Decorating question

[Jawloms]

We're decorating our lounge and thought we'd pull off the skirting boards so we could sand and paint them nicely. When we did, the wall behind them was literally powder so we've taken it all out so that we can replace it properly, however! What do I fill it with. We had some plaster available to us so we just threw an absolute load of it in there. As it dried (and we had wondered if it might) it shrank considerably, cracked loads and didn't stick to the bricks, presumably because we put it on so thick.

 

What do we do with this? Do we just layer it up slowly, or is there something else we should be putting in there before a layer of plaster, or do I just need to call a professional? Picture showing the depth required. Before we moved in the rest of the wall was re-plastered so is fine.

 

Thank you

 

Stuart

 

[steveg]

Paint the wall with watered down PVA glue first, put plenty of it on. When it goes tacky then apply undercoat plaster. Should be ok that thickness. If you used top coat / finishing plaster then it will definitely crack - at most you can do about 2mm with that.

 

Failing that you can always make up a sand and cement render and put that on, def won't go anywhere then.

[Linfit]

If you are replacing the skirting with new you do not need to plaster or fill the wall behind it.

You just need to fit wooden spacers onto the brick the thickness of the existing plaster and then fit skirting to them.

[3s-gtech]

You'd need bonding plaster to adhere, or render as suggested. No harm in skirting on top without repair, as long as it covers well and it's all dry. You could also dot-and-dab plasterboard strips behind the skirting.

[Koldov]

Just a couple of observations (I am NOT a decorator)... From the few skirting boards I have ever removed, finished plaster rarely goes right down to the floor.

 

I don't think (as has been said) that you 'need' to fill the gap with anything, plaster is just for aesthetics really (and some small amount of insulation and cable covering I guess).

 

It may even benefit you having a gap there if you want to run cables (in some form of trunking) behind the skirting, or if the floor ever gets flooded it won't seep up the wall...

[jmak]

Just a couple of observations (I am NOT a decorator)... From the few skirting boards I have ever removed, finished plaster rarely goes right down to the floor.

 

I don't think (as has been said) that you 'need' to fill the gap with anything, plaster is just for aesthetics really (and some small amount of insulation and cable covering I guess).

 

It may even benefit you having a gap there if you want to run cables (in some form of trunking) behind the skirting, or if the floor ever gets flooded it won't seep up the wall...

When I took off skirting boards and found similar to that I thought "excellent, I can run some Cat 6 and speaker cables behind there".

[Danp]

Fill the space with expanding foam

 

https://www.screwfix.com/c/sealants-adhesives/expanding-foams/cat850108

 

Then sand that, plaster over and you will be able to attach new skirts to that. Either glue, nail or screw

[asteer]

Is this a ground floor? and what is the floor under the wood laminate?

 

It may be best to leave the gap and put any new skirting board over it. You do not want to plaster all the way to the floor as this could bridge your damp proof (if its a ground floor) and cause issues further down the line (moisture in a floor would "jump" the bridged gap and cause damp issues on the wall). We had a damp issue in our front room (caused by debris behind a fireplace and bridging plaster) that due to covid and material shortages has taken over 3 years to get sorted.

[Jawloms]

This is ground floor, internal wall. It's wooden floorboards under the laminate. I like the idea of wooden spacers. Easier to get it level than plastering it too!

 

Thanks to all for your replies. Much appreciated by me and Mrs Jawloms.

[Foresthippy]

Sand and cement all day. 4:1.

[asteer]

This is ground floor, internal wall. It's wooden floorboards under the laminate.

 

If its got wooden floorboards its likely then got spacers underneather and airbricks on the outside of the house for ventilation. The fact you said that the plaster when you took off the boards was powder, makes me think it was affected by damp. The bricks do look a darker colour than you would expect for a 'dry' wall.

 

https://www.ecologicalbuildingsystems.com/post/best-practice-approach-insulating-suspended-timber-floors

 

I would go with wooden spacers and not filling in the gap, as there must have been a reason why the plaster had turned to powder

[woodham]

dont fill that gap with plaster or anything else really , it's there to stop any damp travelling up your plasterwork and allow the wall to breath , use wooden spacers behind whereyou will fix it back to the wall

[XiJ]

+1 for wooden spaces. Defo don’t plaster / fill to the floor though.

 

I hate messing with skirting board tho [emoji3]