skimming onto brown side

[trowelmonkey1]

and ANOTHER!

went to look at a job yesterday and the guy insists on doing his own prep, pretty much wants to do everything except skim.

someone has put up a new board ceiling using clouts so will add plenty of screws in of course but it's brown side down should i be advising him to rip it down and refuse to skim it or juts tell him it's the wrong way around and skim it if he's happy knowing it's wrong?

don't want to just go in there and skim without saying anything you know?

gotta give him a price next week so would like to mention this in the same conversation.

 

[NickB_99]

I thought with p/b the different sides were due to varying paper thickness. i.e. the side you are supposed to plaster is thicker paper, so gives you more time to work and less danger of suction.

Personally have not tried plastering the wrong side (yet ).

I guess the pros can advise what happens if they are the wrong way round and you proceed as normal.
Can a spot of PVA/water mix help reduce suction to be safe ?

 

[Micilin]

Back in the day, you were supposed to skim the brown side, and the ivory side was for jointing/decorating. I still go onto jobs where the brown side is out, because the builder has some half remembered idea of this. Loads of times there will be the odd board the wrong way round because he measured and cut the wrong way.

I have skimmed them with no problem, never heard of anything falling off.

That said, I suppose the corrct thing to do would be to pva and skim while tacky.

Anyone else?

 

[trowelmonkey1]

hi chaps!

I was told by the chap that taught me that originally the brown side was for skimming but was causing failures, he said he was one of a 100 or so plasterers who went into BG to prove the problem as they wouldn't buy it, said it turned out that the grey side was best.

if you skimmed over plenty of brown paper micilin then i suppose i shouldn't concern myself uneccesarily?

 

[marshman]

As Micilin, I've skimmed many of the oh bugger bits ( back to front cuts ) and I've never hear of it falling off,
it just shows a different shade when dry.

 

[trowelmonkey1]

thanks marshy! i'll just tell him that's it's the wrong way around but shouldn't cause him a problem may just look odd when dried.

 

[Richard C]

Just one reason I don’t like customers doing there own prep or at least if it's not done under my instruction. It’s s ceiling so just PVA’s it as you would for re-skimming & it’ll be fine; tell him the error of his ways, not to use nails in future & add your own caveat if there are any future problems. I would not advise tiling a wall so skimmed (or even tiling directly onto it) as the bond may not support the weight of larger, heavier tiles. Not heard about it originally being intended to skim the brown side though.

 

[trowelmonkey1]

thanks Richard

he says HE didn't put it up someone else did suspect he may already know the error of his ways but will remind him of course and then deliver him the old 'caveat', like that word! and will stick a few screws in anyway before i get on and skim it and will PVA before skimming, would you recommend a strong PVA mix? as i guess too weak/wet and the paper will just suck it in.

 

[Richard C]

I'ts just to keep the suction down, use around 1:4 mix, 2 coats as you you would with a re-skim.

 

[marshman]

Not heard about it originally being intended to skim the brown side though.

They were day's before the plaster board screw was invented and screw drivers were manual and there is nothing wrong
with nailing them up with clouts, most of the ceilings in Brittan are held up with nails. its the people with the hammer that are the problem.

 

[noseall]

We use plasterboard nails as well as screws. I wouldn't like to try unscrewing all those screws with heads full of skim, if ever the ceiling needs replacing!

I have skimmed the dark side with no ill effects but the ivory side is the correct side. The ivory paper is wrapped so that it is bound and jointed on tuther side.

 

[roughcaster]

Hi all,, good to be back,
i'm in agreement with all the guys about skimming, (if you have too) on either side of the board, with no ill effects. As Noseall said though, there is a correct side,,, going by the book.... I've also skimmed over boards where the surface paper has been more or less destroyed after wallpaper etc has been removed. With the right prep, that's not a problem either.

Roughcaster.

 

[trowelmonkey1]

Hi RC!

Have a good break?

P.S. thanks all for the advice, will PVA it and skim having added a few extra screws in for good luck and of course tell him he's put it up the wrong way around.

 

[dextrous]

Hi RC!

Have a good break?

P.S. thanks all for the advice, will PVA it and skim having added a few extra screws in for good luck and of course tell him he's put it up the wrong way around.

It may well say on the board "plaster on other side", as it does on BG boards (I'm looking at one now) which you may wish to draw his attention to.

 

[Richard C]

Hi all,, good to be back,

Welcome back RC

I’m off on Monday for 5 weeks but I will probably be logging in on a steam age, dial up connection in the Spanish mountains from time to time if I get bored with all that sun, seafood & Sangria.