Gap between skirting and wall. Pre-plaster question.

[MisterFish]

Hiya

I am about to have a plasterer wet plaster a staircase wall. The house is an old Victorian place and I have realised that the skirting is integral to the staircase so I can't remove it.

There is a gap between the skirting and the wall. Clearly this will need to be "plugged" in some way to stop the plaster just falling straight through.

The plasterer suggested shoving screwed up newspaper down into the space. This seemed a little on the crude side to me. Is this a sensible way forward, or failing that, any suggestions as to a better way to proceed?

 

[DAZB]

The newspaper method is a tried and tested method and noticed it on many a job when uncovering old works etc. I suppose the modern equivalent would be expanding foam and then trim it flush or even at a slight backward angle so the plaster can get a good purchase against the foam and the wall or go with ripping down a length of timber to suit and fix it in place through the stringer.

 

[Wayners]

I'd slide some wood in held with a polymer grab like ct1.
Other option is fill with foam.

Last one I done like that I stuck on insulation board with foam and skimmed it.
Add a few fixings through the board. That would cover the gap.
You having lime plaster?

 

[MisterFish]

Thanks guys.

I can't get near the stringer withount dropping the ceiling underneath, (not happening), and the one thing the plasterer said he didn't want was expanding foam, (no idea why, but he was pretty emphatic when I suggested it).

So I am left with paper or polymered timber. I'll pick one.

I am guessing that the finished level should be below the top of the skirting. How much lower than skirting top should I bring it to?

 

[opps]

I would ignore the plasterer (to a degree) and go with expanding foam, provided that you scrape away the top inch.

The foam will help to lock the strings to the wall (slightly).

BTW, the string is the thing that you call skirting.

 

[cdbe]

I have the same at mine, I filled with sand/cement. The only issue is that the plasterer makes his finish thick enough to lap onto the wood - or you'll have endless cracking.

 

[MisterFish]

Thanks for the advice lads.

I think I am going to go with balled up newspaper thing. I'll leave an inch gap between the paper and the top edge and if he's not happy with that he can sort it out himself.

opps. ... I did know that, but I was using skirting (perhaps wrongly) to refer to the bit above stairs. It makes no difference as I still can't get below stairs to fix as DAZB suggested, and I'm not banging screws through the visible bit.

 

[opps]

@DAZB didn't mention accessing the strings from the underside. He talked about using expanding foam or (nailing) a timber fillet in the top section.

The paper will work, but the foam will reduce any bounce where the strings meet the wall. Foam is the better option and you are less likely to have cracks where the strings meet the new plaster. The paper is however the cheapest option.

 

[MisterFish]

@DAZB didn't mention accessing the strings from the underside. He talked about using expanding foam or (nailing) a timber fillet in the top section.

No he didn't. I did. Nailing, or more likely screwing through stringer, timber and into the wall, from beneath, sounded like a good solution. Just can't do it. Problem going through the top is, the top is going to end up stripped back and oiled. So, no screws can go there.

The paper will work, but the foam will reduce any bounce where the strings meet the wall. Foam is the better option and you are less likely to have cracks where the strings meet the new plaster. The paper is however the cheapest option.

And expanding foam was the ONLY solutuion that the guy actually doing the plastering specifically said he didnt want. He is doing the job, I'm not and niether are you.

It wasn't my first choice, which is why I posted the question. Apparently it is the "old way" though. Go figure!

Thanks for the replies though.

 

[opps]

And expanding foam was the ONLY solutuion that the guy actually doing the plastering specifically said he didnt want. He is doing the job, I'm not and niether are you.

I am not a plasterer, I am a decorator, but I work in tandem with a lot of plasterers. Todate, none have taken umbrage with me using expanding foam in such circumstances.

I suspect that your plasterer might be concerned that you won't remove the excess foam.

Please do ask him why he doesn't want foam. It may help others.

Regards.