Primed MDF skirting boards are designed to give a clean painted finish at the junction between internal walls and floors. Good results depend on careful measuring, clean cuts and proper finishing after fitting.
Before fitting
Store the skirting indoors and allow it to acclimatise before installation. Check the walls, corners and door openings before cutting. Older rooms may not be perfectly square, so measure each run rather than assuming opposite walls are identical.
Measure the room carefully
Skirting is measured by linear length, but the real requirement depends on doorways, returns, mitres, recesses, awkward corners and waste from cutting. A simple calculator can give false precision, so measure the actual room and allow a sensible waste margin.
Cutting and fixing
Use suitable woodworking tools for clean cuts. Fixing method depends on the wall and site conditions, but primed MDF skirting is commonly fitted with suitable grab adhesive, pins or lost-head nails. Follow the fixing manufacturer's instructions and make sure the substrate is sound.
Seal cut edges
Factory-primed faces still need proper finishing. Seal cut ends and exposed edges before final decoration, especially where the MDF core has been exposed by cutting.
Final painting
After fitting, fill and sand fixing points where needed, then apply the chosen finishing coats. Primed MDF is supplied as a base for final painting, not as a finished decorative coat.
Browse Wern-Wood's current primed MDF skirting boards and matching architrave.
