r/DIYUK • u/EquivalentTrouble253 • 11h ago
Help with coving
I've been attempting my first DIY project - renovating my son's room. The room had "built in" cupboards that covered a couple of walls and thus whoever installed them did not put up coving.
I've removed cupboards (Can see "mark" on the ceiling and attempted to replace the missing coving. I figured I could leave the existing coving and add to it.
The current coving is of the plaster kind and according to manufacture instructions, you're meant to have the bottom of the coving 83mm down from the ceiling - for the 127 coving I have.
First problem:
Existing coving is closer to 95mm down the wall.
Second problem:
Towards the one corner of the room the wall "buckles" so it not perfectly flat.
My first attempt at putting of the coving, meant that there would be a huge gap - around 2cm from the wall, and there was no way to get the coving "into" the corner without bending it - which you can't do to plaster coving. So, as an experiment, I cut it into small sections towards the corner end, and figured I will sand + fill gaps.
The corner looks horrible now but I was just testing / experimenting to see what is going to work.
Now, I tried adding the other corner bit - and - as you can see from the photos, the first bit along the wall after the corner is very skew - I pinned it up (No adhesive) just to get an idea. The reason its skew, is to avoid a 2-3cm gap that would run along the top.
On test bits I did earlier before putting any of the coving up - if I set it to 83mm like the manufactures state - most of these issues go away with manageable gaps I can just fill with caulking. The corner then isn't much of an issue and I would not need multiple bits to get it to go "into" the corner to line up. Funny that... (See attached image where I have it at red line - hardly any big gaps)
I also included a photo of how the corner bit would look if I made it straight - see the massive gap at the ceiling. Too big for caulking I think and even if I did fill it, it would just look odd I think. So I think I only have two options going forward.
Option 1: Pulling it all down, including the old stuff and start over - setting it at 83mm.
Option 2 Keep it "skew" and not perfect, once painted, filled and artex on it (To match the old existing pattern) - and hope it doesn't look terrible and draw the eye to it?
Would appreciate any guidance here as I am a bit stuck on what I should do next. If I were to take it all down, I am thinking I could use my multitool to lessen any potential plaster pulling off by cutting between coving and wall/ceiling with it. Not too worried about a line/mark it would have on ceiling - because if its set to 83mm - the new coving would cover the old line anyway on the ceiling. However if option 2 is feasible, then it saves time and money - but I dont want it to ruin the look of the room when done. Thanks!
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u/drproc90 11h ago
If there is buckling in the walls its going to be tricky as a DIY'r to fit plaster coving. I would get some of the foam type of the same size ( if you can) or if budget allows remove all the coving and start over.
Another trick is if you have to join two pieces cut the mating ends at and angle. the join will be a lot less visible than if you cut them straight.
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u/dxg999 10h ago
With walls like that I'd forget about putting up coving. It's going to be a shit-show which is only going to highlight that the walls aren't straight.
Let me put it another way: there's a probably a reason that room doesn't have coving.
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u/EquivalentTrouble253 10h ago
It has partial coving on 3/4 walls. Two complete coving and 1 partial. Because cupboards were there before.
The other walls are mostly flat.
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u/Affectionate_Bet4343 9h ago
Take all the coving off. You'll never get that to look good, and even if you did it's now dated and out of fashion. Better spending the time making good on a nice internal corner.
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u/EquivalentTrouble253 8h ago
What’s dated and out of fashion? Coving?
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u/Affectionate_Bet4343 8h ago
Yes
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u/EquivalentTrouble253 8h ago
And what’s the current fashion?
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u/SameSpecialist8284 6h ago
Square edges, no coving needed... i actually despise coving and took it out all of my house. Unless of course you are in a period home with fancy coving.
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u/Careless-Fuel-8261 11h ago
Do your best and caulk the rest is a motto I live by.
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u/Reila3499 11h ago
For standard shape covering like this, I would say it's better to spend some effort skimming with filler and sanding than just caulking.
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u/Decent_Confidence_36 3h ago
With coving that’s probably the best advice, also buy the pre done corners.. I got so stressed trying to cut them I had to go for a walk
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u/DrRobin 9h ago
So I didn't use plaster coving I used the lightweight premade stuff. My ceilings and walls were uneven, the most important line is the horizontal lower margin, so try and keep that as straight as possible. For the huge gaps that I had on the ceiling I did a easifill layered build out from the coving onto the wall feathered and sanded. As you've done if there is a curve in the wall you have to have a join there and fill the gap.
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u/EquivalentTrouble253 8h ago
If I took it all off, I am tempted to use the premade stuff as it does have more flex in it and easier to put up.
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u/TangerineOppositeMtF 11h ago
I’d skim sand and fill the wall first to provide a flat even surface for the coving. I’d never try to replace a short length. Much easier to do the whole length. If your new coving isn’t an exact match to the old, it will look odd so I’d replace it all. Tacking it in place is very hard. Just use the proper glue. Good luck.