Skirting boards are a feature of the home we often think will last forever. They are not a feature we give much thought to in terms of lifespan, but there are a number of visual signs that present themselves when your skirting boards need replacing, and while you might think you don’t pay much attention to your skirting boards, it’s certainly true that you will notice them when this happens. So when do you need to replace your skirting boards? And do you need to replace them at all?
Why skirting boards are an important feature
We have always fitted skirting boards in our home and have perhaps never thought about what we would do without them. But skirting boards do perform an important function, as well as helping with the aesthetic balance of a room.
Skirting boards help to hide the joint between floor and wall, which can often expand and crack. This also helps to provide a barrier for cold air and drafts which might enter the room. Skirting boards also protect the wall from impact, from furniture, from the vacuum cleaner and from kids playing or pets knocking items against the wall. Visually, skirting boards also frame a room and break-up the transition from wall to floor, this provides a decorative feature, but also a balance to the room which would look odd if the skirting boards weren’t there.
Signs that you might need to replace your skirting boards
It might take many years, but skirting boards do come to the end of their natural life. If that happens, what do you need to look out for as a sign that you need to replace them?
Visual signs – Damage to your skirting boards can result in chips, cracks and splinters, while damp and mould can lead to the skirting boards rotting or showing dark patches. If moisture has spread into a wooden skirting board it can warp, and you may start to see gaps appearing because the shape of the skirting board has essentially changed. This may also happen if the skirting board has been knocked and dislodged from its original fixing, meaning the skirting board is not fitted properly and can eventually become damaged. Another visual sign is flaking paint or fading colour. Of course this is easily fixed by painting the skirting board, but other factors might combine to suggest it is time to replace them.
Design – There comes a time when every home needs a re-fresh, and skirting boards can play a big part in that, even if that’s not immediately apparent. Updating the home style-wise can mean a significant change from one design period to another, and in a larger traditional home that can mean changing from Victorian period features to Georgian, for example. Period skirting boards can be very influential in pulling this off, and can match with architrave, wall mouldings and doors to provide a consistent scheme. This also works in a more modern home, where contemporary skirting boards can finish off a look perfectly and bring back the wow factor you didn’t realise had gone missing.
What’s the alternative to skirting boards?
Your skirting boards may last ten years or more, but if they are starting to look tired or damaged, you might start to consider whether you actually need to replace them. We have outlined above why skirting boards are important, but not every home has them, so what are the alternatives?
- Shadow lines – This is effectively having no skirting board at all, and works best in a minimalist, modern home. A shadow is created by leaving a small gap at the bottom of the wall. This can look very effective visually, but in a practical sense, doesn’t protect the wall and lets cold air pass through. Also, importantly, this is a feature that has to be included in the initial design and construction of a new-build home, and can’t be retrospectively added.
- Beading – Beading is a more popular and practical alternative to skirting boards, and essentially does the same job, but on a smaller scale. Aesthetically, beading is much less prominent than skirting board, which means it doesn’t frame a room or add balance, and it doesn’t offer much protection either.
The truth is, there aren’t many viable alternatives to skirting boards and you would soon miss a feature you have come to take for granted. So when the signs are there that you need to replace them, check out our range of period skirting boards and replace them with quality, hand-made skirting boards using the best wood products and designed to look great for the long term.