Mini skirts are the most fashionable skirts of the season. However, some midi skirts and long skirts are stylish this year, too. Still, if anyone asks you what skirts are in fashion for spring summer 2021, simply say – mini skirts are in fashion!

A skirt is the lower part of a dress or a separate outer garment that covers a person from the waist downwards. At its simplest, a skirt can be a draped garment made out of a single piece of fabric (such as pareos).

Skirts differentiate female from male and are physical markers of sex and gender (and conflate the two) confirming “traditional” gender identities. “They have, therefore, implications for how girls are treated, viewed and, most importantly, for how they are able to move.”

Types of Skirting

• Pencil Skirting.
• Wooden Skirting.
• Metal Skirting.
• Continued Skirting.
• Flush Skirting.
• Double Layered Skirting.

A more functional purpose of skirting boards is to act as protection for the wall from abrasion, accidental knocks from furniture, wear and tear, and so on. They can also be used to hide unsightly wall or floor edges which may be uneven and untidy.

Skirting and Dado are both meant to make the walls smooth and prevent water absorption. Dado is that part of the wall below the dado rail and above the skirting. Usually below waist height. Skirting is the bottom part of the wall running along the base.

Skirting boards alternatives

• New skirting. New Skirting fitting.
• Undercutting. This alternative is mostly used when the skirting boards cannot be changed but the end result should match the one obtained with a new skirting.
• Scotia Beading. Scotia beading not recommended.
• MDF strip overlay.
• Shadow Gap.
• Simple joint of the wooden floor with walls.

As for removing the skirting boards, personally I would leave them on and a good tiler can scribe the tiles to the skirting boards, giving you a professional finish. It is always best to take the skirting off first to give you the best finish possible.

You will also have gaps under the skirting if you lay it over the tiles, as you will be doing very well to lay them all perfectly flat – plus you will have the grout gaps. This needs to be sealed after the fact and then your skirting has to be cut in to the tiles. Much easier to paint the skirting before tiling.

T & P. APM’s right about tiling down to the floor but if you want to keep the skirting board then putting the skirting board on top of the tiles means that you keep the full profile of the skirting which looks much better.

Using both the hammer & chisel should ensure the skirting boards come away with ease. Crow Bar (Pry Bar)– The pry bar (or crowbar) will help you remove the skirting boards completely. Use a piece of wood for leverage to avoid damaging the plasterboard that is likely underneath.

When installing carpets, it is best to fit the skirting boards first. With carpet, skirting boards can be fitted to the floor.

On average, the cost of hiring a professional carpenter to replace skirting boards and architrave for a medium-size room in the UK is between £150-£200. However, it is important to understand the many costs affecting factors that contribute to the total price of your project.

To remove your skirting board, find the weakest spot (this is usually a corner) and place the flat part of the crowbar against the wall by the weak point. Then, grab a hammer to knock the crowbar underneath the skirting board so that it starts to lift off the wall, allowing space for the crowbar to fit between the gap.

Fitting your skirting boards In a standard box-shaped room, it’s usually easiest to start from the left side of the door and work your way around the room in an anti-clockwise direction. If you have plasterboard walls, instant-grab adhesive is the easiest way to attach skirting to the walls.

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.

Due to the high level of moisture, timber can begin to break down and create localised decay. Timber features such as skirting boards, window sills and floorboards often show physical signs of decay caused by wet rot such as paint work on timber becoming damaged and flaky.

Caulk: Generally made of flexible acrylic, mastic caulk has a smooth plastic type texture. Best used for filling gaps between skirting boards, doorframes or the edges of shelves and the wall.

For a secure fit, nails are a good option – especially when used in conjunction with adhesive. If you choose to use nails, we’d recommend adhering the skirting to the wall with adhesive first and then pinning the skirting with the nails. This makes it easier to pin the skirting straight away once it’s against the wall.

Use Selleys Light Speed Caulking Gun to apply beads of Liquid Nails Fast Grab to the top and bottom of the back of the skirting board surface. Bring the surfaces together and maneuver the skirting board into the desired position. The product is repositionable for 20 minutes after fitting.