Skirting Board Tools

Complete list of the tools I use when installing skirting boards

I've put together a list on this page of all the skirting board tools you need if you want to get perfect joints, mitres, scribes and to fix the boards firmly to each othert and the walls. Each tool has a quick description of where/why I use it:

If you are a DIYer or new to carpentry, think about investing in a chopsaw. I've got a huge DEWALT saw but you don't need to spend loads of money, Screwfix Direct have a great range of good saws and often have promotions on so you should be able to get a deal. Skirting is possible with a hand powered mitre saw, but only a power saw can cut the really fine amounts off for absolutely perfect mitres.

Self explanatory, for trim/finish carpentry work like skirting boards I use a 8m pocket tape.

I've got a Faithfull Leg Divider / Compass also to scribe internal corners. Quite often boards are cupped or not 100% flat/upright. In these instances the compass can be used to scribe the exact shape onto the next board for a perfect fit. Once the shape is scribed onto the next board, if it's not straight I use a jigsaw and/or coping saw to cut it.

The coping saw is like a hand powered jigsaw with a finer blade. Essential for cutting the intricate details when scribing internal corner joints. I use a Fat Max coping saw

Gripfill to stick skirting to walls, PVA to glue mitres. There are a few types of wood glue in my toolkit to help fix skirting boards in place.

You need a sharp pencil to mark accurate lines to cut to. Instead of using chunky carpenters pencils I use a sharp HB.

If you're a DIY carpenter, unless you do a lot of carpentry work you might not be able to justify the cost. If you can, get yourself a Dewalt nailgun like the one on the right. I used to have a Paslode, but it always needed servicing and would often not fire, rally annoying when you're holding timber. It's so frustrating when you've spent a lot of money on a tool and it lets you down. I'm sure the new ones have got a lot better since my old one, but my Dewalt fires nails faster than I ever need and the only thing that's gone wrong with it since I bought it is that the firing pin bent - because I fired into hard masonry. It was my fault, and it cost me £12 to fix. Other than that all I pay for is nails, no gas or regular servicing like the old Paslode. For skirting, I use it to pin mitres together and also with long nails to fix MDF skirting boards to the walls. The pins hold it in place while the 'no more nails' (a type of glue) sticks it.

I've written a whole page about fixing skirting boards because there are so many different types of boards and walls, the best way to fix is different for each.

These obviously aren't just skirting board tools but get used for loads of other carpentry jobs as well. Click here to go back to the main skirting page