Work out skirting board length instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.
Skirting length is the room perimeter minus doorway openings, plus a wastage allowance for mitres and scribes. Ten percent is realistic because every internal corner needs a scribed cut and every external corner a mitre, both of which produce offcuts.
Skirting length
length = (perimeter - doorway widths) x (1 + wastage)
Mitres and scribes waste the end of each length, and boards come in fixed sizes so the last piece of each wall leaves an offcut too short to use.
Yes where possible. Fewer joins on long walls looks far better, and 4-5 m lengths reduce both waste and visible joints.