The correct way to install skirting is to scribe the internal corners.Before you start though,you need to decide which wall to start on.Good carpenters will "fix in to the light",which means that you plan your joins so that you don't look in to any gaps that may occur due to movement.So when you walk in to the room and look in to the corners in front of you,you shouldn't be able to see in to any gaps that may be present.Once you have planned your cuts,start with the piece opposite the door(usually).Cut square ends on both ends (unless you have an external corner at one end) and fix to the wall.Professional carpenters don't rely on liquid nails and no more skills for skirting.If you have timber walls,then nail and punch in to each stud,preferably with a nail gun.If you have brick,concrete or other masonry,then use a rotary hammer drill and insert some spaghetti and nail.To cut the scribe I will explain how to cut the piece on the left of the piece you have just installed which is on the wall opposite the door.Using the dropsaw ,mitre saw,mitrebox,circular saw,cut the end at 45 degrees,as if you were mitreing the two pieces.Then lay the board on it's back on saw stools,with the cut on your right hand side.Looking down on the cut,along the line where the cut meets the face of the board,you will see the shape of the skirting.Magic! Using a coping saw,carefully cut along this line,slightly undercutting the board so that nothing will be in the way when you put the joint together.Hey presto,you now have cut the exact shape of the skirting on the end of the board.Fit the board and nail.Chase yourself around the room in the same fashion until all skirting is complete.If you want to have much less chance of having gaps develop at your joins,then use timber instead of mdf,even if it is only pine.
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