rods before you start. A bloke I know lost a hand, after he cut himself on one of those damned things, which later turned sceptic. 5) Use knee pads - or you'll suffer later in life - also, if you kneel on the head of a screw, you'll see why, a lot sooner. 6) Treat yourself to a 2nd fix paslode. Other than that, you deserve credit for taking the job on. I wouldn't have, because it's obvious you're follwing someone who either hasn't the most basic idea what they're doing, or doesn't give a damn about the tradesman following him.

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers bud! Kneepads are built in to my pants btw - already had one knee op! Great tips! 👍👊

[@DeanneMariaCreates]

Great Job Andy, what is that adhesive spray you used on the corner of the skirting please? It it any good for gluing up stiles/rails on cabinet doors? Thoroughly enjoyed this project and now I am off to put 119mm skirting on my wardrobe build. Once again, keep up the brilliant work 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🌞

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers Deanne! The spray is activator for the CA glue. It would probably work on rails / stiles but you've only got a matter of seconds of working time so for something like that wood glue and clamps tends to work better. 👍

[@DeanneMariaCreates]

Gosforth Handyman thanks for your kind response.

[@Akula1963]

Masterclass!

[@chadcrawford2346]

Great video!! You are very good at what you do!! One question...what is the two part apoxy you are using to fill gaps and screw holes?? Many thanks!

[@GosforthHandyman]

Hi - I use Bonda Decor Fill.

[@chadcrawford2346]

Great thank you!

[@SubZero-ew8xp]

The problem with old houses is that many things get altered that can be overlooked. I live in an approximately 130 year old one but as ground levels changed around the area previous owners and builders never considered the dpc level. So my question is: Is there is a risk that the wooden leveling trims could dampen over time as as they could now be located at dpc level?

[@SubZero-ew8xp]

Oh and I was looking for a video like this for a long time. Well done sir!

[@GosforthHandyman]

This was upstairs so no risk of damp. The Sticks Like ** glue is pretty robust but I would look to resolve the damp issues properly. If the DPC is bridged that needs sorting. Cheers for watching!

[@ronh9384]

Gosforth Handyman Andy, for those of us on the other side of the pond what is dpc?

[@philenglish3931]

@@ronh9384 damp proof course

[@ronh9384]

Phil English Thanks Phil!

[@johnfriel7322]

I've a couple of rooms almost identical to the one in the video to do. I'm using 7" skirting with not as much plaster to overlap and glue at the top of the boards. You think plugs & screws would be best? I noticed you used a few yourself but it didn't seem to be all the way round the room. Did you plug/screw through your shims/spacers? Great work!

[@johnfriel7322]

Also thats a really fast scribing technique for the internal corners using the jigsaw rather that coping saw - did you judge the cuts by eye for them to meet or did the caulking sort the gaps?

[@johnfriel7322]

Forgot to add - do you think packing with 9mm/12mm plasterboard all along the gap work as well as the wooden shims?

[@GosforthHandyman]

With modern glues you only really need screws if you want to force the skirting to the shape of the wall (e.g. if the wall isn't flat). On the sides where the wall was nice and flat glue will be fine. I think in this instance I screwed *near* the shims but not through them in case the drill knocked them off the wall before the glue was dry. 👍

[@GosforthHandyman]

Hard to see on the vid but I traced out the scribe from an off-cut so the cuts are pretty tight. Looks like a lot of caulk on the vid but it's just my stubby fingers. Plasterboard shims should be fine but I cut all my shims to the exact width needed. 👍😀

[@johnlamb2754]

@@johnfriel7322 before you do a scribe cut with the jigsaw you can cut a 45% mitre and follow the line of the cut with the jigsaw.

[@davee8896]

Hi im just about to do my house in 6" torus skirting and found the video extremely helpful, could you let me know the make and model of the nail gun and the glue you use? Looking forward to watching the rest of your videos. Thanks.

[@GosforthHandyman]

The nail gun is a very old Stanley Bostitch and the glue is mostly Evo Stik Sticks Like Sh*t. 👍

[@Chanoey333]

How did the 6" skirting look? I'm refurbing which involves full rewire and new plumbing and builder is recommending chasing one channel for both electrical cables and radiator pipes (due to concrete floor) but concerned 6" skirting will stand out as a bit of an eyesore

[@ajitsingh3167]

Brilliant job mate

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers Ajit! 👍

[@raindogred]

May I ask what size brads you use for skirting...both guage and length???? I am doing timber floors at my place, and will need to know pretty soon. By far and away the trickiest part will be scribing the skirting for uneven boards. next room i do will spend a lot more time levelling the boards at the wall. you make it look easy....but i know thats not the case for us diyers:)

[@GosforthHandyman]

I use 18ga 35mm - 15 or 16ga is better for skirtings but I don't carry one of those. 18ga is fine but need to use more nails and glue. 👍

[@jessy4902]

How many mm are the skirt boards you used? Amazing job, well done!

[@MatthewBester]

25:20 I see the No Nonsense Grab Adhesive but what was the red one, is there a difference?

[@andrewpage6365]

Nice JOB👍👍👍

[@Hambini]

What a great video. Could I ask what wood filler you use to cover the joints in the MDF?

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers Hambini! I use Bonda Decorfill. 👍

[@Jannerjaunts]

I’m a decorator and decorfill is the dogs bollo#*s. 👌

[@Hambini]

can you use it on a wall instead of polyfilla?

[@Jannerjaunts]

Hambini definately not

[@fletton_man]

Great work. Are those torus moulding skirting boards MDF or wood btw?

[@robertpeyto9974]

Hi Andy, what's the compact compresser unit you use on site?

[@GosforthHandyman]

It's a little Stanley but it's no longer made - I've added some vaguely similar ones on here: gosforthhandyman.com/products-i-use/ 👍

[@russdrummond7292]

Nice job!

[@shazyboy227]

Hi Andy..I see that your using two different types of adhesive.. One to stick the wood pieces to the wall and the other to stick the skirting on with .. What's the difference between the two and which two should I be using for this kind of job?

[@GosforthHandyman]

One is water based and the other solvent based. The solvent based one (Sticks Like ****) is better but overkill for some areas (and it's 3 times the price!). If you've got a clean, flat wall the cheaper water based stuff is fine.

[@andrewmullen4003]

I'm curious why you do your inner corners like that without a mitre?

[@RT-xn7pr]

Hi Andy, great vid. Where did you get the large skirting from? Was it a local lumber yard, or the internet? Cheers

[@GosforthHandyman]

Cheers Rob - the customer supplied the skirting, I think they had it custom made and ordered off the web. 👍