skirting boards

recipio

Guys, I've got some skirting boards to renew. I presume we have moved on from masonary nails.?
What is the best option to apply them to a block wall. ?

slpower01

A few tubes of gripfill (the green tube) and if the its double slabbed or even has an insulation slab then cross stitch some nails to keep it in place.... if not wedge something just to hold it tight for 10 odd mins or even a masonary nail in the centre.

recipio

Thanks.
have a horrible memory of masonary nails flying everywhere and nice hammer marks on the board.Is Gripfill a construction adhesive ?How about 'No more nails' or any other adhesive.? Do they all need pressure applied while the adhesive is setting.? Methinks its easier said than done.

jack of all

I wouldn't rely solely on an adhesive to fix skirting or any trim to be honest- when wood moves or shrinks it can pull away from the hardwall (the quality of the bond is dependent on the quality of the plaster anyway- is it dry, free from dust etc?). Still good practice to nail in my humble opinion, no harm to use a bit of adhesive if you want but old timer I knew would use glue only where he couldn't get a nail in or there was a risk of splitting small pieces.

slpower01

It is almost like a no more nails type adhesive, usually picked up in most builders providers for a few euro a tube but like "jack of all" said... nothing beats using nails.... just take your time, use the full length of the hammer and when its flush either leave it or get a nail punch to send it in, its better to see a tiny silver head then a big hammer mark. Or you could always screw it on.... get a small 4-5mm masonry bit... hold the skirting in place and drill 3 or 4 holes in the centre of the skirting equally spaced.... remove skirting and use an appropriate sized bit for what ever rawl plugs you buy... place plugs in and then skirting back in position and screw on. (if you want it really neat you'll need to pick up a fostner drill bit and a plug cutter drill bit.... drill down a few mm with the fostner... screw in place then on a left over piece of skirting cut a few plugs by drilling nearly all the way though then rocking the drill bit from side to side till the plug snaps off. Small amount of glue inside the hole and when dry pair off with a sharp chisel and sand it nice and neat)

That is all I can think of other then using nails.

Hope this helps,
Steven.

recipio

Thanks all.
I should have mentioned the boards are varnished so no chance to paint over any flaws.
What would your average carpenter use nowadays - is it still masonary nails. ? My walls are rock hard and they bend rather than drive straight in so using screws seems to be the best option.

slpower01

Screws and wood plugs would be your best option.

This might help you get an idea of what to look out for..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Dew1YmHFcQ
Most builder providers should be able to supply you with a set... only thing about the video... dont cut the plug... glue and leave the head sticking out then sharp chisel and sand, it will leave a much better finish.

paddy147

A long wood screw or 2 or the odd masonary nail sunk into the skirting board,along with a few dabs of gripfill or no more nails.



I find this stuff fantastic.

6 euro a tube,but fantastic stuff indeed.Serious instant grip off it,internaly or externaly and can also be used underwater too.

paddy147

slpower01 wrote: »

Screws and wood plugs would be your best option.

This might help you get an idea of what to look out for..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Dew1YmHFcQ
Most builder providers should be able to supply you with a set... only thing about the video... dont cut the plug... glue and leave the head sticking out then sharp chisel and sand, it will leave a much better finish.

You can also buy a packet of 6mm or 8mm wooden dowels for feck all euros and use them for plugs.

Simples.:)

slpower01

Never even thought of the dowels myself Paddy, Im used to machining everything myself, good addition though!

recipio

Thanks Paddy.
just out of curiosity can you get a nail gun to shoot masonary or hardened nails. ? I've seen building sites littered with spent gas cannisters so the carpenters are big into them !

paddy147

recipio wrote: »

Thanks Paddy.
just out of curiosity can you get a nail gun to shoot masonary or hardened nails. ? I've seen building sites littered with spent gas cannisters so the carpenters are big into them !

I wouldnt know...is the honest answer.

Im not even a carpenter and dont have a nail gun either.:D

But Ive done the trick with wooden dowels and skirting boards before.Works a treat too.:)

paddy147

slpower01 wrote: »

Never even thought of the dowels myself Paddy, Im used to machining everything myself, good addition though!

I wish I had all the machining tools.:)

A hammer,saw and a bit of "bish bash bosh" is all I have.:D:pac:

Wils110

recipio wrote: »

Thanks Paddy.
just out of curiosity can you get a nail gun to shoot masonary or hardened nails. ? I've seen building sites littered with spent gas cannisters so the carpenters are big into them !

You can do there generally called hilti guns,don't use gas they use gun powder should be able to hire one

recipio

Wils110 wrote: »

You can do there generally called hilti guns,don't use gas they use gun powder should be able to hire one

'Gun powder ' !! I think you mean those nail guns that fire with a .22 blank. ?
I've seen them on TV drive a connector into steel beams !
It looks like the screw on option is the safest. I'll make matching plugs however. Thanks for all the input.

slpower01

In regards to the hilti guns im not too sure just anyone would be able to rent them as they pretty much a firearms, the typical nail gun us carpenters would use on site would be a framing gun or a brad gun... these are timber - timber guns though. Ive used a hilti before to fasten timber to steel and I dont think I would want to use one again, at least with a drill you know you are going to step away after pulling the trigger despite it taking a little longer though.

Ive never tried one on concrete though so you might even loosen the blocks in your house :-O

cork2

Nothing dangerous about a hilti gun as long as its well maintained and the user is well experienced. But every tool has a purpose and with hilti guns its not for fixing skirting boards you'd absolutely butcher the boards with one anyways. Jack of all has it right glues should be combined with nails and screws. I find you can't beat the old school when we're fitting we use wood glue on the mitres, and ms11 or tec7 on the backs of the boards then 60mm masonry nails through the board. Also pin the mitres. Grip fill is no good as it doesn't cling properly if you've ever removed old skirting you'll see it cling to the board but not the wall. I reckon the reason it's doesn't cling to the wall is due to the polish on the skim coat there's no key to bond to.

recipio

Thanks all, nothing like a difference in opinion !
I've found skirting boards one of the more difficult DIY jobs. Do you guys mitre or scribe the 90 degree joins.? I've also realized that varnished boards need a much higher level of finesse as you can't just fill any mistakes.

Wils110

Scribe em....I always found u got a better cut with the pre finished boards

slpower01

Scribe is the standard on an inside corner... cut at a 45 then use a coping saw and angle your cut back a few degrees to make it easier to make a tight fit.... also leave the board a few mm bigger then needed unless the other end it getting a 45 on it of course.... this way you put the non scribed end in the corner and then with a block of timber and a hammer gently tap it into a tight fit (but remember to squirt some glue in before knocking it in all the way... should leave you with a lovely joint.

faithful chippie

paddy147 wrote: »

can also be used underwater too.

if i ever get asked to do the local swimming pool i'll keep that in mind

wouldnt go near the hilti gun, first fixing gun has steel prongs on the head, little bite marks from it on your lovely skirting, there are the bigger ones that do a single shot, have a spit p 110 myself, defo not for skirting tho.

i always found it easier to put my back aginst the wall and then bend down to drive the nail, if you think about its easiest to drive a nail when its at shoulder height, well if your bent down shoulder height is nearly at skirting level so its nearly as easy as when standing up. put an offcut on top of the skiring to be installed around 500mm long and use it to keep the skirting pressed down and in to the wall.

jakko86

Hilti gun is a CRAZY suggestion, it will drive the WASHERED steel nail straight through your skirting..Hilti guns are used for 1st fix applications really and as far as i know you now need a cert to use one on site.there is a pneumatic bostitch gun you can get about 300-400 euro (compressor also required) that is used for driving steel nails, The bostitch 16g steel nails you can get are ideal for skirting to solid block walls, nice small head and very strong for their light appearance, they can also be drove with a hammer, they are expensive though at about 30e per box but well worth it. If your looking for a decent adhesive and not 'stixall' which is crap in my opinion your best bet is 'CT1' has fantastic grab and goes off in 10 minutes, tech7 is also decent stuff but will be around 10e+ a tube.

recipio

Thanks all.
I think using screws and plugs is the best option for varnished boards.? For some reason the blocks in my house are rock hard and I don't think I could drive nails below the surface of the board. Could you set a nail gun to do that. ?

paddy147

faithful chippie wrote: »

if i ever get asked to do the local swimming pool i'll keep that in mind

wouldnt go near the hilti gun, first fixing gun has steel prongs on the head, little bite marks from it on your lovely skirting, there are the bigger ones that do a single shot, have a spit p 110 myself, defo not for skirting tho.

i always found it easier to put my back aginst the wall and then bend down to drive the nail, if you think about its easiest to drive a nail when its at shoulder height, well if your bent down shoulder height is nearly at skirting level so its nearly as easy as when standing up. put an offcut on top of the skiring to be installed around 500mm long and use it to keep the skirting pressed down and in to the wall.

Works straight away underwater.:)