Use a pencil rather than a pen as this can easily be erased.
Draw the arrow on the same side as the first line you drew so that you can easily identify which is the front side of the board.
If you don’t foresee yourself using the mitre box often, attach it to a piece of sheet timber instead. Use the sheet of timber to kneel on when you come to cut the skirting board. Purchase a mitre box from a hardware store. Choose screws that are long enough to go through the mitre box with at least 1 centimetre (0. 39 in) to spare.
Check the lines that you drew on the wood are facing toward you so that you can see where to make the cut. Make sure that the skirting is the right way up. If you cut the board upside down, there is a possibility it could get damaged while it’s being cut.
Push the saw right down so that it is touching the wood.
Use one hand to hold the skirting board in place while you saw.
The cuts don’t need to be perfectly smooth, just focus on removing any major bumps or splinters from the wood.
Continue to plane the wood until the boards form a perfect corner. Only remove a small amount of wood each time you plane. It is easy to shave a little more wood off but it is impossible to stick the shavings back onto the wood!
Saw slowly to avoid breaking the blade.
If the boards don’t fit together well, check that you cut all the lines that you drew on the wood and make any necessary adjustments.
