DIY second fix joinery

[James94]

Hi all,

 

300m2 New build in progress, just about to start fitting our mdf skirting boards and architraves. The joiner who hung our doors recently advised us to adhere and mechanically fix only where needed.
 

Just wondering if anyone on here has gone down this route and what adhesive is recommended.

 

and any other advice/tips for someone who has very little experience on this large project would be appreciated.

 

james

[ProDave]

All ours are stuck with sticks like sh*t  Why would I want even pin hole nail holes in oak veneered skirting?

 

The fiddly bit can be getting temporary mechanical fixing to hold them in place while the adhesive dries.

 

Store the skirting dead flat and straight to minimise problems.

[PeterW]

Wiggly bead of cheap gap fill adhesive (Toolstation £1.20 stuff) down the middle then a bead of decorators caulk on the top edge, bead of sealant on the floor. Push the board into place and a couple of brad nails. If it’s on a chipboard floor then you can use blocks to hold it back screwed to the floor.

 

Damp rag to wipe the excess caulk and sealant off and job done

[Conor]

Our joiner used cheap ass silicone and nailed with finishing nail gun. Decorators were able to easily cover the small holes with caulk. They all look bang on.

Edited December 7, 2022 by Conor

[cwr]

I'm about a quarter the way into this job, and have experimented with various techniques. The one I've settled on is to use grab adhesive ( No Nonsense one so far, but have a box of soudal stuff to use as well) and 2.5 X 50mm lost head nails where needed, both masonry and wood. I'm MDF so filling is easy, would do something different if it was stained wood skirting, as per above suggestions.

[markc]

If skirts are MDF get a good coat of sealer on bottom edge before fitting or they soak up any moisture like a sponge if floors are hard and get mopped

[saveasteading]

8 hours ago, markc said:

If skirts are MDF

The great thing about mdf is that it bends any direction.

 

If ready painted beware the manufacturer's sticker which they always seem to put on the good side. Perhaps there is a way of removing it without the paint.

 

The thin adhesive doesn't usually grip , so works well on flat surfaces. If there are twists you need the gunky kind.

No nail holes is good, esp as non-shrink caulk always seems to shrink for me.

[James94]

Thanks for all the advice, just ordered 30 tubes of sticks like sh*t and some tubes of evo stick caulk and I’ll give your tips a go. I’ll try not to use any nails but I do have a bag of 2”oval nails if blocks fail to hold in place.

Just going to be starting on the upstairs for now as downstairs floor is to be laid in a couple of weeks time but I will remember to seal the bottom edge to prevent water damage, just tried an ogee scribe on an off cut and it’s not as easy as it looks, think a few more videos might be in order.

Regards. James

[Roundtuit]

A bit late to this, but, sticks like sh*t and 40mm panel pins into the door lining for me, just to pull it in tight. Punch the heads in and smear with filler before painting.

 

Skirting (also mdf) went on with adhesive and 50mm ovals into studs.  Scribing isn't worth the effort IMO, unless your walls are well out of true. Just 45 degree mitre on each side then mitre bond before fitting and caulk any gaps.

[James94]

Not to late the way we work, only got adhesive delivered today and two small pieces of skirting cut for walk in cupboards at the moment.

I thought you always scribed internal corner and only mitred external, I think it would certainly be easier if only I had a mitre saw that cut square ( maybe my next post best Makita saw).

Regards. James

[Roundtuit]

13 minutes ago, James94 said:

I think it would certainly be easier if only I had a mitre saw that cut square ( maybe my next post best Makita saw).

I splashed out £80 on a used Dewalt compound mitre saw; if I'd spent 4 times that much it would still have been worth every penny.  (Makita would have been first choice but hey, when you shop on Gumtree you take what you can get!)

[saveasteading]

1 hour ago, Roundtuit said:

mitre saw

I didn't know how useful a mitre saw was until I got one, by chance.

It is a battery powered one, so not what a professional would want, but for diy it is superb.

I  can't cut straight, so this was just the business esp for mouldings.

[Declan52]

14 hours ago, James94 said:

Not to late the way we work, only got adhesive delivered today and two small pieces of skirting cut for walk in cupboards at the moment.

I thought you always scribed internal corner and only mitred external, I think it would certainly be easier if only I had a mitre saw that cut square ( maybe my next post best Makita saw).

Regards. James

There are usually adjustment screws on the swivel where you use a roofing square if you have one against the side guides then bring the blade down and move it left or right to make it square then tighten the screws back up.

 

 

 

[Tims]

14 hours ago, James94 said:

Not to late the way we work, only got adhesive delivered today and two small pieces of skirting cut for walk in cupboards at the moment.

I thought you always scribed internal corner and only mitred external, I think it would certainly be easier if only I had a mitre saw that cut square ( maybe my next post best Makita saw).

Regards. James

 

 

I'd definitely scribe the inside corners especially with ogre, on a true 90 degree internal corner mitre may look great at first but opens up and looks rough if anything expands and contracts where as the scribed inner corner will cover the gap for a bigger movement (words of the 60 year old time served joiner who showed my how to do skirting) it should only add 5 to 10 minutes a corner once you get the hang of it.

Edited December 9, 2022 by Tims