Skirting Boards & Architraves

Traditionally the skirting board was developed to hide the junction between floor and plastered wall. Plaster often developed cracks and rough edges and the skirting board was a neat way to cover this up. As well, it covers the rough ends of carpet.

Over time the skirting board came to achieve additional benefits such as preventing drafts, hiding electrical equipment and providing a barrier to protect walls from the daily activity of kids, pets, vacuum cleaners and general traffic.

However, beyond mere functionality a skirting board now provides an aesthetic completeness

While it is true that other elements of home design are larger in terms of impact, getting the design of your skirting boards right makes a big difference. They frequently act as a conduit in blending colour and style themes between rooms. They ensure your objective of consistency and a décor that is pleasing to the eye.

The factors to consider therefore are 1) style, 2) colour, 3) material and 4) finish. All these details need to be combined as they add up to the perfect decorative completion of your build or renovation.

Contemporary or period?

In modern homes often a plain, minimalist skirting board without intricate detail will work.

But it is possible that a period style will too, especially when great care is taken with its colour and by teaming it with the right furniture and furnishings.

It is important to note though that this will not apply in the reverse scenario, i.e. a contemporary skirting in a period home, because they mostly have other features such as door or wall trims and dado rails that must be matched.

It is all about getting the balance right!  

Take for example Georgian and Victorian style homes. These mostly have tall and airy rooms – some up to 3 metres – which will accommodate high and more ornate skirtings.

Then Edwardian homes, which are not quite so spacious. Or the contemporary home with a 2.4 metre ceiling height. Skirtings for these must be kept in proportion, not only with the height of the ceilings but the size of the room.

Skirting styles cannot be mixed and matched in different rooms, adjacent corridors and certainly not in the same room! Some traditional or period style skirtings have such distinctive ridges and mouldings that this would not be possible anyway.

First, decide what you are wanting to achieve in your home build, addition or renovation. These are some factors to keep in mind…….

1) Space. A commonly held belief is that large skirting boards can only be used in big rooms with high ceilings. But if you are wanting to create a cosy space, a higher-than-normal skirting is something you can experiment with. Similarly, to create an impression of extra spaciousness you can keep the skirtings smaller in a large area. Ask our team to show you some sample decors.

2) Height. A good starting point is the following chart:

The above are suggestions only. Any skirting 185mm high or more we consider to be large skirtings. 185mm suits most new homes. A more “busy” profile generally looks better in a room with more space available. In a smaller room – if you are using a high-profile style – we would recommend a design with more “breathing space”, i.e. with 50% of flat space in its profile.

Think about what you want to achieve. Do you want a dramatic effect, a cosy space or just to open your room out?

Do you want the skirtings to stand out as a piece of architectural art, or do you want to just enhance the décor of your room?

Once you have chosen the skirting board the next decision to make is about the architraves.

While most people will choose the same profile – in a smaller height – it is possible to mix and match profiles to achieve a look that is both interesting and beautiful.

Following are some recommendations which will help in getting the mix right:

1) Architrave widths for different door heights recommendations:

2) Skirting and architrave combination recommendations:

The most commonly used combinations are:

• 135mm skirting with 90mm architrave
• 185mm skirting with 90mm architrave

A skirting block is a great choice when using different profiles, thicknesses or heights for skirting and architraves. It means that the two profiles can be placed side by side without looking out of place.

The following is a guide:

The colour scheme you choose is a big factor in achieving the desired result – a pleasing overall look – with either coloured or neutral toned skirting boards. Here are some ideas:

•  Coloured skirtings with white or off-white walls. This helps to “frame” a room and offers scope for toning wall decorations,
•  White or cream skirtings with coloured walls. This places the emphasis on the skirtings, so it is important to install a good style and finish as any imperfections will be noticeable. Care needs to be taken with this as it is easy to get wrong.
•  Walls and skirtings in the same colour but with the subtle variation of having the skirtings a shade lighter or darker. Or skirtings and walls the same colour. Either of these give a seamless appearance and both are a popular statement in contemporary homes. Both approaches give the impression of greater space.

It is a mistake to ignore the importance of the material you choose for your skirting boards. It is a big factor in how they look, how easy they are to fit and how long they will last.

Finger-joined pine is our preferred timber for both skirting and architraves. If you are looking for a natural, lasting product you cannot beat it. It is available in 5.4metre lengths and is straight and stable. Available in FSC certified timber it is also good for the environment.

However, MDF is widely used for skirting in modern homes. Its limitation is that it cannot be machined or formed in the same way as natural wood and therefore cannot be used for period styles. For a contemporary look in a contemporary home it is both suitable and affordable. Factors to consider are that it does not offer the longer life span of natural wood, being susceptible to warping, chips and cracks, and may need to be replaced sooner than you would like.

If you are spending the money on your building project it is often worth spending that little bit extra to get the qualities that natural wood offers.

Learn more about the differences between FJ pine and MDF here:

Primed or Un-primed?

Put simply, primed mouldings are those that have been coated with a primer before leaving our factory. After they have been installed, they then only need painting with your final colour.

This is fast becoming the preferred option as it saves time and money for the end user.

Extra lead time must be allowed for if you choose this option. Normally it will add only a few days to your expected delivery date.

When choosing your skirting boards & architraves you need to analyse how much traffic the skirting is going to have to cope with and how soon you may need to replace them. Plus in an addition or renovation, how are they going to look adjacent to existing rooms?

Also consider the aesthetics of the finished room, so consider other features such as chair rails, picture rails, wainscoting and other wall panelling designs.

Keeping to a budget? A cost-saving option is to reduce the skirting thickness without altering its height. This can often give you the profile you want but at a cheaper price. We estimate that while skirtings and architraves are less than 1.2% of the overall project costs, the impact they make and the value they add is far greater.

Aim for consistency. Practicality, longevity and aesthetics combined throughout your project will give you years of satisfaction. Skirtings must flow whether in corridors or adjoining rooms. They make far more impact than you may have thought!

Intrim can match and provide new mouldings exactly like your existing skirting profile. This is particularly valuable when renovating or adding to a period home. And it is not as expensive as you may imagine. Factors to consider are a) the custom set-up fee and b) what is the minimum amount that you must order. It can be alot cheaper than replacing the entire house with new mouldings when you only need them for an extension.

To accurately work this out, you will need to measure the rooms, doorways and window frames. To learn how to do this see the guide here.

We also offer a free take-off service for our account customers, where we work out the requirements for you. Simply submit your project details, plans & window schedule. Learn more here.

We have state-of-the-art machinery to produce spectacular curved architraves,  arches, and custom made curved timber mouldings to specification. Skirting boards and wainscoting mouldings can be produced to bend around curved walls using a flexible polyurethane material that matches the profile designs used for your flat surfaces. When painted you can’t see the difference to provide you with seamless finish throughout the project.

FJ Pine & MDF Skirting & Architrave is sold in lengths of 5.4M