Question regarding join between old and new plaster

[MrLargo]

Hi, first time poster here, grateful for any advice anyone can give me.

I am currently in the process of doing up a flat I bought last year. I had to have some damp-related work done when I first bought the flat and am now ready to start painting.

The damp company have replastered the bottom half of the living room walls but have done a poor job of merging the new plaster with the remaining plaster on the top half of the wall. I now have quite a noticeable joining line along the wall and was wondering if anyone could suggest how to disguise it. I've tried sanding and it feels smooth but you can still see the join quite clearly, even with 4 coats of paint (on a small section I have tested).

Any thoughts?

Many thanks
Paul

 

[alan333]

Use some Fast Set (the stuff you use to put up coving, around £7 per bag) and "plaster" it using a flat float or trowel over the area. Cover 4-12 inches each side of your join. Once set it sands down easy. Start sanding with rough grade reduction paper if necessary, then progress to something finer, maybe end up with 120 grade paper to finish. Use a sanding block (or wrap your paper around something similar) so you are flat sanding a larger area. The more you need to sand the messier it is, so try not to put it on any thicker than needed, and don't underestimate the amount of dust it'll produce.

If you're good with your hands you can feather it down to an invisible edge.

 

[jay679]

Is it too late to get the company back in to fix the issue?

I would have thought that their quote would have been (or should have been) worded something like, ' complete works and make good ready for decoration'. It doesn't sound like it has been left ready for decoration.

 

[Jameswren]

Can you put a sofa in the way?

 

[MrLargo]

Is it too late to get the company back in to fix the issue?

I would have thought that their quote would have been (or should have been) worded something like, ' complete works and make good ready for decoration'. It doesn't sound like it has been left ready for decoration.

They were pretty poor all round. Had them back a couple of times, to sort out sockets that they had plastered in lop-sided and a couple of other bits and pieces. Didn't pay them in full and don't really want them near the place now.

 

[MrLargo]

Use some Fast Set (the stuff you use to put up coving, around £7 per bag) and "plaster" it using a flat float or trowel over the area. Cover 4-12 inches each side of your join. Once set it sands down easy. Start sanding with rough grade reduction paper if necessary, then progress to something finer, maybe end up with 120 grade paper to finish. Use a sanding block (or wrap your paper around something similar) so you are flat sanding a larger area. The more you need to sand the messier it is, so try not to put it on any thicker than needed, and don't underestimate the amount of dust it'll produce.

If you're good with your hands you can feather it down to an invisible edge.

Alan, thanks very much, that sounds like great advice, I'll give it a try.

 

[Jameswren]

Stand back and have a look at it part way through sanding, it's easy to rub-down sections too much and get an uneven finish.

What colour are you painting it? It'll how less with a light colour.