Skirting Boards

messinkiapina

I'm looking to replace skirting boards but don't really know much about them. Preferably want to get something that is already pre-primed, pre-painted (white), and just a case of cutting to size and fitting to the wall. Is MDF the way to go in terms of ease of install/less change or warping etc? I notice Murphy Larkin have a good deal of cheap whitewood skirting such as this:

https://murphylarkin.com/Skirting-Architrave-Primed-Skirting-Board-Oak-Skirting-Board-and-Architrave/Primed-Skirting-board-4%22-Primed-Skirting-5%22-Primed-Skirting-board-6%22-primed-skirting-board-9inch-skirting-board/Primed-Skirting-Ardan

What exactly is whitewood. Would that be a good choice or would I be better off with MDF?

jack of all

Whitewood can be any type of "pine" softwood, sitka spruce, norway spruce etc. Solid wood has it's advantages, more forgiving to install with poor walls and floors I would think, but you will have to treat knots and resin pockets with a shellac knotting solution which adds cost and time to a painting job. MDF takes paint well but if it gets wet or is used on a floor which may be mopped it could swell.

phormium

I like mdf, much easier paint especially if pre primed but more expensive than the other stuff. Re the water before I put down mdf boards as plinth in kitchen I gave them a coat of varnish along the bottom edge and underneath so that water couldn't soak in, I then painted them. They were there almost 20 yrs at least without damage from mopping.

Lumen

You can get MR MDF skirting, e.g.

https://noyeks.ie/bevelled-white-primed-mr-mdf-skirting-18mm-144mm-4400mm.html

policarp

Why are you replacing?