Pine skirting board gaps filling advice

How big a gap along the tops are we talking? was it yourself who fitted the skirting? what type of skirting board is it? pine softwood? what you want ideally is caulk to match the wall, not a filler to match the wood along the walls join break. moreover, colour co-ordinated caulk is also available

I would suggest trying if possible to solve the cause of the gaps first to see if you can get your skirting flush as possible to the wall before resorting to do any filling.

depending on your gaps size , i would most definatley caulk it to the wall, keep it tidy, myself personally i would have varnished the skirting's first, leave to dry then fixed in place. but that's my preference, everyone's different.

 

It is a problem even very experienced people struggle with and there isn't much you can do to the skirting or wall to rectify easily.

"Noticeability" will obviously depend on the wall finish (papered or painted) and its position with in a room. If you have a few large gaps (big enough to slide a pencil in) you may want to consider putting some expanding foam in. This will not only stop some movement but help support the filler to stop it sagging and cracking. The foam is quite expensive £7 a can - so you may want to find some other gaps to seal as well

There are lots of "tricks" about mixing the timber sawdust with PVA to get the colour to match but that only really works if you can give it a good sand afterwards, which against the wall is going to be difficult.

If you want to use varnish to seal the skirting, I would suggest you apply the varnish and then seal the gaps. This way it will be easier to wipe off any excess and you wont' get colour changes where the mastik reacts with the varnish.

Whilst the Ronseal product will work, have a look at floor mastick intended for laminate floor http://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-wood-flooring-sealant-oak-310ml/50081?_requestid=77592.

Screwfix only do light oak but some flooring companies do more colours

 

As long as the skirting is 'straight' and not screwed tight to follow every undulation of the wall, then you'll be fine with filling the gap and painting to match the wall. This gives a better illusion and is not generally noticeable. If you fill to match the skirting, then this will stand out a lot more.

If you carefully mask the top edge, You can caulk/fill the gap, then cut in with wall colour once dry...leave a couple of days before painting.

 

Use a decent premium grade caulk though as these won't shrink and crack like the 'cheepo' brands.

 

Only varnish the visible side. One of the best ways to fix the skirting is to use a an expanding foam glue http://www.screwfix.com/p/dow-insta-stik-expanding-foam-grab-adhesive-gun-grade-750ml/72793

 

No issue with Varnishing before you put it up. Simply varnish the face of it, no need to cover the back at all. Before you go drilling and screwing into things, have a decent look at the walls, see how flat and flush you can get your skirtings, if youc an get them pretty flush, go with grab adhesive, if you really feel you need to use fixings, use the hidden method.

Make sure you scribe the skirting to the floor too, or keep it as tight as you can to the floor.

Preparation is key in everything, get your prep right, everything else will be easy.

Bertie

 

Try and avoid traditional grab adhesive and using screws and plugs. Traditional grab adhesive is very pungent (noxious) and is not the best when you have large gaps. I have experimented over the years with non solvent grab adhesive to fix timber with very mixed results so stopped using it. To fix skirtings I now use the expanding foam adhesive http://www.screwfix.com/p/dow-insta-stik-expanding-foam-grab-adhesive-gun-grade-750ml/72793

A few of us sprinkle dust mite and insect powder behind the skirtings before fixings as this will eliminate any critters found in modern homes.

 

There just might be a few high points on the plastering, which if you scrape off will help get the skirting in tighter. Quite often its a drywall screw.

 

Wait, what? Do you have a photo of how you are fitting them?

 

Think he means dual profile. Bull-nose or flip it for the other(can't remember the name) long taper with narrow rounded top.

Mr. HandyAndy - Really

 

I've just got a vision in my head that he's fitted the skirting back-to-front and is trying to fill the gap left by the rebate!

 

Torus or Ogee usually.

 

Or pencil round and chamfered and pencil round.

 

I was thinking this:


Mr. HandyAndy - Really

 

Any chance of a few photos of what you have done with the Skirting so far?

 

Try this stuff: http://www.screwfix.com/p/dow-insta-stik-expanding-foam-grab-adhesive-hand-held-750ml/57578

Mask off above the top of the skirting first, to make any trimming a bit easier