Choosing the Right Size for Your Skirting and Architrave

Have you decided on the style of skirting and architrave you like? At Skirting King we have over 70 profiles of skirting boards to choose from, and more than 60 architrave profiles in our range. There is no doubt that we’ll be able to find you the perfect design to marry up with your room.

But have you thought about choosing the right size for your skirting and architrave? Is the height of your architrave going to work with your door frame? Would a narrow skirting board look better, or does it need some height? How far out should it come, and should your architrave match?

Choosing the wrong size can make a room appear out of balance. An architrave or skirting board that’s too big or too small, or too wide or too thin, can make a surprisingly significant difference to a room. Here, we help you measure up, and identify all the key considerations to ensure your skirting boards and architrave look perfectly placed for your room.

Measuring Your Space

Measuring up is a crucial stage of any DIY project – it ensures you have the right amount of the right materials to achieve the look you wanted.

To measure the space for your skirting boards and architrave, measure the length of each wall, remembering that not all walls are exactly symmetrical. Adding up the total length of all the walls determines how much material you’ll need.

We always advise you go slightly over, just to accommodate any errors. You can always cut down a skirting board or architrave, so that it slots neatly into each corner.

Choosing The Right Height for Your Skirting Boards

Measuring for the length of skirting boards is a job we all remember to do – but choosing the right height is also something you’ll need to think about.

If you have high ceilings, taller skirting boards will help you create a grander look to match, rather than losing them in the height of a wall. Between 180mm to 300mm is the range you’ll need to work with. As high ceilings are usually found in typically older properties, most of our customers opt for a traditional profile for a high ceiling, adding a more ornate groove in the skirting.

If your space has lower, normal-range ceiling heights, avoid high skirting boards or they’ll take up more of your wall space and make the room look smaller. Choosing a lower skirting board to match will add a sleek and stylish appearance, and leave plenty of wall space.

Choosing The Right Skirting Board Depth

We’ve got the right height now, but how thick should your skirting boards be?

A deeper profile can add depth and elegance to your space, though may look chunky if the room is small. A more subtle, shallow profile can give a contemporary and minimalist touch to most rooms, but can get lost in a larger room.

Our most popular depth for skirting boards is 18mm. This size provides a good balance between functionality and aesthetics. However, we also offer skirting boards in 15mm and 25mm depths, as well as architrave in 30mm depth.

The depth you choose ultimately comes down to personal preference and what matches your existing property. If you want your skirting boards and architrave to match, it’s important to consider the depth of both.

If you can’t find the specific depth you need on our website, don’t worry. We can provide skirting boards and architrave in any size from 30mm to 250mm. Our team is also available to assist you with bespoke sizes if needed.

Architrave Sizes and Matching with Skirting Boards

If you’ve got both skirting boards and architrave in your plans, it’s really important they look good together in both design and measure. Generally, the height of the architrave should be half the height of the skirting board. For example, if you have a 145mm skirting board, a 70mm architrave will create a perfectly balanced look.

And don’t forget to take the door opening of the room into account!

For a standard door size of 1981mm high, an architrave between 60mm and 80mm is what we’d recommend. If you have a period property or an over-sized door opening, a larger architrave size of around 95mm will seat in perfectly.

From this measurement, you can figure out your skirting board height by doubling it. This way, both your architrave and skirting boards work well together, and all in proportion with the door.

Summary

Here, we’ve seen that it’s not just about ordering enough skirting boards and architrave in length. Choosing the right height and thickness can come down to your own personal preference, but mostly it’s all about the room itself, and how you can complement it best.

For regular-sized or smaller rooms, it’s best to keep those heights and thicknesses down, giving your walls plenty of breathing space while adding a touch of elegance. For bigger rooms, a little more height and a thicker profile will ensure these features don’t get swallowed up.

The best part is that all these considerations give you more options to play with. Here at Skirting King, we offer all the designs and measurements you’ll need to get the perfect look for the space you’re working on.

If you’re unsure about the measurements or design, our team can provide guidance to ensure you choose the right height, depth and length for your skirting boards and architrave.