replace or paint skirting boards?

eas · 18-07-2013 03:12PM #1

My wife and I have recently bought a new home. The house is in good shape but has a few issues we'd like to get sorted before moving in.

We're going to be replacing most/all the current floors with hardwood. We also want to paint the current varnished pine skirting boards white. Considering the amount of work that's involved with sanding + painting the skirting boards + the fact that we will be laying new floors would it be practical (financially and labour) to just remove the existing skirting and replace with pre-primed/painted skirting?

I've seen hardwood floors go in over existing skirting, and it's not always pretty either.

thanks

Tulipout · 18-07-2013 03:42PM

I would replace them because the best job would be to take them off until the new floor is fitted.

You could even buy easy cleaned pre finished white skirting if you preferred low maintenance.

sky6 · 19-07-2013 10:36PM

Skirting board is reasonably cheap. Change them you will always regret not doing so as time goes on. Also the Flooring needs a 10mm gap all round the Room for expansion. Which means you would have to tack on angle bead to the Skirting to cover the gap. It always looks crap as everyone will know what you done. With new Skirting the 10mm Gap is lost underneath the 18mm Skirting Board. Lovely Job.

michael999999 · 20-07-2013 06:01PM

Prime and undercoat the skirting before it is fitted. It saves a lot of time.

eas · 20-07-2013 09:06PM

thanks for the info.

I was considering getting it pre-primed, but still trying to figure things out. We'll be doing a whole 2200 sq foot house...I don't know.

Any recommendations where would be best to get the skirting?

genuine leather · 21-07-2013 07:20AM

Most good hardwares will stock the skirting you ll need primed/unprimed Eas.
Imho if you go for timber skirting(white/red deal) i would advise you go and hand pick the skirting yourself, as certainly in this hot weather some of the boards will have bows or twists in them,not really what you want. Stack them in your house neatly with skids of timber between to let them acclimatise to house temps for 10-14 days, you will not get any movement or paint cracks from shrinkage after fitting and painting.
If you run with Mdf primed skirting(much smoother finish imo) this will not be as big an issue but would do no harm to apply same process.
Hope this helps
GL

cardwizzard · 22-07-2013 08:26AM

Always reprime the preprime!

replace or paint skirting boards?

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