Hey everyone! I recently had some skirting boards installed by a carpenter, but they were left with a big chunky mass that looks like white caulk. The contractor insists it's some kind of glue meant to hold the bend, and he told me to cut it off before finishing with wood filler and painting. It looks pretty rough, and I'm worried it's going to be hard to make it look nice since it can't be sanded.
So, I've got two questions: 1) Do you think his explanation makes sense? What kind of glue could be elastic? 2) Would you accept a job in this condition? Just to note, finishing and painting aren't included in the job cost (about $500).
P.S. I forgot to attach pictures, so here they are: https://imgur.com/a/iOK7Uul. Thanks for your thoughts!
3 Answers
It looks like caulk to me, and honestly it's pretty shoddy work. I wouldn't reckon that leaving a thick layer of anything like that is a standard practice. As for your question about filling—doing it over something so thick would be a nightmare. You should definitely consider having him redo it.
Why does it even matter if it's caulk or glue? They can both be elastic, so focus on the fact that the workmanship is terrible. This really needs to be corrected before any finishing work, otherwise it won't turn out well. That's a big red flag in my opinion.
Honestly, whether it’s caulk or glue doesn’t really matter—they're more alike than different. Lots of adhesives can be elastic. The bigger issue is the poor craftsmanship. This work isn’t just sloppy; it seems to cover up bad carpentry. It might be worth addressing with the contractor if you expect it to be fixed properly.