can't set templates on CMS pages

Question

I'm trying to set a template for all CMS pages on my site but I can't manage to do it, though the layout handle is detected :

<cms_page>
    <reference name="root">
        <action method="setTemplate"><template>page/cms_page.phtml</template></action>
        <action method="addBodyClass"><class>test-class</class></action>
        <remove name="birdietown_homepage_mini_slider_our_brands"/>
        <remove name="birdietown_homepage_mini_slider_our_products"/>
        <remove name="birdietown_homepage_daclub"/>
    </reference>
</cms_page>

this layout XML node is detected, because the test-class is added to my page output, but the template is still 1column.phtml. This handle is in local.xml

Answer 1

you cannot set the template via layout xmls for the cms pages.
I mean, you can, but it has no effect because what you set in the xml is overwritten later by the selection you make in the Layout dropdown for each page.
The cms_page handle is loaded here but the root template set from the UI is loaded lower in the code.
You can try to rewrite the method linked above and remove the applying of the root template.
But I don't think that's a good idea.
I would create a new page layout. Here is how you can do that Then assign all the CMS pages to that layout using the Layout field from the admin page edit screen.

Answer 2

In Magento pages are set based on page_one_column, page_two_columns_left, page_two_columns_right and page_three_columns

You can check it in page.xml file. You will need to create new cms page layout and can able to assign it from cms pages in admin

Check this link for how to add new cms page layout in Magento.