Please Help Me Fit Skirting!

bigdavethehorn

Hello all, I'm trying to fix some new skirting in my flat, the room's quite small, about 3m x 3m.

However I have a wee problem, two problems actually:



First, the skirting is bent, if I try to fix the bottom of the skirting, the top sticks out, and vice versa.

Second, my wall doesn't contiune down to the floor, there's a gap. If I try to fix the bottom of the skirting, it sorta slides into the gap.

I would really appreciate some help here!

ukwoody

It's a bummer isn't it! Even in the trade we get stuck, I had one last week with 7" skirting that was twisted and walls that bowed in every direction.

It's very hard. Some times the gap at the bottom can be got over by fixing a piece of wood the thickness of the gap to the back of the skirting, then fixing thru them both.

Often, I'm afraid you have to put up with some gaps. I always try to fix the skirting just below the moulding. That will usually pull the top in, and the bottom to a certain extent. Generally you do not fix skirting much lower then the middle line anyway.
Then I'm afraid it's decorators caulk along the top.

Welcome to our world...

woody

tomstickland

I managed to pull skirting straight by using a lot of screws and wall plugs.
The lazy way to do it is to drill the hole in the skirting, then drill the wall with a masonry bit, then hammer the screw and wall plug through the hole. Do up tight then cover will fillter.

bigdavethehorn

I'm an expert with decorator's caulk so that part's covered!

OK, so I need to find some timber to pack the bottom gap with then.

How would you suggest fixing the skirting to the wall? I have removed and replaced the skirting in three other rooms, and used nails without any problem, however those walls haven't been anything as bad as these ones.

I think I need some kind of screw, I've tried nails, but the skirting just pulls them straight out of the wall.

bigdavethehorn

tomstickland wrote: »

I managed to pull skirting straight by using a lot of screws and wall plugs.
The lazy way to do it is to drill the hole in the skirting, then drill the wall with a masonry bit, then hammer the screw and wall plug through the hole. Do up tight then cover will fillter.

Did you do this without packing the rear of the skirting?

tomstickland

Yes, but the walls didn't have a massive gap.
For your situation you could try screwing some baton to the floor in about the right place.
Or fill some of the gap with mortar at strategic points.

bigdavethehorn

tomstickland wrote: »

Or fill some of the gap with mortar at strategic points.

I don't have any mortar handy, I do have some expanding foam (tried that - didn't work out too well) or ready mixed tub of plaster repair?

tomstickland

Go and buy a sand+mortar sack from Wickes (few quid) and mix up mortar in a bucket. Slap it in with a trowel.

Plaster repair might work if its base coat.

bigdavethehorn

Ok, I'll get some of that tomorrow.

And then just drill through the skirting, into the masonry behind, insert rawlplug and screw and I'm done?

woodbutcher_2

The gap is there for a reason.If you fill it with mortar you may be bridging the damp course.Fix them with screws and plugs just below the moulding.

tomstickland

So that would be a damp course that starts above the level of the floor? Seems a bit odd to me. Most situations I've seen they've just not bothered plastering all the way to the floor. Worth considering anyway.