How to Install Skirting Boards on a Brick Wall (DIY Guide)

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Tools and equipment Step-by-step guide Installation Tips

Fixing skirting boards to brick walls: an introduction

Skirting boards are a great addition to every Australian house. They hide the gaps between the floor and the wall, prevent wall marks from furniture, and add special design details to enhance any room.

If you have plasterboard walls, installing skirting boards is a simple DIY process; however, with brickwork, it takes a little bit more work.

Tools for installing skirting boards on brick walls

Before you start, gather everything below. Fixing skirting boards to a brick wall calls for a few extra items you would not need on a plasterboard job.

Skirting boards
Wall plugs
5mm solid timber dowel plugs
Intrim Intense Power Adhesive
Combination saw
Hammer
Coping saw
Drill
65mm nails or screws
5mm masonry drill bit
Nail punch
Sandpaper
Wood putty
Acrylic gap filler
Spirit level
Ear muffs
Builders pencil
Tape measure

How to attach skirting boards to brick walls: a step-by-step guide

Follow these nine steps to fix skirting boards to a brick wall securely, from the first cut to the final coat of paint.

Step 1: Cut the skirting board to suit the length of the wall

Just make sure you allow extra for the mitred joints. To do this, you need to cut at a 45° angle to create the mitres where needed.

Step 2: Create a scribe joint where the skirting meets at the corner and butt one side into the corner

In order to scribe the second piece, cut a 45° angle into the skirting and use the coping saw to cut along the line where the face of the skirting meets the angled cut, then butt the second piece into the first skirting board to fit into place.

Step 3: Mark the walls for the plugs

This will allow you to nail or screw the skirting boards into the brick. To do this, place the skirting board into position and drive a nail or screw through the face of the skirting board until it hits and marks the brick wall.

Step 4: Remove the skirting board

Then, using the marks left by the nail or screw as your guide, drill into the brickwork with a 5mm masonry drill bit to create a fixing hole for the wall plug.

Step 5: Hammer white wall plug or solid timber dowels into place

Tap the wall plug or timber dowel into the drilled hole until it sits flush with the brick face, ready to take the nail or screw.

Step 6: Apply high-tack construction adhesive along the rear face of the skirting board

Stick it to the wall firmly, hold it in place, and hammer the nails or drive the screws through the skirting board and into the wall plugs until fixed securely.

Step 7: Fix nails or screws in place

If you used nails to fix, use the nail punch to countersink the nail head so they sit below the surface of the skirting.

Step 8: Fill the holes with wood putty

Let it dry and sand over them until they are smooth. Also, fill the gaps between the skirting and the wall, as well as the corners, with gap filler.

Step 9: Installation complete

Once all is filled, you can use your selected paint to paint your skirting, and you're done! Adding skirting to a brickwork wall will add dimension and style to your interior, helping you create the spectacular interior of your dreams.

How to fit skirting boards to brick walls: expert tips

Tip 1

We recommend using pine material skirting boards, given the importance of the nailing or screw fixing to the brick wall, as MDF does not have the same fixing properties, which can cause nails or screws to become loose or pull through over time.

Tip 2

Intrim offers Intrim Intense Power Adhesive, which is strong enough to use as a direct glue to the wall adhesive. You can stick your skirting boards directly to the wall without the need for any fixings such as nails, dowel, or screws! We recommend you trial one piece first, prior to using it for the overall job, and ensure the surface you are gluing the mouldings to is clean and free of flaking paint and other matter that may affect the bond quality.

Tip 3

If a nail or screw will not grip, you have likely hit a mortar joint rather than solid brick. Move the fixing point 20 to 30mm along the board into the brick face itself, since mortar rarely holds a wall plug as securely as brick does.

For guidance on fixing other moulding types, browse our full range of product installation guides.

Can you nail skirting boards to a brick wall?

Yes. Skirting boards can be nailed to a brick wall once you have drilled fixing holes and inserted wall plugs or timber dowels, as covered in the step-by-step guide above. Nailing directly into bare brick without a plug will not hold, so the drilling and plugging steps are not optional extras.

Should I use pine or MDF skirting boards on a brick wall?

Pine is the better choice for a brick wall installation, since it holds a nail or screw fixing more reliably than MDF over time.

Do I need adhesive as well as nails or screws?

Not necessarily. Intrim Intense Power Adhesive is strong enough to fix skirting boards directly to a brick wall on its own, without nails, dowels, or screws. Trial one piece first and make sure the wall surface is clean and free of flaking paint before committing to the full run.

How do you remove skirting boards from a brick wall?

Score along the top edge of the skirting board with a utility knife to break the paint seal, then work a flat bar gently behind the board near each fixing point and lever it away from the wall. Because skirting on brick is fixed into wall plugs rather than timber studs, expect the plugs to stay in the wall – fill and sand the holes before repainting or fixing new skirting.

How long should I wait before painting new skirting boards?

Let any wood putty and gap filler dry fully before sanding and painting. If you have fixed the boards with adhesive rather than nails or screws, check the product datasheet for its recommended cure time before painting over it.

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How to Install Skirting Boards on a Brick Wall