To save ourselves time and energy, I thought we'd ask you guys first......
Whilst struggling with a hot air paint stripper to strip our existing
skirting boards of paint, and melting the tiles around the edges of the room
in the process, I was wondering whether the effort of stripping the existing
skirting boards and trying to save the tiles, (in the whole of our 2
bedroom flat) is actually worthwhile, or whether it would be more
cost-effective to just pull the existing skirting boards out and replace the
whole lot??? We will need to replaster all the walls anyway since we have
just rewired everything. Any thoughts??
TIA

Mara

"Mara Sheldon" wrote in message
...
To save ourselves time and energy, I thought we'd ask you guys first......
Whilst struggling with a hot air paint stripper to strip our existing
skirting boards of paint, and melting the tiles around the edges of the
room in the process, I was wondering whether the effort of stripping the
existing skirting boards and trying to save the tiles, (in the whole of
our 2 bedroom flat) is actually worthwhile, or whether it would be more
cost-effective to just pull the existing skirting boards out and replace
the whole lot??? We will need to replaster all the walls anyway since we
have just rewired everything. Any thoughts??
TIA

Mara


Almost always replace, yes, unless you are really hard up, especialliy if
you are replastering. By the time you have finished scraping the surface
will need redoing anyway. If you are replastering, then it will look better
plastered down below skirting board level with new ones on top.


--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)

Mara Sheldon wrote:
To save ourselves time and energy, I thought we'd ask you guys first......
Whilst struggling with a hot air paint stripper to strip our existing
skirting boards of paint, and melting the tiles around the edges of the room
in the process, I was wondering whether the effort of stripping the existing
skirting boards and trying to save the tiles, (in the whole of our 2
bedroom flat) is actually worthwhile, or whether it would be more
cost-effective to just pull the existing skirting boards out and replace the
whole lot??? We will need to replaster all the walls anyway since we have
just rewired everything. Any thoughts??

What sort of skirting is it?

"Mara Sheldon" wrote in message
...
To save ourselves time and energy, I thought we'd ask you guys first......
Whilst struggling with a hot air paint stripper to strip our existing
skirting boards of paint, and melting the tiles around the edges of the
room in the process, I was wondering whether the effort of stripping the
existing skirting boards and trying to save the tiles, (in the whole of
our 2 bedroom flat) is actually worthwhile, or whether it would be more
cost-effective to just pull the existing skirting boards out and replace
the whole lot??? We will need to replaster all the walls anyway since we
have just rewired everything. Any thoughts??
TIA

Mara

I'd suggest removing all skirting boards - then skim the walls, then fit new
skirtings - that what we do when refurbishing a property - you'll find you
need quite a bit of filler!
Just a tip, if you want a period look - I use 6 x 1 timber (or 7x1 for a
larger room - even bigger if you want) and sit 2'' ogee architrave on the
top - looks good and works out cheap.
Plain 6x1 for bathrooms, kitchens, and smaller rooms.
Hugh

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Mara Sheldon wrote:

To save ourselves time and energy, I thought we'd ask you guys
first...... Whilst struggling with a hot air paint stripper to strip
our existing skirting boards of paint, and melting the tiles around
the edges of the room in the process, I was wondering whether the
effort of stripping the existing skirting boards and trying to save
the tiles, (in the whole of our 2 bedroom flat) is actually
worthwhile, or whether it would be more cost-effective to just pull
the existing skirting boards out and replace the whole lot??? We will
need to replaster all the walls anyway since we have just rewired
everything. Any thoughts??
TIA

Mara

Unless the skirting needs to be anything fancy - and therefore expensive -
replace it, particularly as you're re-plastering. You'll probably damage the
walls getting the old stuff off if it's nailed on in the conventional way -
but the plaster will cover the damage. Stick the new stuff on with Gripfill,
and fill any slight gaps along the top with decorator's caulk before **
painting.

** Actually, when I did my hallway - which included new hardwood flooring, I
painted the new skirting *before* fitting it so as not to get any paint on
the floor - and just touched up the paint, as necessary, after fitting.
--
Cheers,
Set Square
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

Mara Sheldon wrote:
To save ourselves time and energy, I thought we'd ask you guys
first...... Whilst struggling with a hot air paint stripper to strip
our existing skirting boards of paint, and melting the tiles around
the edges of the room in the process, I was wondering whether the
effort of stripping the existing skirting boards and trying to save
the tiles, (in the whole of our 2 bedroom flat) is actually
worthwhile, or whether it would be more cost-effective to just pull
the existing skirting boards out and replace the whole lot??? We will
need to replaster all the walls anyway since we have just rewired
everything. Any thoughts??
TIA

Mara

Depends on what skirting your replacing with if you do decide to pull off
the skirting? I found it cheaper to replace skirting in the living room as
it saved a lot of hassle stripping the paint off and straining the heat
guns life.

--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

Thanks for all the replies....
I shall replace the old skirting boards! But while on the subject, would the
same apply for doorframes if we need to re-hang the doors to open from the
other side, ie replace frames or fill in old holes?

.........and can a skim of plaster be applied over painted walls (to cover
the channels for the new wiring and the cracks....) or do we have to scrape
all the old paint off...???
Those are the last questions for today I promise!

Mara

On Mon, 10 Oct 2005 11:53:59 +0100, Mara Sheldon
wrote:

skirting boards and trying to save the tiles, (in the whole of our 2
bedroom flat) is actually worthwhile, or whether it would be more
cost-effective to just pull the existing skirting boards out and replace
the
whole lot???

I concur with other posters that new is the way to go. If you are using
single profile skirting and you have access to a circular saw, take a
chamfer off the bottom, so that the back of the board is relieved
slightly, say 3mm. This will make the skirting sit tighter to the floor at
the front, where it shows. Dual profile already has the relief inbuilt as
the two profiles are rotated 180 degrees in the major axis of the board.
If you are really fussy, there are joiners with spindle moulders who can
make custom profiles. Depending on how much you want, the price falls for
more length. The cutters cost money to make, so the joiner has to defray
the cost of one against his fee.

John Schmitt

--
Using Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/mail/

John Schmitt wrote:
If you are really fussy, there are joiners with spindle
moulders who can make custom profiles. Depending on how much you want,
the price falls for more length. The cutters cost money to make, so the
joiner has to defray the cost of one against his fee.

Joiners? Pshaw. Just go to a BM which has a mill, they will
charge maybe £20 setting-up fee, and run sawn timber through.
It's not dear. You will need to supply a sample, or look in
their cupboard for something you like the look of.

Mara Sheldon wrote:
To save ourselves time and energy, I thought we'd ask you guys first......
Whilst struggling with a hot air paint stripper to strip our existing
skirting boards of paint, and melting the tiles around the edges of the room
in the process, I was wondering whether the effort of stripping the existing
skirting boards and trying to save the tiles, (in the whole of our 2
bedroom flat) is actually worthwhile, or whether it would be more
cost-effective to just pull the existing skirting boards out and replace the
whole lot??? We will need to replaster all the walls anyway since we have
just rewired everything. Any thoughts??

So the skirting is made of wood, not very high, nothing
special. Another question is: why are you stripping it?


while on the subject, would the same apply for doorframes if we need to
re-hang the doors to open from the other side, ie replace frames or fill
in old holes?just rewired everything. Any thoughts??


Just fill the inge rebates/holes, rub down, paint.


........and can a skim of plaster be applied over painted walls (to cover
the channels for the new wiring and the cracks....) or do we have to scrape
all the old paint off...???

Much less work to fill, I should have thought.

Set Square wrote:

Unless the skirting needs to be anything fancy - and therefore
expensive - replace it, particularly as you're re-plastering. You'll
probably damage the walls getting the old stuff off if it's nailed on
in the conventional way - but the plaster will cover the damage.
Stick the new stuff on with Gripfill, and fill any slight gaps along
the top with decorator's caulk before ** painting.

Pre primed MDF skirting is the way to go IMO. No knots to seal, no twists,
stick it on, caulk and just a coat of gloss.

Dave

In article ,
John Schmitt wrote:
I concur with other posters that new is the way to go.

I'd caution that it should be well site conditioned before use. Long
lengths of skirting used straight from the yard are likely to shrink.

--
*Why is a boxing ring square?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
John Schmitt wrote:
I concur with other posters that new is the way to go.

I'd caution that it should be well site conditioned before use. Long
lengths of skirting used straight from the yard are likely to shrink.

Nail the blaasted stuff straight on and let it
"condition" in situ, unless you want to be
banging up a load of old cupped shaken curved
xxx xxx xxx.

In message , Mara
Sheldon writes
Thanks for all the replies....
I shall replace the old skirting boards! But while on the subject, would the
same apply for doorframes if we need to re-hang the doors to open from the
other side, ie replace frames or fill in old holes?

I'd probably leave be, filing the holes isn't a great problem.

........and can a skim of plaster be applied over painted walls (to cover
the channels for the new wiring and the cracks....) or do we have to scrape
all the old paint off...???


Yes - to the former. as long as the paint layer is sound of course. Will
need priming with dilute PVA.
--
Chris French

In article ,
Chris Bacon wrote:
xxx xxx xxx.

And you, pet. ;-)

--
*I wish the buck stopped here. I could use a few.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Mara Sheldon wrote:

To save ourselves time and energy, I thought we'd ask you guys first......
Whilst struggling with a hot air paint stripper to strip our existing
skirting boards of paint, and melting the tiles around the edges of the room
in the process, I was wondering whether the effort of stripping the existing
skirting boards and trying to save the tiles, (in the whole of our 2
bedroom flat) is actually worthwhile, or whether it would be more
cost-effective to just pull the existing skirting boards out and replace the
whole lot??? We will need to replaster all the walls anyway since we have
just rewired everything. Any thoughts??
TIA

Mara


when in doubt, rip it out.

Its less labour and te capital cost of te wood is sweet **** all
compared with everythig else.

Just been going through our house refurb room to room
and replacing the skirting with new Ogee profile. We used Pine but MDF
is probably better. Remember with pine to use knotting. Bought a cheap
power sliding mitre saw from Argos fro £100 and nearly finished the
whole house.
Tip 1 Buy a power sliding mitre saw
Tip 2 Use a crow bar with caution to get skirting off
Tip 3 Use the Pink Quick Grab stuff as adhesive (better than no nails)
Tip 4 Use decorators caulk for the gaps and joints (when painted looks
great)
Tip 5 Order an extra few lengths to account for wastage and in our case
a few warped pieces.
Tip 6 Dont try to remove the old nails just knock them flat into the
plaster its quicker.
Tip 7 The odd nail will be needed if the walls are not true.

Our house is a large 4 bed detached and the skirting was less than
£200 for the entire place and looks the business
defo do it in our next place.

Matthew