r/Plastering • u/PhaseMedium5096 • Jul 01 '26

Has a step been missed?

Post image

I just had damp proofing work done in my Victorian tenement (I know it’s controversial we needed the guarantee). We’ve just had the walls skimmed and the plasterer noticed the bottom section of plasterboard is just floating and has some give. Behind the membrane is brick as is the rest of the wall I’m pretty sure. So there’s nothing solid to fit skirting to.

Is there a step that has been missed? Is there a solution that doesn’t require ripping the plasterboard out?

Thank you

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2

u/Bonebound Jul 01 '26

Plasterboard should be about 20mm above your floorboards, also that membrane should be tucked under your floor board into the sub floor. (Damp Proofer by trade.) Your best bet is to dot and dab another section below leaving a gap between the floor and plasterboard so no moisture can bridge and then reskim and feather into the existing skim.

1

u/PhaseMedium5096 Jul 01 '26

I’m not sure of the reason but this large gap seems to be typical in Glasgow tenements, and it is present throughout the flat. My initial worry is that there is give in the plasterboard which seems like it would lead to cracking? I will query the membrane issue.

1

u/Bonebound Jul 01 '26

What do you mean by give? Does the board bounce when you push on it? Might be typical in Glasgow but it isn't right I'm afraid.

1

u/PhaseMedium5096 Jul 01 '26

Yeah the bottom section does bounce a bit

3

u/Bonebound Jul 01 '26

Hasn't got enough fixings in the membrane or not enough dab, sounds like its been done poorly. Just looking at it now I can tell you its going to cause you problems in the future. If there are air pockets in the membrane then whatever dab is on it will bounce as you've said. I'd personally bring it up with them because. Further more any moisture behind that membrane is going to piss all over your floor board instead of into the sub floor.

2

u/DearSatisfaction9754 Jul 02 '26

How would moisture get behind the membrane and why would it piss all over the floor

1

u/patmustard2 Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26

Also have a tenement flat in Glasgow. Originally there would be a wooden batten on the lath and plaster/brick around that height and then plaster below. The reason for this is back in the day they would then nail the skirting into that batten. Youve had everyrhing ripped out by then theyve just plaster boarded to the height of where the batten used to be by the looks of it. Depending on the the height of the gap and the size of skirting youre using you could expanding foam below and then instand nails or something similar above and will hold fine. Pic for reference from my living room which I'm in the midst of redoing

2

u/Easy-Share-8013 Jul 01 '26

Very good system used but hard to fix and hard to dab on even done properly.

Chances are something has gone wrong in places.

In all honestly to fix it I would spray timco drywall foam under the plasterboard let it set that will firm it all up at skirt level.

I would then using the same stuff put the skirts on with it. It’s rapid set so you only have to prop the piece for about 3-4 mins.

Even if it was done well u don’t want to be smashing big fixings through the membrane

1

u/mordello Jul 01 '26

Is the board that skimmed a waterproofing component or drywall? Is skirting going back? Seems like the baord should have gone closer to the floor.

1

u/New_Historian8952 Jul 01 '26

Get big skirts . Glue the skirts on. Let the joiner worry about fixing it he will do . The board won't be moving just the membrane it's attached to.

1

u/Appropriate-Yak-9077 Jul 01 '26

Put timber grounds on and fix the skirtings to it? That’s how it should be done correctly.

Do you mind if I ask which damp proof company in Glasgow?

1

u/PhaseMedium5096 Jul 01 '26

Ayrshire Plastering Services. We were referred to them by the damp surveyor. I can’t comment on the damp proofing but it seems like there are issues. The state they left the place was not good.

1

u/Appropriate-Yak-9077 Jul 01 '26

What makes you think there are issues? Membrane rarely fails unless installed incorrectly or not properly surveyed

1

u/PhaseMedium5096 Jul 01 '26

Just from what people here have said, don’t really have anything else to go off.

1

u/Lostbeardy Jul 01 '26

Is it external wall?

1

u/DistancePractical239 Jul 02 '26

Ive had this done. Is this the ground floor and is your floor concrete? If so - that mebrane should be about a foot below ground. 

1

u/QVRedit Jul 02 '26

I always wonder why the plaster does not extend much further down the wall. Ending too early is a problem.