Fit new skirting boards on uneven wall surface to the floor?

Discussion in 'Carpenters' Talk' started by nell1, Jan 23, 2010.

  1. nell1

    nell1 New Member

    Hi all, in the process of redecorating a room and have taken off the old skirting boards to be replaced with new ones. When I took the old ones off, the surface behind is pretty uneven vertically and looks as though it has been padded with paper.

    Looking for some advice in how I approach putting new skirts on with this in mind, should I use paper as well or try and level the wall out some other way? Any neat tricks I could employ?

    Many thanks in advance!

    Nell
     
  2. dunc

    dunc New Member

    If its an old victorian building its not unusual to find this.

    Fix plenty of wooden battens to the walls. plug and screw them. then your skirting will fit to these. where it is not vertical cut battens to fit or pack out with stripwood, or plastic packers.

    the paper was put in there by the plasterers to prevent plaster falling behind the skirting. its not part of the fixing for the skirting.
     
  3. joinerjohn

    joinerjohn New Member

    The Victorian way of building was far removed from the modern ways. Skirting was nailed to wooden plugs in the wall, before the plasterers came and done their bit.
    Nowadays, it's the plastering that gets done first, then the skirting.
    If there's a void at the bottom of your skirting boards, you could pack these out so the skirting lies fairly flush with the wall then drill, plug and screw the skirting back. Any small gaps at the top of the skirting can then be filled in using decorators caulk, before decorating/ painting.
     
  4. CraftMan2010

    CraftMan2010 New Member

    First of all clean all area were new skirting is being replaced and take of and lumps, bumps you can with a scraper.
    Second thing is to find where high and low point are yo ucan do this by eye a knock of any plaster work (should be able to smash it off with a hammer) BUT BUT BUT make sure u dont smash of bumps that a higher than the skirting width beacuse obviously it will be seen after fitting skirting and you will have to patch! To make sure u can just scribe width of skirting with a stanley knife.
    3rd thing, cut skirting to size and put no nails on back and fix to wall with screws and plugs.
    4th and final thing is you can you white no nails or cork for this but run it down where any gaps a appear.

    Thats the 2010 professional way to do it friend!
     
  5. robchippie

    robchippie New Member

    i would use some hardwall plaster to fill u gaps behind skirting. Quicker and easier than packing ot batten. rule it off flush to the exitig plaster or just behind and then start your skirting. done
     
  6. nell1

    nell1 New Member

    Cheers for all the replies guys. Think I'll attemp to fill with plaster and see how I get on.

    Thanks again!
     
  7. scavagan

    scavagan New Member

    nell1, I have the same problem, didn't know whether to batten or plaster. How did it turn out and did you have to use plaster board or just plaster straight on wall
     

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