coving

[newbuyer17]

Hi All,
Have a couple of questions re some coving I want to put up.
We already have quite plain coving up. I can't remember the name, but the most plain stuff you can get, 100mm size I think. We have extended the room now so I need to put up new to match/blend existing.

1. What order do I do this? Walls are newly skimmed. Do I put coving up now before applying mist-coat of paint to walls, or do the mist coat and then stick coving up? In each case, are there any special precautions I need to take i.e. pre-treating plaster with anything to make adhesive stick?
2. I understand that I can use the adhesive as a filler for any gaps. However, is the idea to measure exactly to try to ensure there are no gaps, or is it a good idea to deliberatly leave a few mm short to leave gap to fill and level? The reason I ask is that, having not done this before, it seems unlikely I'll get this mm perfect, and if the bits are too long or even spot on length, then there is no place to fill and hide any imperfections?
3. I have a length of around 4m in one place. Is that too long for a novice to be attempting, or should I join 2 pieces? I'll have some assistance, but it will just be the wife, so in reality I'll be working alone.
Thanks in advance.

 

[misterhelpful]

You can fix the coving either directly to the plaster or after the mist coat. The advantage of doing the mist coat first is that the plaster will be sealed and so will not suck all of the moisture out of the adhesive which can sometimes lead to cracking along the edges of the coving, and occasionally, complete failure to adhere. Whichever way you choose, just make sure you wipe away excess adhesive before it has chance to set. Before starting, you should offer a length of coving into position and then strike a level line as a guide for fixing, however, if the ceiling does is not level then you will be governed by that and not the guideline.

You will probably find that some corners will be out of square and so even perfectly mitred cuts will not necessarily fit together without the need for filling so don't worry about the joints being dead on. The adhesive can be used to fill the gaps but it is advisable to get the corners/joins as tight as possible and butter up the edge of each piece so that the joint will be filled as you fix.

As far as I'm aware, standard coving is only 3m long so you will need to join the 4m run somewhere. Even 3m lengths can be tricky for someone that has no experience of working with coving, especially if the walls/ceiling are not true.

 

[TheDec]

I always prefer to apply a mist coat prior to hanging coving, as far back as the 80s when artex was all the rage cove become very popular. And all we used to stick the cove was artex, just mix it into a thick paste (artex caulk) and it will knock spots of the adhesive.

Dec

 

[newbuyer17]

OK, thanks Guys. I'll press on with a mist coat and sort the coving later. Which is good, as it buys me a bit more time in the meanwhile.