Thread: Skirtings

A better way to get a better result is to scribe the skirting, that is, the first piece is installed cut to length (90 degree cut) and the second is profiled to butt up to the profile. This gives a better result and is easy to accomplish. You use fret saw or a coping saw to achieve the profile shape.

There was an entire thread about this a few months back. Do a search on scribing or skirting boards and you'll find it. There were pics, tips and everything else you need.

Thanks Guys for all the info. Wow! This subject sure generated a lot of discussion back then. Although I can see the merit to scribing internal corners (not all that easy with Colonial profiles since the top of the skirting is considerably thinner than the bottom) and I'll give it a try.But, I guess my original query was how to best cut a 45deg for external corners on a 140mm board...would you just mark a 45deg line and hand cut? I sometimes don't cut a very straight line front to back. Also, all my saws seem to be very coarse to make a nice, fine cut.
FrankS

I can't see how hand cutting would give you a good result, unless you were *very* good. Do you have a power saw which you can angle ? That would be better I think. What about trying to make a guide, like a taller mitre box from some mdf. Once you get it right , then cut the skirtings.

I'd just set up the Triton here........easy as.

Might even be worthwhile in looking at hiring a Drop saw for a weekend if you havn't go access to one or somthing similar. Better to spend a few dollars to get the job done right than spend money on replacing skirting thats been ruined :eek:

Always helps to practice a few first as well to get the hang of it before committing yourself. Especially on the internal scribed cuts considering the difficulty of the profile.



Cheers!

FrankS
To cut external corners on 140mm high skirting, use a sliding compound mitre saw.

Kev M

Thanks to Shane Watson,Gumby & KevM for the advices. Not knowing much about a compound mitre saw, I lean towards making up a taller mitre box. Hiring a saw would be OK too if I could stay at the task without interuptions. I do have power saws but I've found that angling the blade doesn't always come out exactly right.As for internal corners, I only have a dozen or so to do and I also found a profile guage that I'd forgotten I had and I might experiment with it.

Cheers
FrankS

As I've work almost exclusively on old homes my experience may not be worthwhile here, but I offer the following

Back in the dark ages, (the 80's, when I was a young upstart) whenever I mitred skirting boards, they just never worked out. I would agonise over the joins and adjust them (as the material got ever-shorter) until one fine day my plasterer mate was waiting to force me into a drink and watching what I was trying to do ...... he suggested the reason I was having so much grief was that the walls were almost never perpendicular, and therefore the 45 degree mitre was a total waste of time...... this was when I discovered the gentle art of scribing - actually I discovered the art of taking a small sliver from a skirt and drawing around it and jigsawing the board out ..... he earned his beer that day and I have never looked back, nor have I ever mitred a skirting board again – this way is far easier and faster.

Of course, as mentioned - the reason this tale is unlikely to be relevant is because we all know modern houses are built to military precision, therefore mitres would be fine

Thanks Steve
Fortunately all but 4 corners I have to do are internal.I'll give it a try and report back.

FrankS

and of course, if these are painted, or going to be - a tiny wipe of paintable sealant covers any monior imperfections