Original Skirts - repair or replace ?

[Rake722]

Hi All, I’m beginning some works on our Edwardian semi.

It has a room with 9 inch original skirt in mediocre condition. The 2 short chimney breast sections are missing but only 12-18 inches long.

Would it be best to spend the time sanding and making good such slits or replace with modern 9 inch Victorian profile skirts ?

TIA

 

[Lacan07]

One of my biggest regrets on my renovation was ripping out and dumping all the skirting board within the first week. What was I thinking!

Apart from anything else your original skirting will be of good quality wood, cut to size, and perfectly acclimatised to the house. If its in sound condition carefully remove it, mark which wall it belongs too, and restore it for reuse. Honestly it will save you so much time and money.

 

[Mart]

Definitely reuse if you can, will you be taking it all off?

That part in front of the fireplace wouldn't be original. If you're planning on putting a fireplace back in you could repurpose it for the missing side sections?

 

[Rake722]

Thanks ! I was thinking that replacing would be less time consuming than sanding filling and repainting. It’s all original and shares the same profile, even the section covering the breast.

I had not intended on removing it. I was going to sand it in situ.

I just need to find another couple of pieces to replace the lost pieces at the sides of the chimney breast

 

[Lacan07]

I had not intended on removing it. I was going to sand it in situ.

Even better, just a light sanding to provide a key, fill any major defects, and away you go .

 

[Lacan07]

Thanks ! I was thinking that replacing would be less time consuming than sanding filling and repainting.

No, as soon as you remove that old skirting you'll likely pull half the plaster off the wall with it.

That wood will be way better quality than the expensive crap they sell today, and good luck finding anything that is straight and true which makes the job of cutting the corners in an old house virtually impossible, as if it wasn't already difficult. Many people plump for crappy MDF when replacing skirting because it doesn't warp when acclimatising to the house. The list of reasons not to replace skirting just mount up and up. I'd only ever change skirting if it had suffered rot virtue of a damp wall.

 

[Rake722]

Thank you ! I’m heading over today so will grab a few images. I sanded the skirt and arch’s in the adjoining room and whisky not perfect that are nice.

 

[fernicarry]

As others have said, definitely try to save and re-use. Unless you are very fortunate you will struggle to get an exact match to the profile off the shelf. Reproductions tend to be scaled down and often simplify details to make them easier to machine. That might be good enough for the short returns that you need to replace as they aren't very visible. Joinery shops can make exact copies to order but it'll be expensive in small quantities and will obviously be made with modern stock.

The skirtings are probably in two parts, the moulding along the top which usually rests at an angle against the wall and the main flat board below it. The flat board is easy to strip with a good carbide scraper and you can fill and sand defects to tidy it up. I don't go too crazy with the filling so that it still looks like its had a bit of a life but cleaning up screw holes and poor repairs and giving a few nice smooth coats of paint makes a big difference.

When cleaning up the moulding I usually concentrate on the top edge where it meets the wall. I dig out all the caulking between skirting and wall (wallpaper steamer softens it up), carefuilly sand or use a shave hook to clean up the profile and then caulk the join again _after_ I put the lining paper on. Its tedious work but to my eye having a good crisp join between elements matters more than the individual elements being absolutely perfect.

You've got some nice period details in that room like the bead around the outside corners of the chimney breast. It should look fabulous with a bit of sympathetic recomissioning.

 

[Rake722]

As others have said, definitely try to save and re-use. Unless you are very fortunate you will struggle to get an exact match to the profile off the shelf. Reproductions tend to be scaled down and often simplify details to make them easier to machine. That might be good enough for the short returns that you need to replace as they aren't very visible. Joinery shops can make exact copies to order but it'll be expensive in small quantities and will obviously be made with modern stock.

The skirtings are probably in two parts, the moulding along the top which usually rests at an angle against the wall and the main flat board below it. The flat board is easy to strip with a good carbide scraper and you can fill and sand defects to tidy it up. I don't go too crazy with the filling so that it still looks like its had a bit of a life but cleaning up screw holes and poor repairs and giving a few nice smooth coats of paint makes a big difference.

When cleaning up the moulding I usually concentrate on the top edge where it meets the wall. I dig out all the caulking between skirting and wall (wallpaper steamer softens it up), carefuilly sand or use a shave hook to clean up the profile and then caulk the join again _after_ I put the lining paper on. Its tedious work but to my eye having a good crisp join between elements matters more than the individual elements being absolutely perfect.

You've got some nice period details in that room like the bead around the outside corners of the chimney breast. It should look fabulous with a bit of sympathetic recomissioning.

Thank you very much. I will do as you suggest and leave them in place and try to recommission them sympathetically I’m now working on the main lounge in that property removing all the years worth of wallpaper layers and paint layers with a view to ending up with a neoclassical look room fresh plaster walls And preserving the mouldings and original feature features such as the lincrusta frieze this downstairs room has what appears to be 11 inch skirting board all around which will definitely be preserved. It’s just a shame that it needs so much work. It’s a big old house and I’ve taken on more than I couldn’t chew.

 

[Rake722]

On a sidenote, the skirtings on this particular property are not double or one on top of another they’re all one piece.

 

[Oldhouseissues]

Hello, what a lovely property - I just wondered - being curious- if you’re replastering with gypsum?

 

[Rake722]

Hello, what a lovely property - I just wondered - being curious- if you’re replastering with gypsum?

Perhaps. I’m aiming for just a skim.