Strange skirting board

[chrissy_a]

Not sure if this is the right category but I'm redecorating a room where there is some kind of "skirting" which isn't actual skirting board.

On one wall it's a kind of plastery consistency attached to lath...

On one wall it looks almost as if the "skirting" is just part of the wall.

What is the best way to remove this old skirting so that I can get some proper skirting board in?

 

[DAZB]

That is the actual wall which has been skimmed down to the floor. For a neat finish you would be best hacking it off and plasterboarding the wall and you can then fit skirting as usual and don't forget to mark where the uprights are for your skirting boards to fix to.

 

[chrissy_a]

Which side are you referring to? The side in the bottom photo has quite a different consistency to the top two. Even on that side there are some differences
In some areas it has quite a stoney dark consistency

and then that stops and there's more of a pink plastery stuff underneath

 

[DAZB]

Mixture of render and plaster but all could be replaced with board and then skimmed.

 

[chrissy_a]

replaced with board and then skimmed.

Sorry I'm a bit confused...board as in skirting board? Why would I need to skim it?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Daz means knock off the silly existing 'skirting' then skim the bottom of the wall and then fit a normal timber skirting.

 

[opps]

I used to live in a faux, art deco property. One with a hockey stick bay window. The skirtings were run in situ. When I replaced the skirting, I made profile to run plaster, which then butted up to the timber.