Skirting board in conservatory

stoker48

Just had conservatory built.
Waiting for floor screed to dry ( another week) before floor tiles fitted.

Builders have cut skirting and will
Fit after my tiler been.
The skirting looks like pine with knots etc.
The builder said I should prime and undercoat prior to him
Fitting.
The skirting board looked ok when they first left it ( albeit with knots and some holes) but in the week since they left it and me having chance to first prime, splits have started to appear.

Is this normal?
Why did it occur?
Should I ask builder to replace? If I
Do will it only happen again?
Is there a better board they should have used?

I'm on my own and already had a few issues with the builders. I'm not looking to be stroppy with them but would really appreciate your help.

Thank you

Sunshine62

Shouldn't split that quickly. Its likely to split more if fixed with nails. Where were the splits ? on the knots.....shouldn't really be holes, that's why you get new ones! maybe a dodgy batch. Hard to say without seeing.


I used pre-prime MDF skirtings throughout when I decorated, no knots to deal with either, no holes and they are recommended these days by damp experts. Bought ours at Wickes and they were not terribly expensive, probably not much difference to buying wood.


If you do buy pre-primed MDF, they look well covered primed but you still need to give a good undercoat, they are lovely to paint.

27col

Not a good idea to have knotty wood in a conservatory. It is likely that the high temperatures normally experienced in a conservatory will cause the knots to "bleed" excessively. MDF would have been a better choice or even upvc skirting.

stoker48

Thank you for the replies.
I feel better educated now so will be more confident having that conversation with my builder.

Doozergirl

If it's left in the conservatory with the screed drying, the wood will react to the moisture.

I'm surprised anyone still buys that stuff when primed mdf is cheap and a superior product for that use.

Hintza

27col wrote: »

will cause the knots to "bleed" excessively.

Zinsser is your friend.

BoxerfanUK

You should always treat the knots with a knotting solution before priming and undercoating or the knots will bleed right through your nice painted skirting.

Furts

Doozergirl wrote: »

If it's left in the conservatory with the screed drying, the wood will react to the moisture.

I'm surprised anyone still buys that stuff when primed mdf is cheap and a superior product for that use.

My new home does not have any mdf in it. All the skirting and architraves are unsorted redwood joinery grade timber. The window cill boards are solid timber.

Primed mdf was far more expensive than buying my architraves and skirtings, so I have saved money in accordance with the mse ethos.

In reality my choice was also part eco, part sustainable, and part because I wanted a robust product that could be repaired, sanded, filled, resist damp and resist flooding. Traditional building is not always inferior to modern means. Why do people think compressed paper is a "superior" product?

tony6403

Doozergirl wrote: »

If it's left in the conservatory with the screed drying, the wood will react to the moisture.

I'm surprised anyone still buys that stuff when primed mdf is cheap and a superior product for that use.

Wood does swell a little when exposed to damp but moisture getting through to MDF causes a bit of a catastrophe.