Replacing skirting boards

[alanthomaswatson]

All.

As part of a re-plastering/dry lining job in one bedroom, I had to remove a length of skirting board which was wall fixed on wedges packed into the mortar joins.

1. In replacing the skirting boards will it be easiest to fix back as originally done (the wedges broke when being removed so new ones will have to be cut)? If so, are the wedges twisted or straight?

2. Alternatively I could patch plaster the wall to give a flat surface to fix the boards to. The room is first floor so I won't be bridging a DPC. If so, the floorboards finish a little short of the wall. Would the plaster 'self-support' over the gap or is it best to fill the voids and then plaster from there? I have seen plasterers plaster to floor and then chop off the bottom of the plaster.

Any help much appreciated.

 

[regsmyth]

I wouldn't try to cut new wedges- it was probably quite an art.

Nor would they if they'd had drills, plugs, screws and gripfill (probably).

If the plaster/wall finish is quite thick eg 15mm or more, and quite fragile, I would make some suitable individual timber packers and screw them into the bricks below the bottom of the plaster using screws and plugs, vertically positioned. Then screw the skirting into them.

If you have to make good the plaster, depending on the situation, might be done before(fix batten to plaster down to) or after(squash newspaper into the gap before trying to plaster) fitting skirting. Try to prevent it all falling through the ends of the floorboards.