Dear STW collective.
I live in a house that was built in the late 90s (timber frame)
We are currently in the process of fitting some new Carpets, and out of curiosity I removed one of the skirting boards. There was a gap 10-15mm at the bottom of the board where it meets the chipboard floor. I removed another one and same thing, so I expect it to be the same through the house.
So is this a dampness preventer or a bit of shoddy building.
Its clearly allows a great deal of draft into the house. So the big question should I seal it and if so with what?
thoughts and advice much appreciated.
Yep, sounds normal. It's easier to cover the gap with the skirting than sort it at the ceiling, so the boards are snugged-up not snugged-down
Tube of caulk or something like to fill it. Squirty foam if it's big.
It allows for expansion and contraction of the structure and also for airflow.
Leave it and put the skirting back on.
Sounds broken, burn the place down and start from scratch.
fitting a carpet and you removed a skirting!
Why?
Just a section, not all of it.
The contraction thing I understand but Shirley it wouldn't need 10-15mm and some flexible-ish Caulk probably be ok. would I need that much airflow?
sounds broken burn it down 🙂
twicewithchips. - you are going where I was thinking. Just need to make sure I don't do something that isn't recommended.
When sorting the bathroom out ( again removing the skirting) there was 30-40 cm size holes in places. This was sorted as we had to fit new boards any way.
Put skirting back on then fill smaller gap at bottom of skirting, save yourself a few quid on mastic.
We had some sizable gaps after removing carpets and getting boards sanded.
We've got this stuff between the floorboard gaps and between the boards and skirting.
http://www.draughtex.co.uk/standard-40m-roll/
I'd leave the gap and just makes sure the skirtign is sealed to the floor if you want to avoid drafts - if you ever get any liquid on the floor the plasterboard just sponges it all up.
was thinking about using some expanding foam tape
couple of these should do the job and waterproof also to avoid any spills being soaked up .
www.expandingfoamtape.co.uk
The skirting board in the house is not sealed top or bottom. They are just nailed.
Mum's partner is a plasterer and I've fitted enough boards for him in the past. As mentioned, boards are positioned and then levered up to meet the ceiling before fixing. With standard 2400mm boards this usually leaves a small gap to be covered by the skirting. Totally normal.
Thanks All.
I know the gap is fairly normal, however will I increase the likelihood of damp if I was to seal-it.
lightbulb moment for DrR... is this why most ceilings are 240cm high?? Because it makes sense a lot of building lengths are in 2.4m guise?
DrP
It's normal and one of the benefits is that spillages or minor floods don't damage the boards. Having a board sitting in damp or a puddle for even a short space of time will be enough for it to soak up a load of wet and swell.
lightbulb moment for DrR... is this why most ceilings are 240cm high?? Because it makes sense a lot of building lengths are in 2.4m guise?
If the ceiling is 240 cm high and the board is 2.4 m high then how can there be a gap?
It's a puzzler. 😉
Multiplying 25.4 x 96 may help you solve this.
They're 240cm to the top but only 235cm to the bottom, this leaves a 5cm gap.
😆
lightbulb moment for DrR... is this why most ceilings are 240cm high?? Because it makes sense a lot of building lengths are in 2.4m guise?DrP
We used a couple of continental building systems before, and *every* dimension of window, door, room etc was governed by standard size of block system, that in turn then tallied with things like kitchen cupboard size or bath length...It happens a bit in UK, but not enough. Massively keeps waste down and speed of construction up.
Multiplying 25.4 x 96 may help you solve this.
Indeed. 244cm is eight feet.
Here is the OP's house next month when a bathroom is needing replacing:
[img] 
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So we know why there is a gap, but if the gap is filled with some waterproof foam i.e. wont absorb the water, then there is no issue I feel in terms of damage to the plasterboard.
As for ventilation I don't feel this will be too much of an issue as there are plenty of other gaps elsewhere.
Disappointed that no one on STW could give me a definitive answer...Must be the fact its a Monday. 🙂
Done a bit of quick digging - filling that gap should be OK as long as you use something (a) flexible and (b) that won't leech any liquid up into the plasterboard.
Thanks colournoise
that's what I thought care to share the sources?
If the ceiling is 240 cm high and the board is 2.4 m high then how can there be a gap?
OK smart arse! Obviously the op ceiling is 241cm high or something!
Or, I suppose, measuring 240cm from the carpet (plus underlay) equates to a floorboard to ceiling height of more...
DrP
Just bare in mind that you can get 2.7 boards. I wouldn't fill it. Once the skirting is on it closes the gap anyway. It's standard practice to keep you board up a bit.
RudiBoy - Member
Thanks colournoisethat's what I thought care to share the sources?
I just googled 'filling gap at bottom of plasterboard' and checked a few of the hits for a concensus.
But, as wrightyson says, personally I would leave it.
Isn't that why skirting boards were invented? A bit like architrave...
wallop - Member
Isn't that why skirting boards were invented?
Pretty much...
... although originally AFAICT it was to hide the untidy bottom edge of plasterwork rather than the board gap in the days before boards.
In the last couple of years the 'genius's' at building standards have decided that houses should be air tight and its common practice to seal between the flooring and plasterboard and indeed between plasterboard and any surface that it butts up against.
Not surprising that there was then an article on the news about a housing association having to 'train' its elderly residents to open windows to prevent dampness and condensation...
'genius's'
Lol 😆
Not surprising that there was then an article on the news about a housing association having to 'train' its elderly residents to open windows to prevent dampness and condensation...
If the housing association had built them correctly, the mvhr would solve that problem.
It becomes a PITA when you put ply on the exterior of the studwork cos ply is 1220x2440. OSB board is 1200x2400 though. When I first did joinery plasterboard was metric width 1200 by imperial 96"! 😯
We used a couple of continental building systems before, and *every* dimension of window, door, room etc was governed by standard size of block system, that in turn then tallied with things like kitchen cupboard size or bath length...It happens a bit in UK, but not enough. Massively keeps waste down and speed of construction up.
Le Corbusier sorted this all out 70+ years ago to make everything work together... [url= https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modulor ]Modulor[/url]