How Much Skirting Board Do I Need? Lengths for a Room (UK)
Measure the perimeter of the room, take off the doorways, and add 10% for waste. A 4 × 3 m room with one 0.8 m door has 14 m round it, needs 13.2 m of skirting, and so 14.5 m with waste: 7 lengths of 2.4 m. The skirting board calculator does your room, with coving as an option.
Skirting for common rooms
Doorways 0.8 m wide, 10% waste:
| Room | Skirting run | 2.4 m lengths | 3 m lengths | 4.2 m lengths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 × 3 m, 1 door | 11.2 m | 6 | 5 | 3 |
| 4 × 3 m, 1 door | 13.2 m | 7 | 5 | 4 |
| 4 × 4 m, 1 door | 15.2 m | 7 | 6 | 4 |
| 5 × 4 m, 2 doors | 16.4 m | 8 | 7 | 5 |
| 6 × 4 m, 2 doors | 18.4 m | 9 | 7 | 5 |
| 7 × 5 m, 2 doors | 22.4 m | 11 | 9 | 6 |
Fitting skirting
- Start with the longest wall that has no door, and work around the room so that joints fall at the least visible spots.
- Cut internal corners by scribing one board to the profile of the other, or mitre them. Cut external corners at 45 degrees.
- Fix with adhesive and pin nails, or screws and plugs on masonry, and fill, sand and caulk the joins before painting.
- Prime and paint the boards before you fit them if you can; it is quicker and neater.
- Allow a small gap at the floor for a floating floor to expand under it.
Choosing the board
- MDF is cheap, smooth and comes primed, but swells if it gets wet.
- Softwood takes knocks better and can be stained, but has knots and needs more preparation.
- Hardwood is expensive and used for a natural finish.
- Height: 70 to 100 mm suits modern rooms, and 150 mm or more suits period homes with high ceilings.
See also the paint calculator for finishing the room. Estimates only.
Frequently asked questions
How do I work out how much skirting board I need?
Add up the room perimeter (twice the length plus twice the width) and take off the doorways, then add 10% for waste. A 4 × 3 m room with one 0.8 m door has 14 m of perimeter and needs 13.2 m: 7 lengths of 2.4 m with waste.
How many 2.4 m lengths of skirting do I need for a room?
7 for a 4 × 3 m room with one door, 7 for a 4 × 4 m room, and 8 for 5 × 4 m with two doors.
Should I buy 2.4 m or 3 m lengths?
Choose the length that gives the fewest joints and the least waste on the longest wall. 4.2 m lengths avoid joints on most walls but are harder to carry.
How do you join skirting board?
Internal corners are scribed (cut to the profile of the neighbouring board) or mitred, and external corners are mitred at 45 degrees. Joints along a wall are cut at 45 degrees and glued.
Do I need to allow for coving?
Coving is bought in the same way, by the perimeter in metres. It does not go across doorways, so only the corners and the length of the walls count.
More guides
Tools & materials for this project
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Estimates only. Quantities depend on your materials, site and supplier. Confirm important numbers before you order, and check the Building Regulations and any planning rules for anything structural or close to a boundary.