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Restoration & Refurbishment

Replacing skirting boards and dealing with blown plaster

Anonymous user 23 February 2024 - 2.51 PM

I'm about to embark on painting and decorating of my 1930s terraced house and I would like some advice/clarification about a couple of points before I let my decorator loose in the property. I hope someone will be able to help! The skirting boards throughout the house do not match and is incomplete in some rooms so I've raised this with the decorator as one of the jobs that I'd like to be addressed. He has suggested removing all of the skirting board throughout the house and replacing it all so it matches. This seems reasonable although I think it would be best to leave the skirting on the stairs as I imagine it will be difficult to run it round bends (I also presume what is currently in place is the original skirting). Would you agree that this is a sensible approach? Or would you advise replacing the lot? He has also said that when he removes the skirting, it will leave a gap so he will have to fit higher skirting board (by about 2 inches) than what is currently in place. Is this really the case? Perhaps I am missing something but I can't understand why a gap will be left as the skirting sits on the wall rather than it being embedded. I also have plastering going on so surely any gaps will be able to be filled. If he fits higher skirting boards, then plug sockets will have to move so the job will be even more long winded/complicated. To add an extra issue, in one of the rooms, some of the plaster has blown about an inch or so above the skirting. I asked him how he was going to fix this and he said that the higher skirting boards would cover the holes up. I've tapped the plaster above the holes and it sounds hollow so surely this need re-skimming to address the issue rather than being partially covered up by skirting? I would be grateful for some advice on how to approach the above as I am not convinced what what he is proposing. Or it may be the case that he is right. Many thanks in advance.

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2 Answers

Anonymous user

Hi Anila, I will also agree on taking off all the skirting in the house and fit a matching profile, but also making sure the new skirting matches the profile of the one around the stairs, if replacing those will create a problem. Many timber yards will easily cut to profile any wood. Assuming its complicated. If not a hand held router will do it on site. As to the blown plaster, no need cutting corners by fitting a higher skirting to hide it. Hack it off to the block/brick works, right up to the point where the plaster is firm and does not sound hollow and then replaster. I must not forget to mention that you must take into consideration the height of your sockets from the floor, when you order the new skirting boards. No need moving up the sockets. This should actually be a straight forward refurbishment. Have fun. Gene.

Answered14 January 2015

Anonymous user

I will also agree on taking off all the skirting in the house and fit a matching profile, but also making sure the new skirting matches the profile of the one around the stairs, if replacing those will create a problem. Many timber yards will easily cut to profile any wood. Assuming its complicated. If not a hand held router will do it on site. As to the blown plaster, no need cutting corners by fitting a higher skirting to hide it. Hack it off to the block/brick works, right up to the point where the plaster is firm and does not sound hollow and then replaster.

Answered30 January 2020