Removing skirting board with damaging wall/board?

isofa

I need remove to 1m length of skirting board from a wall, which I need to chamfer down to one end, as it is preventing a door from fully opening.

What's the best method to remove the skirting board from the wall to prevent damage, and then allow me to reattach (presumably re-nail) after I've sanded it down?

Thanks :cool:

isofa

Found this, so will give it a go... http://www.diy-diary.co.uk/removing-skirting.shtml

latecomer

Before you start with those instructions I would gently tap a flat scraper down the back at the top of the boards to break the bond with the paint or any filler. Just a few mm should be enough and should prevent damage to the wall.

isofa

Cheers latecomer, will do that first, I was hoping to prise it off with a scraper, but I don't think there'll be enough leverage, even with a block of wood on the wall above it.

latecomer

You might be lucky but it depends what its been attached with. I've found Stanley Wonder bar to be invaluable with getting them off. Fantastic tool all round

27col

If you do manage to get the skirting board off without too much damage, I suggest that you glue it back on using a No-Nails type product. This would be much less stressful to the skirting board than nailing it back.

leveller2911

If its been nailed ,if you can find where the nails are punch them in ,its possible to punch them almost right through , then break the paint joint along the top and gently prize off with a thin ,wide bar (think my ones a "gorilla bar) small, wide and thin .Its easy if they are nailed into studsor blockwork, harder if they are masonary nails in brickwork.

isofa

Cheers all, managed to prize it off with a Stanley Wonderbar, although it took ages, couldn't move the nails, spent ages afterwards trying to crowbar them out of the wall, got 2 out, 2 sheared off! All done now, reattached with No-More Nails, looks great!

latecomer

Good job! I've got to do a couple of rooms this/next week to replace some damaged bits and I'm hoping it all goes to plan

isofa

andrew-b wrote: »

Personally i'd have tried to deal with it without removing. I'd get my wood chisels and a mallet out and carefully chip away, file and sand, bit of filler if needed and touch up the paint.

Andy

I did exactly this when the doors were fitted, but it was almost impossible as the door couldn't be removed to gain access properly, looked a bit of a mess! Looks perfect now, took a while to remove, but easy to get a perfect finish when it's on a workbench. Couple of coats of paint, then reaffixed with No-More-Nails glue, worked a treat!