Skirtings, architraves, casings - worth paying for quality?

[jesteh]

We've recently ripped out all the timber from our house as part of renovation and are looking to replace with equivalent. What I am finding in builder's and timber yard's is quite disappointing quality of wood - full of knots & small cracks (probably from drying too quickly?). It looks very different than the stuff we took out.

One of the places does offer unsorted which looks a lot better but comes at quite a premium. What I am wondering now is whether its worth paying extra or not - everything will be painted white but I am wondering if kntos and cracks will show through all the same after a year or two.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Try MDF for skirtings and architraves. Nice to paint and gives a good finish.

Andy

 

[jesteh]

I take your point about it being good finish but I don't like mdf.
Just personal preference.

 

[JohnD]

the stuff we took out.

how old is the house?

 

[jesteh]

built in 1937

 

[JohnD]

and you took out the good-quality old stuff because....?

 

[jesteh]

What does it matter why it was taken out? We didn't do it out of boredom or to spite the house. Consider the original statement - we are trying to replace with equivalent - identical size, same profile, same material. Why would we rip out perfectly adequate skirting only to replace it with exactly the same thing - unless it was damaged?

And it won't change the answer to my original question which is - is it worth buying unsorted timber if wood is going to be painted afterwards.

 

[JohnD]

you will not readily get the same quality of joinery from the popular suppliers. You can get better quality architrave and skirting if you buy hardwood mouldings, but this will perhaps be a waste of money if you are going to paint them. I do not know a source of good-quality door linings, though I suppose if you like joinery work you could make your own. Redwood would do.

Usually if you have an older house, you will do better to retain and restore the original joinery.

You can get a local joinery works to make up mouldings to match the old, but it will be expensive.