Skirting techniques.

Northbeach · 17 Mar 2006

I've managed to succesfully cut beading using a mitre box and appropriate saw.
I'm now cutting skirting (dual faced - I'll be using the curved piece as show). Had a practice on a piece using a jigsaw set to mitre cut (45%) but these pieces are not entirely matching (they do at an angle of around 110% however).
I have just read a website proclaiming that skirting internally should not be mitred but 'scrolled':

I won't be painting these so can't get away with painting the slight gaps (I will be varnishing).
I'm tempted to see if I can find a larger mitre box (able to fit the 5 inch piece of skirting in)?

Any tips folks?

Kind thanks.

splinter · 17 Mar 2006

The word is scribed not scolled

.You should find this method easier than mitreing internal corners>as you're diagram shows one piece of skirting is fitted with a square end the other is scribed over this piece of skirting.To achieve the scribe cut a mitre on the end of the skirting ,This will then give a profile showing in end grain cut along this line and it will give you a perfect fit

big-all · 17 Mar 2006

as splinter said you can highlight the edge where you need to cut with a pencil[lightly] you can cut the main strait bit with a mitre or normal saw undercutting by about 3degrees
and cut the curves and angles again undercutting away from the front edge but finnishing at right angles as the blade hits the the top face
use a hand jigsaw for this
the reason for undercutting is to make it easier if you have to adjust the skirting to fit you only have to adjust a thin edge so easy to do

Northbeach · 17 Mar 2006

Many thanks for all this.
What I did do meanwhile however, was nip down to the hardware store and pick up another larger mitre box (two in the space of two days...how I coped before the days of broadband, widescreen and mitre boxes I will never know

).
This box is not quite as high as the skirting (which is 5 " - I know you can obtain larger boxes, complete with saws as pictured below, but this pushed the budget up somewhat) so for the first few cuts you have to line up the saw with the angles below - but it turned out fine - much better than my attempts with a jigsaw which I found very tricky as you navigate over the curved top/bottom - an art form perhaps?

Bearing in mind I can probably get a very good cut and match from this method would you advise going for the scrol....sorry scribed technique?

...oh and any thoughts on the glueing skirting to brickwork query? Should be ok?

Many thanks.

ps - just read some of the DIY disasters - made me extra careful - especially with feisty jigsaws.

splinter · 17 Mar 2006

Try using a coping saw to any moulding or angles that maybe on the top of the skirting

noseall · 17 Mar 2006

as the boys said, always scribe your internal corners and allow for a little plasterers "bulge" which will kick your skirting out a little.

Northbeach · 17 Mar 2006

When I ripped the old skirting out it took away all the old plaster which I then replastered - that plasterer's 'bulge' will be down to me!

This scroll cutting sounds more foxy than mitre cutting the internal bits to me (haven't quite got it sorted in my head yet - undercutting and 3 degrees is losing me a little

) but I'll go with your expert advice and give it a practice on the morrow.
The diagram I posted

exactly matches the first bit of skirting I'm attempting - the external bits are the brick fireplace....so if there are no other external bits in the room then there should not be anymore mitred cuts...right?

splinter · 17 Mar 2006

SCRIBE!!!!

big-all · 17 Mar 2006

you dont have to undercut but as your walls are not going to be accurate you are giving yourself 10 times more work for the same result

mitre externals and scribe internals

Northbeach · 18 Mar 2006

SCRIBE!!!!

It's what I meant!! Scroll sounds like a Tolkien shoe anyhow.

you dont have to undercut but as your walls are not going to be accurate you are giving yourself 10 times more work for the same result

Perfectly willing to undercut...just not sure as to which context 'undercut' refers to and how I actually undercut...bear in mind this is the first time I've played with skirting boards and mitre cuts!

mitre externals and scribe internals

.
That's my weekend mantra - cheers Big All

splinter · 18 Mar 2006

What Big -All is refering to when he used the term " undercut" is:-after you have cut a mitre which gives you a profile in end grain wood . When you cut this end grain off to give you a scribe .Rather than hold you're saw square , hold it at a slight angle so when you cut the" scroll"this in effect will mean the front edge of the skirting will touch the other piece of skirting and the back won't,
This gives you the oppertunity to trim up the front edge of the scribe with a sharp chisiel if the joint is not a 100% fit ,rather than the whole thickness of the scribe

Northbeach · 18 Mar 2006

Right - I think I might have sussed this thanks to your extensive advice!

Feel free to correct me but this is how I now see it:

The diagram posted is pretty much the same lengths of skirting I'm about to start on -

(1)So the piece of skirting on the left is mitred on one end (where it meets the external) and the other end if a straight flat cut.

(2)I have to cut a template piece from a spare piece of wood (or unused external piece - short if possible) to a mitred 45 degree cut. This is then placed on the scribe cut piece so the mitred cut end grain piece lies flat.

(3)Once the end is flat against the to-be-scribed piece I can pencil the 'profile' on said piece - this should be an exact profile of the skirting (depending on which facing front you are using).

(4)You can then cut this profile ('undercut' at a slight angle - I understand this now as I have just tried to match a piece up - didn't match perfectly but as I twisted the scribed piece forwards the back of the skirting wedged out the front) and slide it into place against the flat cut piece.

Hey presto! Sound ok?
Like I said, I gave it a go and immediatley understood the process. Slight gap in the middle but then jigsaws can be a bit 'drunk' sometimes...I'll pick up a swift coping saw.

I guess some of the terminology was throwing me a bit.
Many thanks folks.

Northbeach · 18 Mar 2006

btw...Am I taking mitre cut to always meand a 45 degree angle? Does the profile have to be copied from an end grain from a 45o angle of could I use the profile from a flat straight cut...won't it be the same just a little easier to hold the template in place?

big-all · 18 Mar 2006

All you do is mitre it at 45 exactly the same as if its going to be a mitred join then cut the profile off the exposed grain on the bit your using and disgard the 45% offcut.

You could do it with an offcut to mark the line but its not easy.

If the skirting you are scribing up to leans forward or back a tad you can compensate by using a sliding bevel to give you a line to work to and use an off cut to mark

Hitachimad · 18 Mar 2006

I expect the reason the jigsaw idea failed miserably is its very unlikely that the 45degree makk stamped into the base of any jigsaw is accurate, so seting up with a protractor or mitre square would have helped.

But the way you will be doing it now will be better anyway.

diynot

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.

Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

Skirting techniques.

Similar threads