gaps behind skirting board

acaj13

We have just replaced all the skirting boards in our large passageway and have found that the walls aren't that straight (not really a surprise). We expected some small gaps but in places someone had attached underlay to the skirting to hide the curved bit of plasterboard they used to block a doorway.

I know I can use builders caulk to fill any small gaps but what about ones that are over 7mm in width. What is the best thing to put in the gap to stop the caulk just falling down into the gap? Paper, cardboard - is there an accepted method of doing this please?

I really don't want to have to do this more than once plus the skirting is not being painted just the bottom of the walls as the skirting was shorter than the last one. Any suggestions please?

spannerzone

Maybe some of that expanding foam or gripfill if you can get it to stick?

I had similar problems and caulking did work but eventually did sink a little bit and required the occasional re-caulking althoug as I gripfilled the skirtings to the wall I ran a bead of it along the top and so the caulking kind of sat on top of the gripfil.