Having "a small understanding of HTML" will not get you far with creating a custom forum from scratch. You will need to be experienced and be able to efficiently use HTML, CSS, PHP, MySQL.

On top of this, you will need to know how to sanitise every single database input from any form fields, any URL get requests. You will need to design a layout that works on all browsers, devices and resolutions without messing up.

A forum that is done properly will require thousands of lines of code, will take months of work to get it to a point where it is secure and working, and will require a team of experienced developers to maintain it if case of any bugs.

If I were you, I would just use MyBB and edit the theme yourself or create a custom theme. It would be much less work and easier.

for one, you aren't going to find anyone willing to help you because they will be pretty much making you a website, a little understanding of html is not a good start for a forum considering its pretty much all php coding. I think everyone with decent programming knowledge will say the same thing as me.... Learn php before wanting help with a forum site, even if you start creating sites with html and css, It will help you have a bit more than a little understanding of these languages

Eh.

Create a general forum board in PHP. Just google some, then add more scripts, apps as you go. If you are doing this by yourself, it will take about a year or so for completion.

Mobbed wrote i can help out, im a web designer, previous work:
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and a few templates

Oh noes! It's Sinful, don't jack me!

I can help, Im a website designer and I have a forum of my own. If you would like to work with me just PM me and I can help.