Few questions for the experienced and knowledgable

[1john]

Just wondering if you can answer a few questions for me as i am learning to do plastering at the moment in my house which i am renovating with the tightest of budgets.

Why am i using two coats of finish on a wall (i have seen this done and read about it so never questioned it before now, just done it)

also what are the differences between and the best applications for the following -

Browning
bonding
Hardwall

thanks in advance.

p.s. i dont know how you chaps do this plastering caper for a living day in day out, it's very hard work

 

[gday2uk]

http://www.british-gypsum.com/PDF/LIT_Plaster selector chart.pdf

 

[trowelmonkey1]

Browning i doon't understand the need for myself, it's either bonding for low suction backgrounds of laths, hardwall for all brick and blockwork.

there are a few reasons for 2 coats of finish, the first you apply at around 2-3mm as quick as you can, flatten it then let it 'pull in' if it needs any more time when you finish laying on.

this first coat will control the suction for the second coat and will have gone some way to looking like a finished wall, the second coat will go on nice and thin 1-2mm and should be applied as flat as poss without any misses etc, ideally just lines in it from the trowel which will be flattened out later.

having more time to work the second coat because the first is controlling suction means you have more time to to get it to a nice finish.

but don't take too long over any of it having said that, the key is to attempt no more than you are capable of, difficult when it's a ceiling as you have to do all of it in one hit, but go for a wall at a time and take it from there, controlling the suction with PVA or WBA first is also crucial.

if i've left anything out chaps chip in!

 

[Richard C]

TM's got it well covered as usual Two finishing coats are the recommended method for the reasons he mentions but it’s not a hard & fast rule. If it's a low suction, nice flat base (as with new plasterboard), a relatively small area & you are experienced there is nothing to stop you using a single skim coat if it will give you a perfectly smooth, flat finish. It’s all about how fast you can work but if your only just learning, stick with 2 coats.

I don’t know what benefits Browning offers over Hardwall now either. Don’t discount a good old fashioned sand/cement render base; in some ways it’s better, it’s cheaper than base coat plasters but is rather more tricky to apply if inexperienced.

 

[trowelmonkey1]

Thanks Rich

glad i'm not the only one confused by brownings existence, it's for such a small selection of backgrounds that hardwall will do anyway, guess it's just a legacy/leftover of days gone by, must a load of old boys till buying it in.

i must try more sand and cement myself been a while since i've used any, much cheaper like you say, just find it easier to buy bags of plaster when working on my own.

 

[Richard C]

guess it's just a legacy/leftover of days gone by, must a load of old boys till buying it in.

Didn’t feel brave enough to come out with that one but you must be.

 

[trowelmonkey1]

thin line between brave and stupid, think i'm walkin' right on it

 

[1john]

thanks chaps, good to know, although i suppose sand and cement render would be required if any waterproofer was required. dont suppose you can use it in hardwall.

 

[trowelmonkey1]

correct, why would you use waterproofer? assumed this was internal work.

 

[1john]

i am not, i was just wondering.