Working on an older house? You take a section of skirting off, try to match it… and nothing in the timber yard comes close. The shape’s wrong, the size is off, and the detail just isn’t there.
That’s because older skirting boards were made differently. And if you want it to look right, you need to match it properly.
Why old skirting is so hard to match
Most modern skirting is made to a standard range. Older homes weren’t.
•You’ll often find original skirting is:
•Taller and more in proportion with the room
•Made with deeper, sharper detail
•Built up from proper profiles, not simplified versions
Over time, these designs disappeared. So trying to match them off the shelf rarely works.
How to get an exact match
If you want it to look like it’s always been there, it needs to be copied properly.
•Take a good sample
•A clean offcut of the original skirting is ideal. The more accurate the sample, the better the result.
•Make a custom cutter
•The exact shape is traced and turned into a cutter. This is what allows the new timber to be machined to the same profile.
•Machine new lengths
Once set up, new boards are run to match the original. Done right, you won’t see the difference once it’s fitted and painted.
Choosing the right timber
The timber you use makes a big difference to the final look.
•Redwood pine – a reliable choice for painted skirting
•Hardwood (like oak) – ideal if you want a natural finish
•Avoid low-grade timber if you want sharp detail and a clean finish
•Older timber was often slower grown, which is why it machines so well. Using decent material helps get closer to that look.
Common mistakes
This is where jobs usually fall down:
•Picking a “close enough” profile from a catalogue
•Mixing different styles in one room
•Only matching the shape, not the height and thickness
•Using poor timber that won’t hold detail
It might pass at a glance, but once it’s painted and the light hits it, the difference shows.
When custom skirting is worth it
It’s the right option when:
•You’re working in a period property
•You’re replacing part of a room, not all of it
•You want a proper, seamless finish
•You care about keeping the original character
In these cases, it’s not overkill. It’s just doing the job properly.
The end result
When it’s done right, the new skirting blends straight in. No obvious joins, no mismatched profiles. Just a clean, consistent finish that looks like it’s always been there.
That’s the goal.