Thread: Cramping hardwood skirtings

use a length of timber about a metre long,and sit one end on the floor, the other on top of the skirting,then stand on it and nail.

Tools

Sorry, I don't get it.

The 1m length of timber .. is this perpendicular to the skirting? And where do I nail ?

Sorry, I should have been clearer...the length of timber is perpendicular to the skirting.It just gives you a way of pushing the skirting down.The nailing is in through the skirting in to your batten while still standing on the 1m length.Maybe hire a nailgun for a day if you don't have one.You will also find that you will be able to tap the skirt back to any hollows in the wall and your weight on the timber will hold it there.

tools

OK, got it. Well, I get the idea anyway.

This is a nails (primarily) solution, right? I was thinking maybe I could use a glue only solution, and I could keep the skirting in place using some sort of jig/clamp/cramp.

But maybe that idea is not so smart, and I should look again at nails.

I have NEVER used a nail gun .. and so I am pig ignorant on the matter and more than a little scared.

Don't you have to have some sort of license for those fellas?

Well, if not, let's say I have 20mm of hardwood skirting and maybe 10mm gyprock before I get to a batten (some softwood, some hardwood) .. a 40mm nail be OK?

And does a nail gun shove the head below the surface? Or do I need to use a nail punch to do that like I am currently doing?

What happens if it misses the batten? ( I have a stud finder, but they are not perfect.)

Can I skew nail with a nail gun?

Do I need special nails?

Obviously I am in totally new territory here and I need some guidance. But I do have a lot of work to do on the house, and if a nail gun will help I am keen to find out more.

Thanks for the help/guidance so far.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/PASLODE-90040...QQcmdZViewItem

This is the sort of gun you need. There is no licence required. Alternatively you can get a fixing gun with a compressor and hose, but a Paslode fixer would be easier for you.You can skew with the gun, and they use nails specifically designed for nail guns.They will save you a lot of time and effort and can be hired for about $70 a day plus nails.You need a 50mm nail, assuming that your battens are at least 20 mm thick.The gun will punch the nail below the surface, so no further punching required.There are plenty of them on EBAY for sale at the moment.If you miss the batten it isn't a drama...it isn;t going to go through the wall and kill your neighbour.You can tap a nail in to the battens to locate them before you put the skirting on, mark them on the floor, and then cover the holes with the skirt.If you have a fair bit of work to do, maybe you should consider buying one...you will wonder how you ever lived without it!

Tools

Originally Posted by Mutley2003

yeah, hi..

In spots I can nail into the battens or some other timbers.

I am thinking gluing (Selleys AllFix) with some sort of clamp/cramp/jig that will allow me to push down on the skirting to follow the floor vertically, and in to follow the wall.

Any ideas?

How far are your "spots" away from each other? I think 400mm is enough.
Forget about the glue, do what Tools suggests, but you need to be always nailing into something solid.

Originally Posted by Mutley2003

Well, if not, let's say I have 20mm of hardwood skirting and maybe 10mm gyprock before I get to a batten (some softwood, some hardwood) .. a 40mm nail be OK?

That only leaves 10mm of the 40mm nail in the wood, I'd go at least 20mm best 25-30mm depending on your "spot" spacing and how much Irregularity you have to deal with, remember more holes equals more sanding etc.

Wouldn't it be better to scribe the skirting to the floor ?

Originally Posted by coastie

Wouldn't it be better to scribe the skirting to the floor ?

Yep, that's the better way to go, at least that way the top of the skirting will describe a straight line. Scribe, then nail.

Mick

Hi,
If the floor is out by that much, youll need to scribe it to the floor as the others have said.　　I think that would be easier than bending down the hardwood and fixing it
Cheers.

sorry, excessively dumb here, but what do you mean "scribe it to the floor" .. something like chamfering bits of it so it fits? I don't have a clue how to go about this

Mutley,
take a length of skirting and lay it in its finished position. Use a spacer to sit your pencil on. The spacer should bring the point of your pencil to a height so it just touches the bottom of the skirting where the biggest gap is. Run a pencil line along the bottom of the skirting from one end to the other by sliding the pencil and packer along the floor. You'll end up with a line that follows to floor's curves. Cut the skirting to this line using a plane, or in extreme cases a jigsaw as well. When you lay the skirting back down it will be a nice tight fit to ther floor. Plane it with a bit of a back bevel, so that it really onlytouches on the frint edge, this will make it easier to get it tight.

Mick

OK, great, getting there. I guess if I scribe like that I don't really need to put weight on the skirting and maybe I can get away with a glue only solution .. but I guess scribing is not going to take care of my in and outs on the wall, so perhaps I need that nail gun after all.

Anyway, thanks for all the help

finding an offcut of wood, cutting it to length, using it and the pencil requires two hands......... im bored already

use a compass its quicker and can be done one handed

and how would one use a compass here?