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Which skirting board adhesive should you use?

For most indoor skirting on plaster or plasterboard, a solvent-free grab adhesive made for skirting works, as long as one of the two surfaces is porous. On damp walls, tiles or other non-porous surfaces, choose a waterproof or hybrid polymer adhesive, and add screws where the wall is uneven.

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By the QuoteZila editorial team. Editorial policy.

What does skirting board adhesive do?

Skirting board adhesive, often called grab adhesive or "no more nails", is a thick paste from a cartridge that sticks a skirting board to the wall behind it. It grips quickly enough to hold a light board in place, then sets fully over the next day or two. It saves drilling and plugging every board, and it avoids nail holes on the face of a painted skirting.

The catch is that adhesive works with the wall you have. A flat, dry plaster wall gives it a good surface. A wall that bows, crumbles or stays damp gives it very little, and no cartridge can fix that.

QuoteZila is starting in Cheshire, with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach among the first towns, and anyone in the UK can post a job. This page explains how to choose an adhesive and when to ask a carpenter or joiner instead.

Which types of adhesive can you buy?

Most skirting adhesives fall into three groups:

  • Water-based grab adhesive. The common white cartridge for indoor use. Henkel's data sheet for UniBond No More Nails Original describes an acrylic adhesive for indoor fixing on plaster, plasterboard and wood-based boards, and names skirting boards among its uses [S1].
  • Waterproof or hybrid polymer adhesive. These cure with moisture from the air rather than drying out. Henkel's data sheet for UniBond No More Nails Waterproof says it suits porous and non-porous surfaces, indoors and outdoors [S2].
  • Solvent-based adhesive. Strong and fast, but with stronger fumes. If you use one, keep the room aired and follow the cartridge.

Some products also come in clear versions or in small tubes for repairs. For a whole room, a cartridge in a skeleton gun is easier to control.

Why does one surface need to be porous?

A water-based grab adhesive sets as its water escapes. If both faces are sealed, the water has nowhere to go and the bond stays soft. Henkel's data sheet for the Original product says this directly: it dries by water evaporation, so one of the surfaces being bonded must be porous [S1].

In practice:

  • Bare plaster and new plasterboard are porous. Henkel suggests priming surfaces that are dusty or very porous [S1].
  • Raw MDF or timber on the back of the board is porous, so a primed-face board with a bare back is usually fine.
  • Painted walls with a sheen, tiles, metal and plastic are not porous. On these, use an adhesive made for non-porous surfaces, or rub back the paint where the bead will sit.

The same data sheet limits the Original product to indoor use in dry conditions [S1]. That rules it out for a wall that is damp, and for skirting in a room that gets wet.

How do you get a good bond?

Good fixing is mostly preparation. A carpenter will usually:

  1. Check the wall with a straight edge and mark where it bows in or out.
  2. Brush off dust and loose paint, and fill any big holes.
  3. Cut and dry fit every board first, including mitres and scribed joints at internal corners.
  4. Run adhesive in spots or short wavy lines along the back, keeping it away from the top edge so it does not squeeze out.
  5. Press the board on, then wedge it to the floor or hold it with a few pins until it sets.

Henkel lists a gap-filling ability of up to 10 mm for the Original product [S1]. That helps on a slightly uneven wall, but a deep hollow behind a board still means the board can flex when it is knocked. Where the wall dips, a screw into a plug pulls the board tight and the adhesive does the rest.

Fit skirting before the final coat of paint, and caulk the top edge once the adhesive has set.

When should you call a carpenter instead?

Grab adhesive is a reasonable DIY job on a flat wall. It is worth asking a carpenter or joiner when:

  • the walls are badly out of true and boards need scribing
  • the room has many corners, curves or tall boards that need mitres cut cleanly
  • old skirting has to come off without damaging the plaster
  • you are not sure why a wall is damp or crumbling
  • you want new architrave and skirting to match old profiles

Ask the carpenter how they plan to fix the boards, whether they will use screws as well as adhesive, and whether filling, caulking and painting are in the price. Citizens Advice suggests getting written quotes from at least three different traders before you choose one [S3].

Jobs you might post

These are examples, not taken from real job posts.

  • "Fit new primed MDF skirting in a living room. Walls are plastered and mostly flat. Old skirting already removed."
  • "Skirting in the hall has come away from the wall in two places. Please refix and fill."
  • "Remove old skirting and fit new in two bedrooms. Some walls are uneven, so screws may be needed."

Get quotes for fitting skirting

Say which rooms, roughly how many metres of skirting, the board height and whether the old boards are already off. Up to five matched local businesses can send you a quote [QZ2]. QuoteZila is free for customers and local businesses [QZ1].

Honest status: QuoteZila is new. We're starting in Cheshire, beginning with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach, and growing area by area. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business. How fast you get quotes depends on how many local businesses have joined near you. Businesses can register and receive jobs straight away. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire.

Posting a job is not open yet

This page is about which cartridge suits the wall, while can you glue skirting boards is about glue versus screws, taking a glued board off, and old paint.

See our carpenters page or the joiners page. For replacing whole runs of skirting, see what changes the cost of replacing skirting boards.

Questions about skirting board adhesive

Can grab adhesive alone hold a skirting board?

On a flat, sound wall it often can. Henkel's data sheet for UniBond No More Nails Original lists skirting boards among its uses, but says heavy items may need support while the adhesive dries, or extra fixings. On a bowed wall, a carpenter will usually add screws or pins.

Why does it matter if a surface is porous?

Water-based grab adhesives dry as the water leaves them, so one of the two surfaces has to let that water out. Henkel's data sheet for the Original product says one of the surfaces being bonded must be porous. Bare plaster and timber are porous. Tiles, gloss paint and plastic are not.

What adhesive should I use on a damp or tiled wall?

Choose an adhesive made for damp or non-porous surfaces. Henkel's data sheet for UniBond No More Nails Waterproof says it suits porous and non-porous surfaces, indoors and outdoors. Find out why a wall is damp before fixing anything to it, because new skirting will not cure the problem.

How long does skirting adhesive take to set?

It depends on the product, the temperature and the surfaces. Henkel gives a setting time of 24 to 48 hours for the Original product. Keep the board supported or wedged in place until then, and read the cartridge for the product you are using.

Does QuoteZila check the carpenters who quote?

No. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire. You can report a quote or a business from your job page.

This page is general information, not professional or legal advice. QuoteZila does not check Gas Safe, WaterSafe, NFRC, NICEIC or other registrations against the register on your behalf: look them up yourself.

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Sources

  1. QZ1: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila home and FAQ copy.
  2. QZ2: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila FAQ "How does getting quotes work?".
  3. S1: UniBond No More Nails Original technical data sheet (UC4000, issued 17.04.2026), Henkel. Accessed 2026-10-28. https://datasheets.tdx.henkel.com/UNIBOND-No-More-Nails-Original-Cartridge-en_GB.pdf
  4. S2: UniBond No More Nails Waterproof technical data sheet (UC7000, issued 17.04.2026), Henkel. Accessed 2026-10-28. https://datasheets.tdx.henkel.com/UNIBOND-NO-MORE-NAILS-WATERPROOF-CARTRIDGE-en_GB.pdf
  5. S3: Before you get work done on your home, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-10-28. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/