Fitting skirting to plasterboard

[matpj]

hi folks, this is my first post on this site.

I have to fit some new skirting boards in the kitchen today, after removing the old ones.

I have plasterboard walls, which look like they have been fixed by big 'blobs' of plaster or similar adhesive (rather than wooden studs)

where the old skirting has been removed the plasterboard has deteriorated in places. (ie I can see the actual wall behind)
I can locate areas where the plasterboard is attached to the wall, so would I just have to buy some long nails and hammer the boards in those areas?

or drill through into the wall and fix them some other way?

any other ideas?

 

[mildmanneredjanitor]

welcome to the site matpj,

you can 'stick' the skirting in place with gripfill (my choice) or no more nails etc.

If you pop into a builders merchants, you will find these products much cheaper than places like Fucus.

You may have to pin the boards in place whilst the adhesive goes off. Scribe the internal joints and mitre external joints. Also, leave a small gap between the skirting and floor, you can use a couple of offcuts of 3mm ply as spacers for this.

Good luck.
MMJ

 

[matpj]

thanks for that!

some of the sirting is slightly warped. whats the best way to make sure it stays flat?

also, why is it necessary to leave a gap between the floor and skirting?

 

[mildmanneredjanitor]

thanks for that!

some of the sirting is slightly warped. whats the best way to make sure it stays flat?

also, why is it necessary to leave a gap between the floor and skirting?

You're welcome

If the skirting is warped, your best bet is to screw it into place (8x2 1/4" screws) also, drilling deep enough into the brick, then pushing the plug (red) through the plasterboard into the brick.

The gap will allow movement between the surfaces so preventing cracking, also it allows floor covering to be tucked under resulting in a neater finish.

This is the way the pros do and I'm not gonna argue!

HTH

 

[Dewy]

It sounds as if the plasterboard was fixed with the dot and dab method.
I'd use screws into plasterboard plugs where the plaster is still sound.
I've never bothered with trying to hide screws in skirting as they are so low few would notice and are often covered by furniture. All y skirting was fixed with cut nails to the breeze block walls and everytime I removed a piece I filled the nail holes and screwed it back to the walls.
No one has ever noticed.

 

[big-all]

another point to note

if youve got lots of gaps where the plasterboard is missing
it would be worth filling in the areas where the screws are going
to give you a level area to screw to
if you put in a screw and there is no support behind as you tighten
it it will try and pull other areas off the wall

big all