Strip out old skirting and architrave, then fit, scribe, fill and paint new boards across a full room over several days.
RA-01Plan the job and order materialsMeasure the room perimeter and door openings, then order skirting and architrave with about 10% extra for waste and mistakes. Decide on a profile and whether boards come pre-primed. Budget roughly £150–£350 total for an average room including paint, and plan for 3–5 working days spread over one or two weekends, allowing for drying and curing time between phases. If the new skirting height will cover or clash with a socket or switch, decide now whether it needs moving — that's a job for a registered electrician, so book them for the first fix before you start.
RULES8 length · MDF ogee skirting board, 2400mm 6 length · Matching architrave, 2100mm KNOW THE RULES
Moving a socket or switch to clear new skirting goes beyond like-for-like. Use a registered electrician.
RA-02Clear the room and remove old skirtingFollow "Remove skirting boards without damaging the wall" to take off the existing skirting section by section. Clear furniture and protect the floor first, since offcuts and old nails can scratch flooring. This is where plasterboard most often gets damaged — work slowly on corners and expect a few patches to fill later.
1 each · Flat bar / wrecking bar 1 tub · Multi-purpose filler, small tub 1 pack · Heavy-duty bin bags RA-03Check the wall and floor before fittingWith the skirting off, check the exposed wall base for loose plaster, damp staining or old cabling, and run a long straight edge across the floor to spot dips you'll need to scribe for later. Mark a level datum line around the room for the new skirting height. Before any drilling or fixing into the wall, check for cables and pipes with a detector, and still expect something to be there, especially on external walls.
RULES1 each · Cable and pipe detector 1 each · Long spirit level or straight edge KNOW THE RULES
Use a cable and pipe detector before drilling into any wall, and still expect something to be there.
RA-04Cut and fit the new skirting boardsCut and fix the skirting using "Cutting mitres for skirting, architrave and coving" and "Fit skirting board", working one wall at a time so each length can be checked before moving on. Fix into masonry with screws and wall plugs rather than relying on adhesive alone on long runs. Check for cables and pipes with a detector before drilling any fixing holes, even where none are expected. Getting internal corners square is the main thing that goes wrong — dry-fit every mitre before gluing or nailing.
RULES4 tube · Grab adhesive, tube 1 box · Wood screws, mixed box 1 pack · Rawlplugs, wall plugs pack 1 box · Finishing nails / panel pins KNOW THE RULES
Check for cables and pipes with a detector before drilling fixing holes into the wall, and still expect something to be there.
RA-05Scribe skirting to uneven sectionsWhere the floor dips or the wall bows, use "Scribe skirting to an uneven floor" on those lengths before final fixing, rather than forcing a straight board down and leaving a gap. Older solid-floor rooms often need this on at least one wall. Skipping this step is the most common reason for ugly gaps appearing under new skirting a few weeks later.
1 each · Scribing compass / profile gauge 1 each · Jigsaw blade, fine-tooth RA-06Fit architrave around doorsFit architrave to each door opening using "Fit architrave around a door", applying the same mitring approach from the skirting guide to the corners. Check the door lining is square before cutting, since an out-of-square lining throws off every mitre. Fit all doors before moving on to filling, so you aren't going back over finished skirting.
2 tube · Grab adhesive, tube RA-07Fill and caulk before paintingFill nail and screw holes, then caulk every joint and gap using "Caulk gaps around skirting and architrave". Leave the caulk to cure fully, usually overnight, before sanding or painting, rather than rushing straight into the next phase. Painting over uncured caulk is a common cause of cracking later on.
3 tube · Decorators' caulk, tube 1 pack · Fine sandpaper, pack RA-08Paint the skirting boardsPaint the skirting following "Paint skirting boards", applying undercoat then at least two topcoats with the recoat time stated on the tin. This phase often spans two separate sessions because of drying time, not because the painting itself is slow. Protect the floor and wall base with masking tape and dust sheets throughout.
1 tin · Undercoat, 750ml tin 1 tin · Satinwood or eggshell topcoat, 750ml tin 1 each · Angled sash brush RA-09Paint the door frames and architravePaint the door frames and architrave using "Paint door frames and architrave", ideally in the same colour run as the skirting so sheen and tone match. Do this after the skirting paint has fully dried, to avoid smudging freshly painted surfaces while working around each door.
1 tin · Satinwood or eggshell topcoat (shared with RA-08) 1 each · Small angled brush RA-10Reinstate the room and snagRefit any socket or switch faceplates that were loosened during the job — switch off the circuit at the consumer unit and prove it's dead with a tester before touching any faceplate. Move furniture back, check every joint and corner in good light, and touch up any marks. A full room typically takes 3–5 working days end to end, more if an electrician's first-fix visit had to be scheduled in partway through.
RULES1 each · Socket tester / voltage tester 1 tin · Touch-up paint (from RA-08/RA-09) KNOW THE RULES
Before loosening or refitting any socket or switch faceplate, switch off the circuit at the consumer unit and prove it's dead with a tester.
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