Skirting : Pine or MDF

Bad_alibi

Need to decide on skirting for my house, Pine or MDF

Any thoughts on the pros or cons of each.

893bet

Bad_alibi wrote: »

Need to decide on skirting for my house, Pine or MDF

Any thoughts on the pros or cons of each.

Are you painting?

If so go white deal or other white wood.

Bad_alibi

Yeah I'm going to be painting them white, Doras have a shiny primed skirting that has a much better finish than the Denta white primed skirting.
I haven't really looked into the pre primed pine.

I had one lad say that the pine isn't great on long runs and can wrap, I have large rooms with long runs. Another fella said the MDF is good for long runs but if there's any moisture in the house it'll swell and be destroyed.

kerry bhoy

You can get moisture resistant msg.

kerry bhoy

kerry bhoy wrote: »

You can get moisture resistant msg.

Mdf

893bet

Bad_alibi wrote: »

Yeah I'm going to be painting them white, Doras have a shiny primed skirting that has a much better finish than the Denta white primed skirting.
I haven't really looked into the pre primed pine.

I had one lad say that the pine isn't great on long runs and can wrap, I have large rooms with long runs. Another fella said the MDF is good for long runs but if there's any moisture in the house it'll swell and be destroyed.

Have a look at Murphy Larkin online. They do a primed white wood skirt which is out and away the best price I found at the time. Lengths are short so make sure your carpenter is neat at the joints on every wall!

BarneyMc

893bet wrote: »

Are you painting?

If so go white deal or other white wood.

I had a quick look at deal and also MDF at the weekend. I'll be painting white so which is best to go with and why?

Bad_alibi

I've had two trades who've built their now houses tell me under no circumstance get a skirting board that isn't pre primed. They both said if I go plain and have to prime, sand and paint them myself, by the end id gladly of paid two or three times the price to avoid the extra work.

BarneyMc

So with MDF you just fit and then spray twice. With e.g. deal you fit, prime, sand and spray twice?

kerry bhoy

At that exact stage at the moment. Using pre primed moisture resistant Mdf and I'm giving them a light sanding rolling on then brushing off first finished coat. Will give it a second coat ( brush only ) after carpenter puts on.

Bad_alibi

kerry bhoy wrote: »

At that exact stage at the moment. Using pre primed moisture resistant Mdf and I'm giving them a light sanding rolling on then brushing off first finished coat. Will give it a second coat ( brush only ) after carpenter puts on.

Which brand did you go with. I've looked at deanta & doras.
Doras has a more plastic shine to its primed board almost like you wouldn't have to paint them. The deanta board has a much duller finish that would have to be painted straight away.

tabby aspreme

BarneyMc wrote: »

So with MDF you just fit and then spray twice. With e.g. deal you fit, prime, sand and spray twice?

Whichever you use have it filled, primed, two coats of paint and then sanded back ready for the final coat before fitting, if you mix powdered filler with whatever final coat paint your using to fill the holes created while fitting it helps cut down on the time you spend on your knees also.

kerry bhoy

Bad_alibi wrote: »

Which brand did you go with. I've looked at deanta & doras.
Doras has a more plastic shine to its primed board almost like you wouldn't have to paint them. The deanta board has a much duller finish that would have to be painted straight awa

Deanta.using an eggshell finished coat. I prefer the matt finish look.

BarneyMc

Has anyone any experience of tulipwood? It aint cheap but supposed to be very easy to paint and durable (unlike MDF which could warp over time if getting moisture)?

893bet

BarneyMc wrote: »

Has anyone any experience of tulipwood? It aint cheap but supposed to be very easy to paint and durable (unlike MDF which could warp over time if getting moisture)?

How much is it per metre?

BarneyMc

893bet wrote: »

How much is it per metre?

No quote yet but will post when I get it.

893bet

http://murphylarkin.com/doors/Primed-Skirting-board-4%22-Primed-Skirting-5%22-Primed-Skirting-board-6%22-primed-skirting-board-9inch-skirting-board

That's where I got mine. Primed white wood. Only issue is 2.5m lengths so make sure your carpenter is able to make neat joints! With a good chippy you won't even see.

murphaph

Just to throw some alternatives into the mix...

Over here (Germany) you actually often see alternatives to skirting in the Irish sense. In a tiled room you'd usually affix a tile skirting to the wall with silicone sealant between skirting and wall (not grouted to ensure better noise decoupling assuming a floating screed floor has been laid).

In carpeted rooms it's normal to have a 4 or 5cm carpet skirt, fixed to a plastic skirting which conceals the cut edge.

tabby aspreme

BarneyMc wrote: »

Has anyone any experience of tulipwood? It aint cheap but supposed to be very easy to paint and durable (unlike MDF which could warp over time if getting moisture)?

Tulip wood also known as American poplar or yellow poplar is nice timber to work with, it machines cleanly and takes paint very well.

BarneyMc

tabby aspreme wrote: »

Tulip wood also known as American poplar or yellow poplar is nice timber to work with, it machines cleanly and takes paint very well.

How expensive V deal and V MDF?

BarneyMc

Just off the phone with supplier of all the mixes. He said MDF was fine and fully moisture resistant. Tulip wood is quite expensive and really only used for period houses or to recreate. He said in the case of a flooded floor nothing would survive anyway. Maybe MDF is the way to go for me then.

BarneyMc

893bet wrote: »

http://murphylarkin.com/doors/Primed-Skirting-board-4%22-Primed-Skirting-5%22-Primed-Skirting-board-6%22-primed-skirting-board-9inch-skirting-board

That's where I got mine. Primed white wood. Only issue is 2.5m lengths so make sure your carpenter is able to make neat joints! With a good chippy you won't even see.

I'm going with MDF throughout the house but maybe this is not a good idea in bathrooms for skirting/architrave? If not then I suppose this primed white wood is a safer alternative?

murphaph

BarneyMc wrote: »

I'm going with MDF throughout the house but maybe this is not a good idea in bathrooms for skirting/architrave? If not then I suppose this primed white wood is a safer alternative?

In a bathroom I would really look at a tile skirting as a proper robust solution.

893bet

Or no skirting! Looks much cleaner IMO!

How much per metre is the mdf skirting you have chose? Is it primed?

BarneyMc

893bet wrote: »

Or no skirting! Looks much cleaner IMO!

How much per metre is the mdf skirting you have chose? Is it primed?

Coming in at about €23 for an 18 feet length, primed.

Bad_alibi

BarneyMc wrote: »

Coming in at about €23 for an 18 feet length, primed.

Is that Doras or deanta

BarneyMc

Bad_alibi wrote: »

Is that Doras or deanta

Deanta.

Bad_alibi

BarneyMc wrote: »

Deanta.

The primed finish isn't as good on deanta but they come in longer lengths 5.6m I think vs Dora's 3.8m (more cutting & joining)

893bet

BarneyMc wrote: »

Coming in at about €23 for an 18 feet length, primed.

Cheap alright! If any doubt though I don't think it's worth the compromise. It's probably an extra 500 for wood skirt/arc over the house.

Bad_alibi

893bet wrote: »

Cheap alright! If any doubt though I don't think it's worth the compromise. It's probably an extra 500 for wood skirt/arc over the house.

The advantages for mdf over wood is it's doesn't warp and it contours to the walls if there slightly off better than wood, requiring less caulking.

BarneyMc

BarneyMc wrote: »

Coming in at about €23 for an 18 feet length, primed.

Sorry, wrong!

My primed Deanta MDF is coming in at €4 a meter whereas the mentioned real primed white wood from Murphy Larkin looks like €3 a meter (this is for the 6 inch for both)! Can this be right?

As someone mentioned the only downside is the MDF is in 5.4 meter lengths whereas the wood comes in 2.4 meter lengths.

893bet

BarneyMc wrote: »

Sorry, wrong!

My primed Deanta MDF is coming in at €4 a meter whereas the mentioned real primed white wood from Murphy Larkin looks like €3 a meter (this is for the 6 inch for both)! Can this be right?

As someone mentioned the only downside is the MDF is in 5.4 meter lengths whereas the wood comes in 2.4 meter lengths.

That's what I found also so the white wood won! White wood was cheaper. Seems crazy!

Are you sure it's not 23 for 18 metres?

BarneyMc

Is the white wood good quality? Some of the Deanta primed skirting is 3.6 meters long so I suppose it's not all long lengths wither. No, it's not 23 for 18 meters.

893bet

BarneyMc wrote: »

Is the white wood good quality? Some of the Deanta primed skirting is 3.6 meters long so I suppose it's not all long lengths wither. No, it's not 23 for 18 meters.

Seems excellent. I can take some images the weekend of it all painted up.

Straight and no knots to speak of.

Even though it is primed the painter said to give it a second coat of primer (this would also apply to mdf also had I got it) as when he filled nail holes and gaps etc if he went straight to finish coat he said it might go off colour at the chalked parts otherwise. Where he was talking truth I don't know!

BarneyMc

These real wood items, e.g. skirting, need to be in the house for at least 3 weeks before installing or is that not really necessary?

CPS84

BarneyMc wrote: »

Sorry, wrong!

My primed Deanta MDF is coming in at €4 a meter whereas the mentioned real primed white wood from Murphy Larkin looks like €3 a meter (this is for the 6 inch for both)! Can this be right?

As someone mentioned the only downside is the MDF is in 5.4 meter lengths whereas the wood comes in 2.4 meter lengths.

Barney, did you go for the Deanta skirting in the finish? What was the quality like and is it moisture resistant MDF? Does it all come in 5.2m lengths?

At the stage of putting on skirting myself and ideally want to use a primed solid timber but can only find it in 2.4m length i.e Agnew, which would meant a lot of joints as I've a lot of large rooms with long walls.

Now thinking of using the Deanta MDF skirting along with Agnew solid timber architrave.

BarneyMc

Yeah went for the Georgian and it's 5.4 meters long even though the website says it's 3.6m. My carpenter just started today - 3 weeks late. Anyway the skirting is moisture resistant ASAIK and seems decent quality - sorry I've nothing to compare to. I went for the Murphy Larkin Ogee wood skirting for utility and bathrooms. Sorry I can't be more helpful!

tradesman

ive just used pvc skirting in 2 bedrooms & it is great. No prepping, painting & is moisture resistant Can be cut the same as timber.