Skirting problem

[womble69]

I've removed the old skirtings and am now faced with fitting new.

I find however that the walls are really out of true. They aren't straight up and down, nor are they straight across.

I use a level to get a true horizontal, but because the walls are out, I have to use a level to get the skirtings vertical too.

Now the problem. If the boards are good levels both ways, I get a passable mitre, but some big gaps between the top of the board and the wall. Or, if I press the board against the wall to close that gap, it goes out of vertical and good mitres become impossible (I'm not even going to think of making miniature compound mitres).

I'm inclined to go for good levels both ways and to then shoot expanding foam into the gaps, then sand and paint.

Anyone else got any ideas?

 

[big-all]

throw the level away it will only complicate things
you scribe the internals and mitre the externals

if you are using a mitre box a little wedge here or there will give you a few mm adjustment

 

[womble69]

throw the level away it will only complicate things

It was you who built the house! I knew I'd catch up with you sooner or later.

Seriously though. Scribing is not an option either as the pieces have to be offered up true for it to work. The walls are so out that it's a nightmare.

I've also found that the floors slope a lot too. So here's the next dilemma. Do I set the skirtings at true horizontal and have an ever increasing gap between them and the floorboards? (We are talking quite a gap). Or do I set them to follow the sloping floor?

 

[ColJack]

follow the floor, and use plastic packers to keep the boards vertical.
using the packers allows you to pull the boards in to the wall while maintaining the vertical face.
any gaps between wall and boards should be filled with decorators cauls and painted.

 

[ladylola]

throw the level away it will only complicate things

Seriously though. Scribing is not an option

I don't understand this at all, scribing is always an option. Big all is right thought throw away the level. Most of my work is in old buildings and movement or jerry building has left us with floors and walls that seem to be built completly at random, but the most important tool you own is your two eyes. Put anything in and if it looks right it IS right no matter what the level says. Rather than pack out the top of the skirting cut back the backside to achieve a more plumb look and even if it intersects the adjoining piece at an angle then a scribe is still the best option, you may just need to fanny around with it for a while with a block plane.

Edit I've just posted and seen what the swear filter takes out. It wasn't a really bad word, begins with a f and americans use the word as slang for a bottom.Think so and so by gaslight

 

[chippy5]

i agree with big all lose the level!
follow the floor, play with the miters till they fit. if the wall bows in in the middle screw the hell out of it caulk the top edge then paint
if the wall bows out screw each end ( school of stating the obvious)

 

[womble69]

Thanks folks. All advice appreciated!