Cracks between skirting board and wall-Best way to fix?

askintstudent

Hi,

Just in the process of repainting a wall in our house but have come across a problem. There is sealant between the skirting and the wall which has dried out and discoloured and needs to be replaced.

Upon removing the old sealant we have noticed that parts of the wall between the skirting and the wall itself are falling to bits which has now left a 2cm gap between them. I think this gap is too big to fill entirely with Caulk(sp?). We have not removed the rest of the sealant until we know what to do with the gaps.

How would these gaps be filled in???

Thanks in advance!

andrew-b

This was asked not that long ago...

See
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=566474

Andy

skids_3

hi, 2 cm sounds like a big gap between the skirting board and wall.i am a painter/decorator and would normally use caulk to fill the gap but this is not possible on a gap that large. fill it first with expanding foam or even newspaper scrunched up then filler or caulk on top. obviously try to get the skirting closer to the wall first.

askintstudent

Thanks for the advice.... I will probably get some foam.

Poppycat

That expanding foam isnt cheap probably best using newspaper to fill large gaps then decorators chalk or flexible filler about £2 in right places Not B&Q and you need a mastic gun about £3-£4

PROFESSIONAL_LANDLORD

How would these gaps be filled in???

It's likely the skirting ground is loose ! this is a timber baton ( behind the skirting ) which the skirting is fixed to, these grounds are also used for plasterers to work to, the problem is the more you fill behind the skirting it's more likely the ground will move out from the wall, careful removal of the skirting and screwing / securing the ground back to the flush of the wall and re-fitting the skirting is a proper cure, and will look better, sometimes sparks feed cables behind these grounds, which pushes the ground out from the flush of the wall creating these gaps, in this instance the ground would then have to be notched to allow for the cables.

misgrace

Poppycat wrote: »

That expanding foam isnt cheap probably best using newspaper to fill large gaps then decorators chalk or flexible filler about £2 in right places Not B&Q and you need a mastic gun about £3-£4

Spot on Poppy.:D If you tear the newspaper into wide strips, longways, dampen the paper, and just roll the paper, then you poke it into the gaps, you can use a flat headed screwdriver, but poke it very gently.
Try and make sure the newspaper is not level with the top of the skirting board, but just leave the tiniest of gap.

Then caulk along the top of the skirting, it doesnt matter if the newspaper wet, as it will dry out and slightly puff up, but it wont make any difference to the finish.

You might have to caulk it again when the first caulk is dry, as it will slightly recede into the skirting, again that doesnt matter, its better to build it up, than putting it on too thick, less chance of the caulk crazing.

Leave to dry for a good 24 before you actual paint, even though it says you can paint in an hour or so, dont.

I do this all the time, down door frames, along skirtings etc, and it always looks good,the foam is mainly used for big gaps in your walls, or your windows, and sometimes can be quite tricky to use.

BTW, go to 'Wickes', they sell decorators caulk for £1.19 a tube, I have started using it on my jobs the last year or so, and its very good, I used to spend a fortune on other makes, but used this as I was near 'Wickes', and had ran out of it, I expected it to be Kraaap, but I was very pleasently suprised, so much,I use it all the time now.:D