Small scale interior rendering

[ukthesis]

Some interior electric wiring has been done in my house. This involved gouging out channels in walls, for the wires to go into, and the knocking out of holes in walls for sockets to go into. Now, I was advised that I need to RENDER the holes. This involves putting in the holes a mixture of materials. Then, I call in a plasterer to put plaster over the rendered material.

Basically, if I wanted to do the rendering (not plastering) myself, what would I do? It's only a small scale job, and there are two walls to be rendered plus areas around several sockets. Seems like this rendering is a simple job and something most people can do.

Can I buy pre-mixed rendering materials from a DIY store? What should I look for if I can?

Thank you.

 

[54aardvark]

If its just the usual 1" channel for the cables & conduit, I'd just rough fill with Carlite (bonding) to build up to about 1mm below surface of wall and then fine fill using Gyproc Easifil, feathering it out so you get it flush with the adjacent wall. you may need a fine sand (120 grade+)

My choice of materials but you get the idea.

 

[ukthesis]

Thank you. I am completely new to this, so need a guiding hand and you'll have to be patient with me.

Basically there are 2 walls involved, in which there are long, slim cavities into which the wiring has gone. These cavities need covering up. There are also holes in the skirting board where sockets have been installed.

Going through it step by step. After the rendering's done, I can call in a plasterer. I've had some rewiring work done, and the electricians did this rough rendering work (basically filling in the cavities up to a point) then a plasterer was called in 2 days later. That's what I'm going off.

So, I go out and buy in a DIY shop this Carlite (bonding)? Is it in a small packet that needs adding to water?

How do I apply it? With a small trowel, for example? Do I just "slap it on," since this is only to be used as a base for the plastering work to be done? In other words, does it need to be put in the cavity in a particular way, or just "thrown" into it?

You then refer to "fine fill" work using Gyproc Easifil. Is this part of the rendering process? It sounds a little like you are now into plastering type work, in which I'm doing that as well as the rendering. In other words, this part is a substitute for calling in a plasterer.

That would be fine, except that people say that plastering is something that isn't as easy as it looks, and I'm worried that I'll get myself into all sorts of trouble by assuming that it is easy, when I don't know anything about it. That's why I was hoping to just do the ("easy") "filling in" (rendering) work, than doesn't require special tools or knowledge.

So can you please tell me if this procedure includes everything, or whether this is only the rendering. Also, the query about buying this Carlite and applying it.

Cheers. Dave.

 

[joe-90]

Why have you got holes in your skirting? Sockets don't go in skirting.

Why have you got big grooves in your walls? The wires should be covered by capping and a simple patching compound on the top (Wickes plasterboard adhesive is the best you'll get - 25KG bag for a fiver). Fill it and when it is dry sand it back.

What do you need a plasterer for?

 

[ukthesis]

Again apologies for appearing dense. But I am going off what happened recently when I had some rewiring done in the house. Some of the skirting board was destroyed when they had to drill holes to put the wiring in.

Can you please tell me what you mean by "The wires should be covered by capping." What is this capping? What I was wondering was whether the wires have to be protected with something before any mixtures are inserted in the grooves in which the wires are located. Or can you lay mixtures you buy directly onto the wires?

I do know that in the case of rewiring, the electricians' work was similar to this present job, insofar as there were "holes" near, or behind, sockets they installed that needed to be filled in. So, the electricians used some stuff (rendering??) to fill in the holes. After it was set, the plasterer came along, to "finish off" the work. That is, to put plaster over the rendering (or whatever the term is for shoving materials into holes to fill them up in preparation for the plastering).

So the electricians, before they left, used something to 90 percent fill up the holes caused by having to remove bits of the walls to insert wiring. Then, 2 days later, a plasterer came in order to "finish off" the job. That is to try to, using plaster, repair the damage done by the electricians, so that it doesn't appear noticeable.

Lastly, the plaster is allowed to set and it's then painted over.

So that explains that. But your instructions on what I should do aren't detailed enough. Don't forget that if I want to try my hand at repairing the damage caused by the wiring grooves, I need the procedure spelling out in detail. Otherwise, I may as well call in a plasterer, which was one idea I had.

 

[roy c]

Call in a plasterer lot less fuss and probably cheaper.....

 

[joe-90]

You shouldn't have to fill in behind the socket back boxes. They should be cut neatly with a special drill jig. No capping over the cables? You've had the cowboys in - that's what you've had.

 

[ukthesis]

I didn't say there was no capping. What is capping, and how do I spot it?

Roy C has the right idea. Pay for a plasterer and no hassles ! In other words, back to square one.