Who this guide is for
- Homeowners noticing gaps behind or below their skirting
- People preparing to brief a carpenter or building professional
- Anyone unsure whether a gap is cosmetic or signals movement
- Owners wanting a clear record before deciding on action
Where the gap is
Note whether the gap is between skirting and wall, skirting and floor, or both, and which walls and rooms show it. A gap under the skirting can suggest the floor has dropped; behind it can suggest the wall.
Describe the gaps rather than deciding whether it is shrinkage or movement.
- A gap between skirting and floor
- A gap between skirting and wall
- Gaps on one wall or several
- Skirting visibly pulling away
Stable or growing
The key question is whether the gap is stable or widening. Mark the current width with a pencil line or a dated photo with a coin for scale, so you can see if it grows over weeks and seasons.
Record whether it opens and closes with the seasons, which often points to normal movement.
What accompanies it
Note any other signs in the same area — sloping floors, cracks above doors, sticking doors, or gaps at ceiling junctions. Gaps with these together are more worth flagging than a gap alone.
Record whether the floor near the skirting feels uneven or springy.
Photographing the gap
Photograph the gap with a coin or card for scale, along the affected wall, and any accompanying signs. Keep dated images to show whether it changes.
Avoid filling or caulking before you have a record, since that hides whether it is moving.
- Use a coin for scale, dated
- Capture the run and any related signs
- Avoid filling before recording
Briefing a professional
Bring your scaled photos, the stable-or-growing record, and any accompanying signs before contacting a carpenter or, if movement is suspected, a building professional.
Let them judge whether it is cosmetic shrinkage or part of movement; your record is the key evidence.
Documentation checklist
- 1Note whether the gap is at the floor, the wall, or both
- 2Record which walls and rooms show gaps
- 3Mark the current width with a dated photo and a coin for scale
- 4Track whether the gap is stable or widening over weeks
- 5Note whether it opens and closes with the seasons
- 6Record any sloping floors, cracks, or sticking doors nearby
- 7Note whether the floor near the skirting feels uneven
- 8Avoid filling or caulking before you have a record
Common mistakes to avoid
- Filling or caulking the gap before recording whether it is moving
- Treating a growing gap with other movement signs as cosmetic
- Recording one gap and missing a pattern across rooms
- Ignoring sloping floors or cracks that accompany the gap
- Assuming it is just shrinkage without watching whether it grows
When to involve a professional
- A carpenter can re-fix skirting, and where movement is suspected a building professional should assess it
- A gap that grows, especially with sloping floors or cracks, warrants a professional look
- Do not fill the gap before recording it, as that hides whether it is still moving
- What is involved varies by construction and location, and a professional should confirm whether movement is present
Frequently asked questions
Questions readers ask about this topic
Is a gap behind my skirting a structural problem?
Often it is ordinary shrinkage that opens and closes with the seasons, but a gap that keeps growing or comes with sloping floors and cracks is worth flagging. Tracking whether it is stable or widening is the key thing to record.
Should I just fill the gap?
Filling it before you have a record hides whether it is still moving, which is the very information a professional needs. It is more useful to document the width over time first and then decide.
Why mark the width with a coin?
A coin or card in the photo gives scale so you and a professional can see whether the gap is widening over weeks and seasons. That comparison is far more useful than a single undated photo.
What other signs should I look for?
Sloping or springy floors, cracks above doors, sticking doors, and gaps at ceiling junctions in the same area. Recording these alongside the skirting gap helps a professional judge whether movement is involved.
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