Plastering over paint

[jbonding]

So you dont actually use the feather edge to revove any of the plaster ?

Just to see hollows ? If that is the case, then what i am doing with my 1.2 meter spirit level is the same as the feather edge, although i do remove a bit of plaster with that and kind of scrape the surface.

Thanks, I am rendering a wall on sat then skimming the room on sunday so i will take a piccie and see what you think

Am I ok to skim over the base the following day ?

Mick

it removes plaster and fills hollows at the same time, your using your level like a rule, ruling the surface flat, the straight edge/feather edge is used similar to what joes mate does with a darby but on a bigger scale. the plaster on the feather edge is used to fill slacks but is a skill that comes with a lot of practice.

 

[joe-90]

I used to know a guy that used to get his lad to load his darby while he held it and then used it as a very large float to apply the plaster. He used to get a very flat wall.

BTW for what it's worth I rate JBs posts very highly. I've never known him to give out duff info.

One quick question JB - how do you decide when it is the right time to go back to the stuff you've slapped on earlier to give it the smoothing treatment? I'm always interested in fine tuning my style.


joe

alright joe are you on about finish? it all depends on the background,weather and amount i put on, if i put on two bags or three i turn back and lay down straight away, then flatten and trowel. The less you play with it trying to get the lines out in your roughing on or laying down coat the better, the flattening coat does this, in time there will be less trowel marks and you have plenty of time to keep on top.its hard to explain exactly when to jump back on it but this comes with experience.

My problem is that while I can usually get a good finish and have done quite a lot of plastering, what annoys me is that sometimes I go back and it just smooths up like magic, but occasionally I get problems and I know it is because I haven't judged it right. The one I really hate is when I get small spongey bobbles under the surface. I think this is because I went back too early but when I've gone back too late it's a pain too. Can you judge by the surface texture (ie gone matt) when it is time to go back? Are there any signs that tell you to leave it a few more minutes?
When you say you 'lay down straight away' do you take a camp bed with you?


joe

 

[keyplayer]

roughing on=1st coat
laying down =2nd coat
flattening = going over with the trowel getting out the lines
trowel = same as above
polish = doing the painters head in

Sorry to bump this to the top but jbonding can you clarify:-

Do you always apply 2 coats of finish, even on new boards?
Do you flatten first coat, then apply second?
Do you flatten with a steel or plastic float prior to final trowelling?

Thx - great thread!

 

[jbonding]

2 coats is the way its possible on decent boarding but you have to know how to do it proper before you take short cuts. you dont flatten first your laying down coat should leave less trowel marks then flatten once it starts to set. i use a steel trowel to flatten you can use plastic to get a polished finish.

 

[Bazdaa]

Just for the record. Many of these questions also apply to me as well. Funny thing is, I normally use a spirit level or a straight! piece of wood to level my render.

P.S. Cheers for the advice JBonding, no sarcasm ect, just the infnce again you surprise me!

 

[keyplayer]

Thanks jb, as an enthusiastic amateur I have been getting (lately) acceptable results with this sequence(on boards):-

Apply single coat with steel.
Flatten with plastic float.
Trowel off with steel.
Polish.

The flattening stage is both time consuming and hard work! Using second coat will presumably make things easier? I'm doing a small room in a couple of weeks and will follow your recs. Cheers!

 

[Bazdaa]

Ye, I think I've been going wrong with the flattening part. Been playing with the 1st and 2nd layers. When I should have got it up, and then flattened. I guess practice makes perfect.

 

[Mick Leek]

JB

You are never going to beleive this but even though i have plastered many rooms i have never done an external corner (YET)

But i have to do one on Sunday, How do you stick the steel beed to the wall ? Do you use a bit of plaster first ( on the plaster board) and then skim over ?

Also if you render a wall first, then skim, do you put the beed under the render coat, On top while still wet, or when skimming ?

I bet you are sat there ****ing yourself at those questions

 

[jbonding]

if its plasterboard, nail a skim bead on, if you floating a wall set your float beads first, depending on the background you can nail them on and level up or stick them on with plaster and level up. and let it go off a bit before you float

 

[Mick Leek]

JB

So if i were rendering first, i would do that as normal and then stick the beed on once i was doing the finishing coat ?

How do you get the corners good on the render coat before you use the beed ? Practice ?

thanks

Mick.

PS

If you are ever doing a job near Blackburn, i would love to come and watch a "real plasterer" do it

Cheers,

Mick

 

[jbonding]

JB

So if i were rendering first, i would do that as normal and then stick the beed on once i was doing the finishing coat ?

How do you get the corners good on the render coat before you use the beed ? Practice ?

thanks

Mick.

PS

If you are ever doing a job near Blackburn, i would love to come and watch a "real plasterer" do it

Cheers,

Mick

stick your beads on before you start rendering