Fixing skirting to plastered walls

[sleepless_amateur]

Hi all,

Recently we've had the walls replastered. In the pics you can see that the plaster comes down the wall so far then you're into masonry.

http://imgur.com/a/hhmnj

We were thinking of getting pre-finished MDF skirting to put on, my question is what would be the best way of doing it? The plaster skim sits a few mil proud of the actual brickwork at the bottom there, not much of a gap but what would be the best way to fix the skirting, taking that into account? I was considering something like grip fill but others say screws, which would mean we'd have to get bare wood skirtings to paint over everything properly maybe?

Our other concern was whether nailing or screwing would damage the nice new plaster or create hairline cracks. A couple of the walls in the room are plasterboard.

Thanks in advance.

 

[foxhole]

You can glue , nail or screw or combination depending on background, I prefer not to nail as it can damage surface.
Chip off ripples to base of plaster to prevent any bumps then pack rear of skirting and caulk any gaps once fitted.
Mdf is ideal as it can be purchased already undercoated and is easy to make good [but does not like damp conditions.]
If nailing timber wedges are hammered into gaps between bricks to give something for the nails to grip [marking just above skirting to indicate where to fix].
Screw can be countersunk and filled.
If glueing scraps of timber can be temp screwed to floor and braced off skirting to hold in place while glue goes off.

 

[Norcon]

There is only one way to fit skirting unto masonary and that's using these....

https://www.multifixings.com/concrete-screws-15-subcat.html
So easy.... just put the skirting in place and drill a hole.

Countersink the hole first then fill with a plug cut from the same material using a set of plug cutters.

Forget nailing and gluing.

Personally I don't find plastering that's not finished to the bottom acceptable.

 

[gregers]

Personally I don't find plastering that's not finished to the bottom acceptable.



i always thought it was good practice not to to avoid any bridging.

 

[sleepless_amateur]

You can glue , nail or screw or combination depending on background, I prefer not to nail as it can damage surface.
Chip off ripples to base of plaster to prevent any bumps then pack rear of skirting and caulk any gaps once fitted.

What would you pack the rear of the skirting with? Is it tricky to get the packing to the correct thickness?

 

[foxhole]

http://www.screwfix.com/c/screws-na...ims-_- shims&gclid=CJ-A7qmZiboCFeSWtAodvGQAlA

 

[sleepless_amateur]

http://www.screwfix.com/c/screws-nails-fixings/packers-shims/cat840018?cm_mmc=Google-_-Fixings,%20Bolts%20and%20Washers%20-%20Generic-_-Packers%20and%20Shims-_-%20shims&gclid=CJ-A7qmZiboCFeSWtAodvGQAlA

That's awesome, thank you. I take it you would just stick these in the space below the plaster and leave them in even after the skirting is on?

 

[foxhole]

Yes, easy to just stick to rear of skirting.

 

[Norcon]

Why would you have to caulk any gaps?

A good plasterer will leave it as straight as a gunshot.

 

[foxhole]

Plasterer can't make a crooked wall straight.
You can see from the pics he has less than perfect finish.

 

[Norcon]

A good plasterer can and will make a crooked wall straight.
Big straight edge is all you need and should be part of any good plasterers's tool kit.

Here in the province you don't have to trail after other tradesman with a tube of caulk!

 

[Norcon]

Personally I don't find plastering that's not finished to the bottom acceptable.



i always thought it was good practice not to to avoid any bridging.

What is bridging?

 

[gregers]

any possibility of any damp bridging onto the plastered wall from the floor if its of solid construction.
it was 2nd nature to the spreads ive seen over the years,just to cut back about an inch.

 

[Norcon]

Doesn't sound logical.
Damp would still follow the masonary behind anyway. More like a lame excuse not to do the job properly.

 

[gregers]

wtf,
cut back an inch of plaster and you come to the conclusion the jobs a wrong en.