I’m hoping someone could give us a hand with this little problem. This is the skirting next to the bathroom shower frame. No one really uses this shower at the moment so this area is mostly dry now and ready to be fixed. Question is, is it fixable? Or should we get a professional in? If DIY is an option, please let me know where to start. This has been on the to-do list for years but at a loss on how to even tackle it. The wood is rotten, just the top bit as per photo. We thought of taking it out and replacing the whole skirting on that wall but we haven’t got any tools to cut the wood at an angle to make it perfectly line up to the door frame and shower frame. Can we just wood fill it? At a lost as to how to make it all work so we’ve left it as is. For years. But now hoping to get some courage to give it a go at fixing it.
Hello @Jills
Yes, this looks DIY-fixable, provided the source of the moisture has been dealt with and the timber behind the visible damage is still sound. From the photos, the rot appears concentrated around the end of the skirting/trim where it meets the shower frame. The good news is that you probably don’t need to replace the entire length of skirting.
Start by gently poking the damaged timber with a screwdriver to find where it changes from soft or crumbly to properly solid timber. Rather than trying to dig all the rot out while the skirting is still attached, I suggest using an https://www.bunnings.com.au/ozito-pxc-18v-cordless-multi-function-tool-pxmfts-018-skin-only_p0353560 to make a clean vertical cut through the skirting a little beyond the damaged area, where the timber is still sound. Carefully remove the damaged section from the wall. A multi-tool is particularly handy here because it allows you to make a controlled cut in a confined space without needing to remove the whole length of skirting.
Once the damaged piece is removed, you’ll also be able to see what’s happening behind it. Check that the wall and timber behind the skirting are dry and firm before covering everything back up. If the damage is limited to the skirting, cut a replacement piece of a similar-profile timber to fit the section you removed. Small gaps can then be filled, sanded, primed and painted. Finish by sealing the appropriate junction near the shower with bathroom-grade sanitary silicone to help prevent water getting back into the timber.
If the rot continues substantially behind the trim, however, the job changes from a relatively simple cosmetic repair to investigating possible shower leakage or waterproofing issues. If you find damp, soft or badly deteriorated material behind the skirting, I’d stop there and bring in a professional to identify and fix the underlying problem before replacing the trim.
Here is a handy step-by-step guide: How To Install Skirting Boards
If you need further assistance, please let us know.
Eric
I appreciate your reply Eric, Thank you. I guess one issue would be that this house is nearly 3 decades old and I’m not sure where to get a skirting that would match when we cut that little piece?
Finding a similar profile would be indeed the challenge. My best advice would be to find something close or very similar or change that entire section just on that wall.
