I have just taken delivery of a load of Oak Archetrave and skirting
boards for my newly plastered hallway.

I made sure that I got 7 inch skirting as we have that annoying 2 inch
gap where the wall cannot be plastered coz of the injected DPC.

All my life I have fitted pine/softwood and now I have to work with
Oak.

I have bought myself a bench grinder for the chisels .. a scroll saw
for the profiles and already have a dewalt cross cut saw nice and
sharp.

I have a few problems ..

a) the walls are not entirely flat ... will my Oak pull away or should
I be brave and fix hard into the wall?

b) what fixings to use?

c) Should I pre drill nail holes for archetrave?

d) What sort of nails for the archetrave?

e) Do I plug and sink the screws for the skirting using plug cutter
plugs?

f) where on the timber should I fix .....5 inches up on the skirting
where its stil square wood or lower? How many fixing per foot etc?

g) How do I fix the archetrave ? Normally I would try and hide nails in
the thin part of the contoured edge but will it split as its Oak?

I would appreciate any guidance here - this timber cost me a packet and
I can't afford to ruin it :-)

cheers all,

jON