How To Update Skirting Boards
How do you update skirting boards?
Skirting boards are not just decoration — they protect the bottom of the wall from scuffs and knocks, which is exactly why they take so much punishment from furniture, pets and children. Replacing a tired run of skirting is a satisfying job with a visible result, and it comes down to two products: Selleys Liquid Nails Fast Grab to fix the boards to the wall, and Selleys No More Gaps Interior Multipurpose to close the line between the board and the wall afterwards.
Before you start, note the timing. Liquid Nails Fast Grab's technical data sheet says to bring the surfaces together as soon as possible — within the first 5 minutes of applying the adhesive, and to allow a minimum of 24 hours before removing any temporary fasteners. Plan on gluing one board at a time, with everything cut and dry-fitted first.
Technical specification — Liquid Nails Fast Grab
| Technology | Water-based |
| Instant grab | Up to 100 kg/m² (timber to timber) |
| Bond strength in tensile shear | >1.5 MPa (AS 2329-1999E) |
| Strength after 7 days | Up to 500 tonnes/m² (timber to timber) |
| Bring surfaces together | Within the first 5 minutes |
| Before removing temporary fasteners | Minimum 24 hours |
| Cure time | 72 hours |
| Paintable | After 12 hours |
| Gap bridging | Up to 9 mm |
Indicative data only, not intended for the preparation of specifications.
What you need
- Selleys Liquid Nails Fast Grab
- Selleys No More Gaps Interior Multipurpose
- A caulking gun
- A sharp knife
- Skirting boards cut to size
- Masking tape, and a few bricks or props
How to fit the new skirting boards
- Prepare the surfaces. Make sure they are clean, dry and free of oil, grease and dust. Best results come where one surface is porous, and a plasterboard wall against a timber board gives you two.
- Cut everything first. Have all the boards cut to size and dry-fitted before you open the cartridge, including the mitres at corners. The 5-minute working window does not leave room for adjustments.
- Prepare the cartridge. Cut the cartridge tip, then cut the nozzle to the desired width — about 5 mm.
- Apply the adhesive. Use the caulking gun to apply beads of Liquid Nails Fast Grab to the top and bottom of the back of the skirting board. Two beads along the length spread the load across the height of the board rather than concentrating it on one line.
- Position the board. Bring the surfaces together and manoeuvre the skirting into position. Do this within the first 5 minutes of applying the adhesive.
- Hold it while it sets. Tape the skirting board to hold it in place. If a board is slightly warped and does not sit flat along the wall, put bricks up against it to hold it in position while the adhesive cures.
- Wait 24 hours. Allow 24 hours for the adhesive to set before removing any temporary fasteners — in this case, the tape. Full cure is 72 hours.
- Fill the gaps. Fill the gap between the skirting board and the wall with Selleys No More Gaps Interior Multipurpose.
Why the wall-to-skirting joint needs a flexible filler
It is tempting to use the same wall filler you would use on a crack. Selleys' rigid fillers all carry the same instruction — where movement occurs, use No More Gaps — and this joint moves. Two different materials meet there, fixed to a building that expands and contracts, so a rigid filler will split along the line within a season.
No More Gaps Interior Multipurpose has a movement capability of up to 15% and a skin time of 20 minutes at 23°C and 50% humidity. For optimum paint crack resistance, keep filled gaps to no more than 10 mm wide and 5 mm deep; the effects of shrinkage are more evident in larger gaps, which makes the paint over the bead more likely to crack. Allow the bead to skin before painting with water-based paints, longer for flat and ceiling paints, and 24 hours before oil-based paints. There is a dedicated guide to filling gaps between skirting boards and walls if you want the detail on tooling the bead.
Limitations — what to watch for
Liquid Nails Fast Grab
- Not for polyethylene, polypropylene or PTFE. Pre-test other plastics and rubbers.
- Not for mirrors — use Liquid Nails Mirror & Metal.
- Not for metals heated by direct sunlight; bonds weaken at higher temperatures.
- Do not use as the sole bonding agent for structural bonding. Use mechanical fasteners in high-stress applications.
- Avoid tightly clamped joints such as cabinet making or joinery.
- Suitable for interior and sheltered exterior applications protected from moisture only.
- Expect longer cure times in cold or humid weather and on less porous surfaces.
No More Gaps Interior Multipurpose
- Interior use; not recommended for exterior use or areas exposed to constant water.
- Low water resistance — not for permanent immersion or constantly damp areas.
- Not suitable for polyethylene, polypropylene or Teflon.
- Not for gaps between tongue-and-groove boards or weatherboards — use No More Gaps Exterior for those.
Clean up
Both products are water-based. Uncured Liquid Nails Fast Grab comes off with water; cured adhesive has to be scraped or sanded. Uncured No More Gaps wipes off with a damp cloth; once cured it has to be cut out, with residue softened using acetone.
Common questions about updating skirting boards
How long do I have to position a board after applying adhesive?
Bring the surfaces together as soon as possible, within the first 5 minutes.
How long before I can take the tape off?
Allow 24 hours for the adhesive to set before removing any temporary fasteners. Full cure takes 72 hours.
Can I fix skirting with adhesive alone?
For a standard skirting board on a clean, dry wall, the adhesive is the fixing method described here. Selleys does say it should not be used as the sole bonding agent for structural bonding, and that mechanical fasteners should be used in high-stress applications.
My board is slightly warped. What do I do?
Put bricks up against it to hold it in position while the adhesive cures.
What if there is a gap behind the board where the wall is uneven?
Liquid Nails Fast Grab bridges gaps up to 9 mm. Beyond that, pack the board out rather than relying on adhesive.
When can I paint?
The adhesive is paintable after 12 hours. If you have caulked the wall joint, allow the No More Gaps bead to skin first — about 20 minutes for water-based paint, longer for flat and ceiling paints, and 24 hours before oil-based paints.
Should I paint the boards before or after fitting?
Either works, but the joint has to be caulked and painted after fitting regardless, so most people fit, fill, then paint.
Can I use a wall filler for the gap instead of No More Gaps?
No. Selleys' rigid fillers direct you to No More Gaps wherever movement occurs, and this joint moves.
How wide should I cut the nozzle?
About 5 mm for the adhesive. For the gap filler, cut it to roughly the width of the gap.
Will the adhesive work on a brick or masonry wall?
Masonry and concrete are among the materials Liquid Nails Fast Grab is suitable for, along with timber, MDF, particleboard, plasterboard, metals and skirting.
Can I do this in an outdoor or damp area?
Only in sheltered exterior applications protected from moisture. The gap filler is interior only.
How strong is the finished fixing?
Instant grab up to 100 kg/m², tensile shear strength greater than 1.5 MPa to AS 2329-1999E, building to as much as 500 tonnes/m² on a timber-to-timber bond after 7 days.
What are the main steps to update skirting boards using Selleys products?
According to the Selleys guide, first ensure surfaces are clean, dry, and free of oil, grease and dust. Then cut the cartridge tip and nozzle to about 5mm width, and use the Selleys Light Speed Caulking Gun to apply beads of Liquid Nails Fast Grab to the top and bottom of the back of the skirting board. Bring the surfaces together and position the skirting board, then tape it in place since the product is repositionable for 20 minutes after fitting. Allow 24 hours for the adhesive to set before removing the tape, then fill gaps between the skirting board and wall with Selleys No More Gaps Multipurpose.
What products does Selleys recommend for installing skirting boards?
Selleys recommends Selleys Liquid Nails Fast Grab as the adhesive, the Selleys Light Speed Caulking Gun to apply it, and Selleys No More Gaps Multipurpose to fill gaps between the skirting board and wall.
What tools are needed for this skirting board project?
The project requires a sharp knife and skirting boards that have already been cut to size.
How long does the skirting board adhesive stay repositionable after fitting?
The Liquid Nails Fast Grab adhesive is repositionable for 20 minutes after fitting, during which time the skirting board should be taped to hold it in place.
How long should you wait before removing the tape from a newly fitted skirting board?
You should allow 24 hours for the adhesive to set before removing any temporary fasteners, such as the tape.
How wide should the caulking gun nozzle be cut when applying adhesive to skirting boards?
The nozzle should be cut to the desired width, about 5mm, after cutting the cartridge tip.
How long does the entire skirting board update project take according to the guide?
The total time for the project is listed as 1440 minutes, which equals 24 hours, reflecting the adhesive curing time before finishing touches like gap filling can be completed.
What preparation is needed before applying adhesive to skirting boards?
Surfaces must be clean, dry and free of oil, grease and dust before applying the adhesive, ensuring the Liquid Nails Fast Grab bonds properly.
Why is it important to fill gaps around skirting boards after installation?
According to the knowledge base, filling gaps and cracks addresses a common issue that develops around skirting boards over time; the Selleys guide specifies using Selleys No More Gaps Multipurpose to fill gaps between the skirting board and wall for a finished, long-lasting result.
What is Selleys No More Gaps Interior Multipurpose used for, and what are its properties?
Per the knowledge base, Selleys No More Gaps Interior Multipurpose is a water-based gap filler ideal for filling gaps and cracks around skirting boards. It is designed to cope with building movement, is flexible, has low shrinkage properties, and provides a long-lasting, crack-resistant finish.