Home DIY

does the scrim get poked down behind the skirting?

No, layed over the top edge, 90 degree angle. It's a very longwinded process. It's just that cracking skirting boards on staircases do my head in. Mine are a different pattern though so it makes a bit more sense. I think these were done in 2010.

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I think I got better at it, elsewhere in the house it didn't seem to take as long and it still hasn't cracked.

i did wonder if that was the case but do you use the same filler over the skirting or very carefully use wall/wood filler?
(sorry for all the questions, just interested)

On the wood work i might use a tiny bit of wood filler to feather it in at the edges, on the walls, wall filler to feather. I try to not put a hard filler over the flexible one where you would expect movement.

what is forum-approved filler for small screw holes in plaster walls please?

EDIT: I am thinking this stuff:

Cheers. So you lay the scrim across the gap and then filler over that?

This is annoying to say, but how easy is it to push the skirt back to the wall (it will spring back to being out), but given it's throughout the house were they just tacked on

It is but I personally use a standard filler (easyfill) for holes with any depth and expect it to shrink back and then the torment for the last few mm and feathering the edge out which is what it’s really good for.

It's pretty minor throughout a lot of the house. The skirting board I removed was glued as well as nailed on. I suspect it is the plaster fully drying that has done it (and movement in a 100+ year old house).

Fill the hole, scrim, cover the scrim with flexible filler. I use flexible filler to fill the hole too.

The flexible filler is noticeably more rubbery than mastic and has fibres in it. At least one of the options has fibres in, not sure if that's the one I linked to.

Easyfill cracks if there's any movement between the walls and skirting though.

I do use easyfill from time to time on walls but I have a list of issues with it. It is quite good for feathering with a wet sponge though.

That one is quite handy and the wood one for (guess what) woodwork. I use it for fixing issues around downlighters etc. I really doesn't work if it's much over the depth limit though (1mm).

The standard one in a tub is good if you think you'll use it all.

The flexible filler is available in a tube again :-

https://www.toolstation.com/toupret-fibacryl-flexible-filler/p40082?store=HA&utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=googleshoppingfeed&mkwid=_dc&pcrid=&pkw=&pmt=&gclid=CjwKCAiAyfybBhBKEiwAgtB7fiix7qCP69oD7uo2LDxaSDLqYZfXmB-e34ByVk2--9Zuip515b9SsRoCbAIQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

What's the best way to remove silicone from plastic?

And as a follow up is silicone the best thing to finish the edge between the door trim and step?

Background:
The door fitter discovered part of the doorstep was fucked and missing. We said it was going to get replaced eventually, so the installer went crazy with the silicone as a temp solution until the step was replaced.

What's the best product for filling in hairline cracks in plaster? Old house, lots of them about.

Edit: Probably Toupret as above, lol!

Acetone is best for silicone, think silicone manufacturers also make specific silicone removing products.

Some of the brands for household/diy Silicone offer a 'Silicone remover' based upon ptsa, (paratoluene sulphonic acid).

Cartridge silicone has poor unprimed adhesion to common building substrates, poor tear resistance and poor wear resistance, (walking on it will quickly wear through it).

If you can find a cartridge of '1-part Polysulphide' in a builders' merchant that will have better tear and wear resistance, but if you have a wide, deep joint it will take a while to skin over and fully cure at the current low temperatures.

The Soudal FixAll, (ToolStation 84704) will be easier to find and will be better than the silicone.

Acetone

I've got a bottle, but worried it will damage the plastic trim.

Annoyingly I had a big bottle of alcohol that got knocked off a shelf and had the cap broke.

It's now just a small gap between the trim and bricks pushed underneath.

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Sorry for the appalling photo.

Can anyone recommend a good quality and useful impact driver bit set?

I've always found that 50mm bits are better as they don't need an adapter in the driver. My experience is the magnetic bit holders fail, but I can't find any versatile sets made up exclusively of 50mm bits.

Are some bit holders/adapters better than others? I've not tried a well regarded brand.

Had a look on the Wera website?

CT1 make a product that helps you remove it

C-Tec - Multi-Solve - also good for removing recycled jam jar label adhesive when its time to make your organic marmalade...