Preparing gap between skirting / wall

Yorkie1

I'm preparing a room for redecoration and have quite a large gap (up to nearly 1 cm in places) between the wood and the wall. The gap is not creating by the board coming away from the wall.

What is the best way to try to prepare / fill it?

I have polyfilla, wood filler, and a decorator's caulk tube (though no idea how to use it!). I've had a go with polyfilla but found I was just pushing it into the gap and/or creating a big mess...

Thanks.

googler

Acrylic filler (paintable)

From B&Q - you need a gun for some of the filler tubes - clip the tube into the gun and operate trigger

Get some in, let it dry and build up layers on the dried stuff

Yorkie1

Thanks googler for answering my questions today.
:beer:

Thanks Andrew, too. It's a 1930's house; I think the gap is a combination of thick layers of paint chipping off, and taking a bit of the plaster they're attached to with them. There isn't any 'give' in the skirting board to enable it to be pushed or screwed closer to the wall.

I do have a sealant gun somewhere left behind by the double glazers, so I will have a play with that. The decorator's caulk is acrylic filler so job's a good 'un

LandyAndy

andrew-b wrote: »

Pack the gap with crumpled up newspaper or similar..then you wont need quite as much filler and have a firm surface to fill into. To use the tube of decorator's caulk you need a sealant gun.

Why is the skirting board away from the wall so far though? I'm guessing it's probably glued in place rather than screwed/nailed. I'd be tempted to drill some holes and plug and screw the skirting closer to the wall so you don't have as big a gap to fill.

So would I.

I've used polyfilla and decorators caulk at various times in the past.