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Project guide

How much skirting board do I need?

Skirting runs round every wall except the doorways. Measure the walls, take off the doors, add an allowance for the cuts and divide by the length you are buying.

Updated Based on manufacturer guidance, sources below

The short answer

Skirting = 2 x (length + width) - doorways (0.8m each), plus 10%, divided by the board length. A 4 x 3.5m room with one door needs 14.2m of skirting, 15.6m with 10% extra, which is 4 lengths of 4.4m.

The formula

  • Run (m) = 2 x (length + width) + extra wall - doorways x 0.8
  • Lengths = run x 1.1 / board length, rounded up
  • Never fewer than one length per wall
  • Grab adhesive = run / 6m per 350ml cartridge

Worked example

A 4 x 3.5m room, one doorway, 4.4m boards:

  • Run: 2 x (4 + 3.5) = 15m, less 0.8m for the door = 14.2m
  • With 10%: 15.6m, so 15.6 / 4.4 = 3.55, which is 4 lengths
  • Check by wall: 4 walls, each under 4.4m, so at least 4 lengths. Same answer.
  • Grab adhesive: 14.2 / 6 = 3 cartridges

Work it out for your job

Change the measurements and the quantities update straight away.

Skirting run
14.2 m
With 10% for cuts
15.6 m
Lengths of 4.4m
4

Your list

  • 4Skirting boards, 4.4m lengths
  • 3Grab adhesive, 350ml cartridges
  • 2Decorator's caulk, 380ml
Price this skirting list

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Materials checklist

  • Skirting boardsSold in set lengths. Choose the length that gives the fewest joints along each wall.
  • Grab adhesiveAlong the back of each board, with nails or screws to hold it while it sets.
  • Decorator's caulkSeals the gap between the top of the board and the wall.
  • Satinwood (optional)If the boards are not already finished.

You'll also need

  • Lost-head nails for stud walls, or wall plugs and screws for masonry
  • Mitre saw or mitre box, and a coping saw for scribed internal corners
  • Primer and undercoat if the skirting is raw timber
  • Filler for nail holes

Step by step

  1. Measure each wallMeasure along the floor, wall by wall, and add the lengths. Take off each doorway.
  2. Plan the jointsKeep joints away from the middle of long walls, and put short pieces in the least visible places.
  3. Cut the cornersMitre outside corners and scribe inside corners so they stay tight if the walls move.
  4. FixGrab adhesive on the back, then nails into studs or plugs and screws into masonry.
  5. FinishFill the nail holes, caulk the top edge and paint.

Tips from the manufacturers

  • Mitre the outside corners and scribe the inside ones, so the joints stay tight if the walls move.
  • If a wall is longer than your board, join with an angled (scarf) cut so the joint shows less.
  • Buy one more length than the sum if you are new to mitring: one wrong cut costs a whole length.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Forgetting to take the doorways off, or taking off more than the opening.
  • Adding up the room perimeter but ignoring extra wall such as a chimney breast or alcoves.
  • Cutting both pieces of an inside corner as mitres, which opens up when the wall moves.

Frequently asked questions

How do I work out how much skirting I need?

Add the length of every wall, take off each doorway, add 10% for cuts and divide by the length of board you are buying.

How much waste should I allow?

About 10% for mitres, scribed joints and offcuts. Add a spare length if you are not confident with mitres.

What length of skirting is best?

The length that leaves the fewest joints on each wall. Boards in our list are 4.4m.

Sources

Quantities are estimates for typical jobs, using the coverage figures above. Products vary, so check the data sheet for the product you buy, and talk to a professional for structural, electrical or gas work. SmartBuild is independent and not affiliated with any of the manufacturers listed.

How much paint do I need for a room?To work out how much paint you need for a room, measure the walls, take off doors and windows, multiply by the number of coats and divide by 12. Here is the rule, a worked example and a calculator that does it for you. How much laminate flooring do I need?Measure the room length and width to get the area in m², add 10% for cuts, then add underlay, beading for the expansion gap and a door bar for each doorway. Fitting an internal door: what do I need to buy?Hanging a door is more than the door. This list covers the door, hinges, handle and latch, the lining, the gap filler and the architrave, and how many of each you need for more than one door.

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