Hi Mark.
It's a bit difficult to pass on tips on skirting boards without sketches, but I'll try.
First there are four ways of cutting the board ends.
1. square ends where it meets the door frame, always leave these to last
2. Mitred end for external corner. Do these first, so if you mess up you can have another go at it.
3. Mitred end for internal corner. Optional but best avoided
4. Scribed end for internal corner. This is coupled with a end cut square and looks like a mitred joint.
Most corners are 90 degree angle and most people will suggest you get a mitre saw, so you can cut at 45 degrees. I found with long boards it was difficult to keep the board horizontal while sawing vertical.
If you have no external corners go for scribing, and do a practice piece first which will act as a template.
If you are faced with external corners, you can try what I did.
I made a box without ends, the internal dimensions were the same as the skirting board, well with some clearance to fit wedges.
While one end of the box was left square the other end was marked and cut to 45 degrees.
I then marked a board to 45 deg. and with a mitre saw cut it but leaving i/8 in excess material.
Next I fitted the board to the box(secured with wedges and clamps) at waist high on work bench and trestle and used a router to remove the final 1/8 in.
I did two of these to match up and make 90 deg. but my first attempt was a little out.so a little ajustment by adding a thin plastic shim to one edge soon produced the perfect 90 deg. joint.
If you use a mitre saw, I would still suggest you mark the board first and and you can stop before you run off line, if you have to remove excess material by hand without a guide then I would suggest a electric plane set to the lowest setting.
Hope it helps.
