What should I do with these gaps before I fix new skirting?

[ljrc]

Hello,

I need to replace a few sections of skirting in our living room but have noticed that the gaps between the floorboards and the plaster are quite large. Should I plug these holes with anything before placing the skirting?

It would also be great to get some advice on how I should fix the skirting itself. I'm considering attaching it to the masonry with screws/nails?

(please see pictures below)

Thank you

[Ktuludays]

That's perfectly normal, if the skirting hides it then no need to make it better than that.

You can plug and screw or use grab adhesive.

I hope those cables aren't going behind the skirting, that's a huge danger.

[ljrc]

That's perfectly normal, if the skirting hides it then no need to make it better than that.

You can plug and screw or use grab adhesive.

I hope those cables aren't going behind the skirting, that's a huge danger.

Thank you. No those cables will not be going behind the skirting (they had been before!)

[ljrc]

Also i'm concerned there isn't any plastered wall coming down far enough to use gripping adhesive to attach skirting on picture 'right-hand alcove a'?

[Ktuludays]

You could fill that void with a good deep crack filler, finish it below plaster depth and finish with fine surface filler.

[Job and Knock]

In the third and fourth pictures you can clearly see some of the timber grounds that the skirting was originally attached to. In a case such as this where the gap is too large to fill with grip adhesive it can sometimes be worth replacing the missing grounds with something like 2 x 1in slate lath drilled and plugged into the masonry (and packed out to the required line/to be plumb).

[ljrc]

In the third and fourth pictures you can clearly see some of the timber grounds that the skirting was originally attached to. In a case such as this where the gap is too large to fill with grip adhesive it can sometimes be worth replacing the missing grounds with something like 2 x 1in slate lath drilled and plugged into the masonry (and packed out to the required line/to be plumb).

Thank you for this. Can I ask what you mean by "packed out"?

[Job and Knock]

Can I ask what you mean by "packed out"?

If you look at the third photograph you can see a vertical piece of timber attached to the wall near the corner. That is called a "ground". Similarly, if you look the fourth photograph, you can clearly see two "grounds", one in the corner, the other to the left of the left hand piece of skirting. It is those that you need to install along the bottom of the wall where they no longer exist. The wall is probably far from flat and plumb, so in order to install grounds which are truly plumb it may be necessary to put packers behind the grounds before you fix them. Packers are merely thin pieces of timber, veneer or plastic, such as these

[ljrc]

Can I ask what you mean by "packed out"?

If you look at the third photograph you can see a vertical piece of timber attached to the wall near the corner. That is called a "ground". Similarly, if you look the fourth photograph, you can clearly see two "grounds", one in the corner, the other to the left of the left hand piece of skirting. It is those that you need to install along the bottom of the wall where they no longer exist. The wall is probably far from flat and plumb, so in order to install grounds which are truly plumb it may be necessary to put packers behind the grounds before you fix them. Packers are merely thin pieces of timber, veneer or plastic, such as these

Thats great thank you. So I would simply place the packers behind the grounds before screwing them in place?

Thank you

[Job and Knock]

So I would simply place the packers behind the grounds before screwing them in place?

Basically, yes. You might even be able to get away with bonding the grounds in place with a bit of GripFil (and leaving it to go off for 24 to 48 hours - irt's cold at the mo' and things are setting a lot slower)