Skip to main content
Bunnings

Sign in or sign up

No Bunnings account? Sign up
or
PowerPass customer?
Visit the dedicated trade website

Project list

Sign in to your account

Our Price Guarantee

How to remove skirting boards

A person prising off a skirting board using a wrecking bar

Overview

Removing skirting board is a quick and simple job with the right tools and know-how. We show you how to loosen the skirting with a chisel and pry it off using a wrecking bar. We'll also give you a few tips to help protect the surface of the wall.

Steps

1Loosen the skirting board

Run your trimming knife along the top of the skirting board where it joins the wall. This keeps any paint on your wall from sticking to the skirting. Then use the hammer to gently ease the chisel between the skirting and wall. Start at one end and work your way along, loosening the board as you go.
A person cutting along the top edge of a skirting board using a trimming knife

2Pry the skirting off the wall

Once the skirting board is loose, use the wrecking bar to pry it off the wall. The most effective way is to push off against the wall studs. Using the wall stud for support also helps protect the plaster from being damaged. When all the nails are out of the wall, the board should come away easily.
A person prising off a skirting board using a wrecking bar
Health & Safety

Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page.

When following our advice in our D.I.Y. videos, make sure you use all equipment, including PPE, safely by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Check that the equipment is suitable for the task and that PPE fits properly. If you are unsure, hire an expert to do the job or talk to a Bunnings Team Member.