Let’s be honest. Skirting boards? They are furniture you ignore until disaster strikes.
My dog, Blossom. She’s done with her shark-like teething phase now, but for months I had to stare at destroyed corners in my kitchen every single day. I wanted a fix that wasn’t expensive or soul-crushingly difficult. I wanted cheap. Fast. Invisible.
This took me roughly 20 minutes of actual work. Plus drying time. The bill came to about £5. It looked like new again. Here is the breakdown.
Sanding and The Guilt Trip
First step: sand it. Clean it.
Most of the boards were fine, just minor nicks. Two external corners were obliterated by teeth. I sanded them to get rid of the sharp bits. Big mistake? Maybe. Because as I wiped the dust off those two specific spots, I realized how filthy the rest of the room looked.
I couldn’t ignore it. Of course I couldn’t. I spent time cleaning the entire length of the skirting in that room before I even touched the damage. We are humans like that.
The Layer Cake
Wood filler time.
I grabbed a pot of white Ronseal Multi-Purpose Wood Filller (£5.19). Do not try to do it all at once. The consistency is thick, almost paste-like. If you slather a huge amount on, it just peels right off when you try to smooth it.
Use your finger.
I read online that adding wood glue to the base helps adhesion. I didn’t need it. It stuck fine. Just go in layers. I applied four “gnarly” layers to build that bulk back up. Let it dry. Wait. Apply another layer. Dry again. It’s a cycle of patience, but it moves. Don’t try to make it smooth while it’s wet. It’ll stick to you, not the board.
Sanding Again
Now you sand again.
This is the boring part. Take some 120-grit sandpaper and go over the filled area. Make it flush with the board. Sand in one direction only. Back and forth ruins the finish.
Did I mention this was dusty?
Wear a mask. Wear eye protection. Have a vacuum nearby. It took me about 20 minutes. I used a hand sander (borrowed from my mum, though there’s one for £12 at B&Q if you don’t have relatives who own tools). It helped get a flat finish.
Here’s the trick for the details: My skirting had a single groove near the top. The filler buried it. To get it back, I folded a piece of sandpaper. Just a fold. Used the folded edge to carve out that line again. Simple geometry. It would work for more decorative moldings too, probably.
Paint And Pride
Paint.
I used leftover Dulux Brilliant White from my wall projects. Even though both are “white,” they weren’t identical shades. The paint evened it out.
So what did I have left?
Skirting boards that looked normal. Maybe a bit too normal. If you get really close up, you can probably spot where I worked. But does that matter?
I look at them and feel a weird kind of pride. Not because it’s perfect. Because I did it. I fixed a mess caused by a small dog for less than a ten-pound note. Isn’t that better than hiring a carpenter?
There might still be a faint line. It probably has a little personality to it.
That is okay.
