How to fill skirting/plaster gap

[kreyszig]

So - our "quick bedroom repaint without removing any woodchip" is blossoming nicely and we now have about half the woodchip off the walls. :roll:

One minor issue is that on at least one wall there is a gap of about half an inch between the skirting and the plaster, which comes down to just below flush with the skirting. The wood chip was just pasted onto the top of the skirting, hiding the gap.
Because the plaster stops so close to the top of the skirting, the gap opens up quite a bit behind the skirting, so I can't see any kind of caulk working well. it would just drop onto the floor.
There's no movement of the skirting; it hasn't come away from the wall, it just seems to be sitting proud of it.

I'm not sure if I should try and close this gap, and if I should, how to go best go about it. We're putting lining paper up next so could cover it with that, but it doesn't feel quite right. I think if I try to take the skirting off to affix anything to the back of it, I'll be vetoed (see introduction).
Any suggestions? I'm sure I'll find a way to do it but the collective knowledge of the forum may have a nifty idea for me. Thanks in advance

 

[malcolm]

That's a big gap to fill! The few like that in our house have been bridged by previous occupants by screwing a bit of wood into the gap. You could maybe fill the gap by putting some small nails through then sitting a piece of lath on top of them, or rest something on the existing nails, then caulk over the top.

I found a quick technique to remove painted woodchip wall paper, but it might only work here. A scraper (without any steam or wetting) will take the paper off leaving the wood chips stuck to the wall. After a wet sponge and 5 minutes wait the rest comes off easily with the scraper. Wallpaper strippers don't seem to work effectively through paint.

 

[Keithj]

I had a couple of those. I squeezed in a convenient strip of wood (interference fit - no screws) and lime plastered to that.

Easy, and seems to have worked.

 

[kreyszig]

Thanks people. I had another look last night and it's more like the plaster stops just above the line of the skirting rather than below, so nails through so some wood can sit on top + caulk sounds like a good plan.
Thanks for the woodchip tip! So far our £20 steamer is doing quite well - the paper needs scoring with a knife but it comes off ok after it's soaked for a while. We got spoilt with the first wall, it was coming off in huge sheets as it was a previously damp wall. The other 3 have been rather slower!

 

[Penners]

Alternatively you could plant a strip of moulding - quadrant or some such - on the top edge of the skirting, to bridge the gap.

 

[kreyszig]

I'm sure you've all been on tenterhooks waiting to see hear how I got on.. so I'll just let you know that malcom's suggestion of some nails through the skirting worked a treat. I used some old ply which I cut into strips and laid on top of some nails, that was good enough to give the caulk something to stick to and it's looking pretty reasonable. Hooray! Thanks people.