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How to fix steel skirting board?

Hi,

A part of the steel skirt board in the living room is coming off the wall. It looks like it was originally glued onto the wall. I pulled it away at the junction to clean the old sealer residue but I can’t get it back in. There is a piece of metal at the back of the skirt board that seems to be 1mm too long and won’t let me click it back in.
I would highly appreciate any idea on what I could do to fix this issue?

Thank you,

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MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @leabcl. It's terrific to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about installing steel skirting board.

It looks like your steel skirting may be part of a clip-lock or tongue-and-groove system, where one piece interlocks with the adjacent section. In your case, the piece on the left likely needs to be slotted behind the right-hand section, but since it's already come loose, the tongue on the back is now making it difficult to get it back into position.

You could try gently flexing the left-hand piece outwards away from the joint while keeping pressure near the end, kind of like a banana. That might give you just enough space to slide the tongue behind the other section. Be careful not to bend it so far that it kinks. If that proves too difficult or the tongue is slightly too long, you can carefully trim down the tongue using a hacksaw or metal file to make it easier to refit.

Once trimmed, apply a small amount of construction adhesive—like Liquid Nails—behind the skirting, then press it back into place. Hold it with masking tape or a heavy object until the adhesive has cured fully. Just be cautious not to overapply glue, as it can squeeze out and make a mess.

Let me tag @Dave-1 to see if he has any thoughts.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

Noyade

I learn something new on this site every time I look.

I have never seen aluminium(?) skirting board.

I too would suggest glue - but why has it come off? To me it looks like the paint has come away with the old glue?

Is the wall surface the main problem here?

Dave-1

Morning @leabcl

Ive seen a few of these over the years, mainly in offices tho. Glue is generally how I have seen that they have been attched.

What I supsect has happened is that when intstalled it was done so onder tension, so the far left would have been put in place, then the middle pulled out with a bit of a bow and then the right hand side slipped in and the bow would then dissapear. Its only a very tiny bow when installing (ive done the same when installing ducting as the tension helps keep it in place.

To replicate, you could see if the piece is loose along the wall tho I supsect not.

Instead, place a screwdriver shaft downwards further left along the wall, then the loose end on the right hopefully will have enough of that bow I am talking about and will click home. I would test it without clipping first and then if it looks like it will fit I would use some liquid nails a few spots along the edging. One its clipped in remove the screwdriver Stanley 200mm No2 Phillips Screwdriver The long shaft and the smaller shaft size is what you want with a small handle so as to keep the edge vertical to the wall.

Dave

leabcl

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Thank you for your advice! I ended up trimming down the tongue with a metal file then glued it back with some liquid nail and fixed the painting! Pretty happy with the result.
Have a good day!

JacobZ

Hi @leabcl,

Nice work, that looks great and I'm sure it will last for a long time to come.

For anyone who is curious, I thought I'd shed some light because I've installed lineal kilometres of this stuff. It's common in commercial offices that use a lot of glass and aluminium.

It can be simply stuck on with construction adhesive, like you have done, but usually it would also be screwed on with Pan Head Sheet Metal Screws along that channel at the front. Once it is installed, the screws get covered by a strip of black rubber that is shaped to sit inside that channel at the front.

Not exactly important considering you've already repaired yours, but I thought I'd share in case anyone was interested.

Jacob

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