Anti-fun with skirting boards

[M4R5]

This was going well until I started putting the things on the walls. Now my lovel perfect skirting boards are starting to look a little worse for wear. They're getting a bit more hammering than I thought because every time I get one side on then go to further along, the first set of nails pops off. Grr. Nails aren't supposed to do this. I'm using 3mm x 40mm masonary nails and going into breeze block. I'm going to try 50mm nails tomorrow and wondered if anyone had experience of this happening and a solution that doesn't involve rawl plugs?

Thanks

 

[DAZB]

You may be better fixing the skirting with screws and plugs but if you are nailing then hammering the nails in at an angle will stop the nails pulling out and also Gripfill or similar adhesive will also help it stay put.

 

[RMS]

Your clearly not getting an adequate fixing using nails.

I suggest you scrap the nails and use screws and plugs. If the wall is breeze block with and finished plaster I would use 2.5inch by 10 wood screws with brown plugs. Make sure your counter sink the head.

I use this method and also run a bead of no nails across the back of the skirt to ensure full fixing contact with the wall but this is overkill on my part.

You may find a different size screw is better depending on the wall. The only time I would use nails / brads is for a stud wall or thermolite block wall.

Hope this helps.

 

[M4R5]

I agree, Rawl plugs would have been better, but with the boards partially fixed this option went out the window. However, good news that longer nails seem to do the trick. I've also gone in at a slight angle as suggested.

Interestingly nails which are too long have the same problem as nails that are too short.

I've used No More Nails on the flat walls (all 2 of them) and that is working well. The other walls deviate in depth by about 15mm and are no-where near straight! I'm very unimpressed with the plastering work.

While I'd love to get it perfect my carpet is going in in... less than 8 hours, so I think it's going to have to be wavey twisted nailed on skirting boards, unless I sand the plaster back half an inch over large areas. At the moment I'm aiming for "looks good" which is going to be a massive mission in itself.

:-/

 

[opps]

Bit late now I guess but predrill the timber before whacking in the nails, you will get a stronger fix in the timber.

If you need to retrospectively add screws but dont want to remove the skirting then use a frame fixing something like this

http://www.screwfix.com/p/fischer-u...10/21343#product_additional_details_container

You will need to make a generous counter sink but will get a superior fix.

 

[opps]

opps double post... ignore pls