First plastering project....help please!

[Newbiebuildergirl]

I've recently completed a one week course on plastering and started my first room this weekend. So far I'm thrilled with the results, except for one thing - my stop bead join.

As a newbie, I'm unable to do a large ceiling in one go, so I was told by our instructor to use a stop bead. Unfortunately I forgot to ask exactly how to make the stop bead transition completely smooth. Any specific tips? TIA

 

[Doggit]

Define a large ceiling, and how are you intending to do; I've never used a stop bead, and wouldn't want to. I'm sure the pros will give you a better method, but I set up enough scaffold boards in the centre of the room about 80mm appart, so that you can stretch to the sides and just keep moving. You want a spot board set so that you're not having to get down, and you want a helper to keep it filled. That should let you handle a 5x5mtr room quite easily. A lot of it's down to having enough confidence to just go for it.

 

[Newbiebuildergirl]

The ceiling is 3.5 x 4.5....and I don't have a helper. My issue is really about timing of course. I can't seem to work fast enough! I might benefit from a spot board and better scaffolding but I plan on working on my own in the future so I need to develop a system. Perhaps it's just experience that will solve this one, but I need a temporary solution until I get better.

 

[Nige F]

Hello and welcome to the forums . Stilts are the answer, master them and have a raised up spotboard - a large round one is good, you don't jab yourself on the corners, seriously. I presume the instructor meant a temporary stop bead, removed to give you an edge to finish to?

 

[chappers]

if you can't do the whole ceiling then that's what I would do if you're not confident blending two sets. set a batten to the ceiling and treat that as an edge. then take down the batten for the next set, make sure the first set has properly gone off, then start carefully from that edge.
You will get more confident as you learn how the plaster behaves when you first start plastering it's always too tempting to try and get it near to perfect as you are putting the plaster on. But as you get used to it you will realise that it's not so important and with practice you will also achieve a more finished result as you apply.
You will find yourself getting quicker as time goes by, just keep at it

 

[Doggit]

3.5x4.5 is not really a large ceiling by any stretch of the imagination, so I think this is more a confidence issue, and it should be managable even without a helper. You'll do the first coat with one bag, and then mix and get the second coat on before you need to start flattening it. The weathers not too hot at the minute, so you've got favourable weather conditions.

3 four metre scaffold boards will give you a working platform for that size room, and you can think about stilts after you've got a bit more ceiling practice, as they are getting cheaper all the time.

 

[Newbiebuildergirl]

Thanks everyone. I've now completed a whole room and the last wall was so much easier than the first! I've learnt so much from it and am looking forward to the next one.

My next project involves a room with a 3.2m high ceiling...hmmm....I'm only 5'6".....how should I build a platform to make the ceiling easiest? (I like the idea of stilts, but feel that being 1m off the ground would be a little too dangerous on my own to start with.)

 

[23vc]

Builders trestles/bandstands and scaffold boards. Work out your route across the ceiling/how far you can safely reach and set it out based on that.
As above its never ideal to split a large area but when working on your own it happens under certain circumstances. What works for me is forget stop beads and battens, scrim tape across where you want to join it, get the first side on, and just before final hard trowel take the scrim off leaving a good line. Then do other side. Hard part is how you finish the join and keep it clean. Water and troweling along the line and good lighting work for me.