Remove skirting boards without damaging the wall

Score the paint line, lever gently at each fixing point, and match your technique to the wall behind to avoid damage.

SK-01Clear the room and protect the floorMove furniture away from the wall and take down anything overlapping the skirting, like curtains. Lay a dust sheet along the wall base to catch old paint flakes and plaster dust. Put on safety glasses and a dust mask before you start.

1 each · Dust sheet

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1 each · Safety glasses

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1 pack · Dust mask (FFP2)

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SK-02Work out what's behind the skirtingRun a magnet or stud detector along the wall about 50mm above the skirting. A line of screw heads under plasterboard means timber studs; if the detector also picks up thin metal edges every 400-600mm, it's likely a metal stud wall. Tap the wall - a dull, solid sound means brick, block or dot-and-dab over masonry, while a hollow drum sound between fixing points means a stud wall. Check the fixings themselves too: masonry nails or screws into visible wall plugs point to solid masonry.

1 each · Magnet or stud detector

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SK-03Score the paint and sealant lineRun a sharp utility knife along the top edge of the skirting where it meets the wall, cutting through paint, caulk or filler. Do the same along the bottom edge if the skirting sits on carpet or flooring. This stops paint tearing off the wall or flooring lifting as the board comes away.

1 each · Utility knife

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SK-04Remove any quadrant or beading firstIf there's a thin strip of quadrant or scotia moulding along the floor edge, prise it off first with a small flat bar. It's usually held with light pins and lifts easily. Set it aside if you want to reuse it.

1 each · Small flat bar

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SK-05Start levering at the first fixing pointPush a flat bar into the scored line right next to a nail or screw, with a thin offcut of timber behind the bar to spread the load and protect the plaster. Lever gently towards you a little at a time rather than one big pull. Work at each fixing point along the board rather than trying to lever from the middle.

1 each · Flat bar / bolster

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1 each · Timber offcut packer

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SK-06Match your technique to the wall typeOn solid brick or block, fixings are usually masonry nails or screws into wall plugs - you can lever fairly firmly, but ease off if the plaster skim starts to crack away from the brick. On plasterboard over timber studs, the skirting is screwed or nailed into the stud or a noggin behind - lever only at those points, as levering between studs can tear the plasterboard's paper face. On plasterboard over metal studs, fixings are screws into the stud or track behind thin plasterboard - this crumbles more easily, so lever in small movements and expect a few soft, crumbly holes at each point. On dot-and-dab walls, long screws often pass through the plasterboard into the dabs of adhesive holding it to the masonry - lever close to each fixing, not between dabs, or you risk pulling a whole sheet of plasterboard off the wall. On lath and plaster, fixings are usually nails into timber laths behind old lime plaster - laths are brittle, so work slowly and stop if you feel the plaster keys crack.

SK-07Watch for cables near sockets and skirting-height pipeworkSockets are often fixed just above skirting height, and the cable feeding them can run down inside the wall right behind the board you're levering. If you feel something solid but flexible, or see a cable or pipe as the board comes away, stop pulling straight away and don't force it. If there's any doubt about what you've found, turn off the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before carrying on, and know where your stopcock is - usually under the kitchen sink - in case you disturb a pipe run near the floor.

SK-08Work along the board to free it completelyOnce one end lifts away, move along the wall levering at each fixing point in turn, rather than pulling the loose end. This stops the board snapping partway along. Long lengths can be heavy and awkward, so get help lifting once it's fully free, especially with older solid timber skirting.

SK-09Remove leftover nails, screws and wall plugsPull remaining nails out of the wall with pincers, rocking gently side to side rather than levering straight out, and protect the wall surface with a scrap of card. Unscrew any screws still in wall plugs and pull the plugs out with pliers; if a plug is stuck fast in masonry, leave it flush rather than digging it out and enlarging the hole. Remove any nails left in the back of the old skirting with pincers so it's safe to handle.

1 each · Pincers

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1 each · Pliers

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SK-10Fill, sand and tidy upFill any holes or chipped plaster left by the fixings with a quick-drying filler, pressing it in with a filling knife and building it up slightly above the surface. Once dry, sand it back flush with fine sandpaper ready for redecorating. Sweep up nails, dust and offcuts, and stack the old skirting for disposal or reuse - check with your local council if it needs to go to a recycling centre rather than general waste.

1 tub · Quick-drying filler

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1 each · Filling knife

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1 pack · Fine sandpaper

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