Tidying up skirting board with pipes

[Calculus]

This should be a trivial job but I don't know how to go about it.

Untitled

• Calculus
• 2 Apr 2012
• 1

If it weren't for the pipes I'd just use sandpaper to remove the peeling paint and decades of grime from the skirting board then repaint. But I can't see any obvious way of getting behind the pipes, which themselves need divesting of flaking paint.

I know I could box them in but that would create a habitat for spiders, and me and spiders don't get on.

Suggestions appreciated, especially if they involve power tools. I like hard work as much as I like spiders

 

[oldgreymouse]

It may not be the best angle in the picture, but do the tiles come down over and in front of the skirting?

If you don't want to box them in then you are just going to have to set too with strips of sandpaper and sand the pipes. Maybe even using some paint stripper on the skirting board behind and course wire wool to strip off the gunk.
Repaint with oil based paint.

 

[Calculus]

Hi oldgreymouse, the tiles are slightly above the level of the skirting board, an eighth of an inch or so.

I hadn't thought of paint stripper. That might make the job tolerable.

 

[JohnD]

If I was doing it, I would remove the old skirting, fix 18mm battens to the wall to match top of skirting and 18mm up from the floor, with the pipes between them, and fix (new) skirting to the battens, covering the pipes. You can use different sized battens if needed.

Because the battens are firmly fixed to the wall, and are straight and level, you only need a few small screws to keep the skirting to them, the screws should be left visible (but need not to be obtrusive) so it is easy to get at the pipes in future if needed.

 

[Calculus]

Thanks for the suggestion John but removing a skirting board is well beyond my DIY competence level. More so as it would mean taking off the black glass vitrine side panel from the bath, which I can't do because it's cracked and would fall apart in the process, and I don't think you can buy glass vitrine now.

I was thinking about oldgreymouse's suggestion of using paintstripper. I have only used paintstripper once, a long time ago, on a window frame. I found it was worse than useless because although it removed the paint it soaked into the top of the wood forming a sticky gelatinous layer that I had to spend an age sanding down before I could paint. Nitromors I think it was. Maybe the stuff is better formulated nowadays.

 

[vibrobullit407]

You could still follow johnD's advice with out removing the skirting. You could batten above existing and use a taller skirt. May have to match the rest of bathroom but if it is not large then maybe an option.

 

[Calculus]

You could still follow johnD's advice with out removing the skirting. You could batten above existing and use a taller skirt. May have to match the rest of bathroom but if it is not large then maybe an option.

That is possible because the skirting board is flat, unlike all the other skirtings in the house. But it would necessitate removing the bath panel which I can't do for reasons above.

I don't want to give up on power tools. In the Argos catalogue there is a small power tool variously called a Sonic Crafter, Sonicrafter or Bosch All Rounder. It has a rectangular attachment which looks capable of getting behind the pipes, but I can't tell if it's intended for sanding.

 

[vibrobullit407]

This seems cheap and is battery powered so no trailing leads! http://www.acehardwaresuperstore.com/26842-specialty-heavy-duty/99156.html

Here's a vid showing the capabilities of these tools, http://www.acehardwaresuperstore.com/26842-specialty-heavy-duty/99156.html

As the sander attachment is triangular in shape I don't think it will get behind the pipes anyway.

Would probably be cheaper going down the previously mentioned route in regards to replacing but the choice is yours!

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[TheDec]

That is a rather large amount of money to pay for a powertool that may not even get the job done, the triangular attatchment simply turns this tool into a detail sander and I don't myself believe it will be of use to you.

Spend a little time and apply a little patience, and the correct usage of the correct grade of sandpaper will get the job done.

Dec

 

[emilybronte]

Pay someone to do the job for you! A half competent joiner could box those pipes in, in half a day, using the method suggested above.

I fail to see how that would create a spider den any more than pipes themselves.

Anyway, spiders are nice. If you like power tools more than you like spiders, then you need cognitive therapy!

 

[TheDec]

A little graft, the correct grade of abrasive, a good job done, and satisfaction achieved. And all for a few quid!!

Dec

 

[oldgreymouse]

A little graft, the correct grade of abrasive, a good job done, and satisfaction achieved. And all for a few quid!!

Dec

Quite right Dec, while this post has been going the job should have been done and all painted up by now. ( I think this is maybe a crafty ruse to get the missus to agree to a new must have power tool!!!)

In reality, I have a similar tool from Fein, the vibration in that small area would wear through the copper pipe if you were not careful

 

[TheDec]

Spot on.

dec

 

[Calculus]

Those who said the job could be done without a Sonicrafter have been proved right, I managed to clean up pipes and woodwork with a combination of sandpaper, steel wool, wire brushes of various sizes, and one or two other tools. It was devilish hard work. I'll probably paint it with white Hammerite as there is rust on the brackets that fix the pipes to the wall.