How to install the flush skirting board
The aluminium base profile is fixed to the wall before the plaster or the boards and acts as a guide for the wall surface; at the end it takes the skirting board, which sits flush with the wall without sticking out. Here are the steps of the FIP installation sheet for masonry and for plasterboard.
- 2 types of wall
- 60 cm approx. between screws, in masonry
- 350 mm the second board screw, in plasterboard
What's included and what you need
The base profile is fitted on site, while the wall still has to be plastered or closed with boards and the floor still has to be laid.
The parts of the system
- Base profilealuminium, to fix to the wall
- Jointsto join the profiles and at the corners
- Skirting boardthe finishing profile, fitted at the end
- Connectorsto reach the door frame
- Plaster meshfor masonry, optional
In the shop, base profile, skirting board and joints are ordered as options of the product page; for connectors and plaster mesh, message us.
To get on site
- Wooden supportsto rest the profile at the right height
- Wooden wedgesfor vertical adjustment
- Straight barthe straightedge, for horizontal alignment
You'll also need
- Laser level
- Drill
- 5 mm bit
- 6 × 30 wall plugs and adhesive (masonry)
- Cheese-head self-drilling screws (plasterboard)
Wall plugs, adhesive and screws are those given in the steps of the sheet.
Installing in masonry
The profile is plugged and glued to the masonry, aligned with the plaster screed guide; then you plaster up to its edge, lay the floor and paint.
- 1
Mark the skirting height
From the reference height X, work out the height the skirting board will sit at, Y, and transfer it onto the wall with a laser level. Fix the wooden supports firmly at this height.
- 2
Lay the profile and cut the bars
Rest the base profile on the wooden supports and cut the bars to suit the wall, allowing for the connector you may need next to the door frame.
- 3
Join the connector to the profile
Adapt the connector to the type of door frame, then join it to the first piece of profile with the connecting joints.
- 4
Drill the profile and mark the wall Ø 5 mm · 60 cm
Drill the profile with a 5 mm bit and mark the position of the holes on the wall. Allow about one screw every 60 cm.
- 5
Plug and glue the profile Caution
Drill the wall and insert the 6 × 30 wall plugs. Degrease the back of the profile and apply a suitable adhesive. Press the profile against the wall, pull it away for a moment and put it back: this keeps the adhesive from foaming.
- 6
Align with the straightedge and wedges Tip
While you press the profiles, use a straightedge to align them horizontally and the wedges to adjust them vertically. Bring the profile against the wall until its edge is level with the plaster screed guide, the reference for the plaster thickness.
- 7
At the corners, bend a joint
At the corners of the room, fit a joint on the end of the base profile, bending it to the angle between the two walls.
- 8
Fit the plaster mesh
Once the base profile is fixed, and before plastering, insert the plaster mesh in its groove. The mesh is supplied as an option.
- 9
Skim the wall up to the profile edge Caution
Skim the wall up to the wall surface marked by the base profile, without going past it. Take care not to soil the part of the profile that will take the skirting board.
- 10
Lay the floor, then paint
Lay the floor keeping to the heights set at the start. The sheet recommends a template, not supplied, to check that the floor is at the right level for the skirting board. Then paint the walls.
The skirting board goes into the profile only at the very end, when walls and floor are finished. If you are unsure about this step, message us before you start.
Installing in plasterboard
The profile is screwed to the wall studs before the boards; the boards are then fixed to its flange and the wall is skimmed up to its edge.
- 1
Mark the skirting height
From the reference height X, work out the height the skirting board will sit at, Y, and transfer it onto the wall with a laser level. Fix the wooden supports firmly at this height.
- 2
Lay the profile, joins on the studs
Rest the base profile on the wooden supports and cut the bars to suit the wall, allowing for the connector next to the door frame. Make the joins between profiles fall on the wall studs, so they can be fixed.
- 3
Join the connector and drill at the studs
Adapt the connector to the door frame and join it to the first piece of profile with the connecting joints. The length of the profiles depends on the stud spacing: drill the profile at every stud and at the frame, if there is one.
- 4
Screw the profile to the studs
Through the holes already made, fix the profile to the framework with cheese-head self-drilling screws, checking that the wall surface lines up with the plaster screed guides. Then fit the joint on the free end of the profile and repeat along the whole wall.
- 5
At the corners, bend a joint
At the corners of the room, fit a joint on the end of the base profile, bending it to the angle between the two walls.
- 6
Remove the guide and fit the boards
Remove the plaster screed guide and fit the boards, fixing them to the flange of the skirting profile.
- 7
The second screw at least 350 mm up 350 mm
Vertically, the second screw fixing the plasterboard must be at least 350 mm from the edge of the skirting board, to absorb any flexing of the board. When fitting is finished, remove the wooden supports and lay the floor screed.
- 8
Tape and skim coat Caution
Apply the plasterboard joint tape and skim the wall up to the wall surface marked by the profile, without dislodging it. Take care not to soil the part of the profile that will take the skirting board.
The skirting board goes into the profile only at the very end, when walls and floor are finished. If you are unsure about this step, message us before you start.
The right skirting board, before the work starts
Three profiles
The technical sheet shows three profiles: the base profile on its own, with the standard finish, and with standard finish and LED. On the product page you'll find the aluminium profile on its own, the complete profile with skirting board, the LED version and the straight, internal and external joints.
See the flush skirting boardIs the wall already finished?
The steps on the sheet start from a wall that still has to be plastered or closed with boards, with the floor still to be laid. If your wall is already finished, message us before ordering.
Message us on WhatsAppMessage us while you install the skirting board
Send us a photo on WhatsApp of the point where you stopped: we'll tell you how to carry on. You'll find all our other installation instructions under Technical support.
