First time plastering..

[R27ADam]

Hi folks I'm new here so go easy on me!

I've read around the forum and watched a few youtube videos before signing up.. I've recently got my first house and money is sadly not in abundance! I want to attempt to try and plaster my kitchen after taking the existing tiles off. I assume if I cock it up I can just chisel off any plaster and get a professional in easy enough?

Thanks!

 

[NickB_99]

Hi folks I'm new here so go easy on me!
...
I assume if I cock it up I can just chisel off any plaster and get a professional in easy enough?

Welcome

Newly laid plaster doesn't like coming off! In fact, if correction needed, a pro may find it easier to go over the top with a new skim (assuming what you put on hasn't cracked due to suction etc).

Check out how sound your plaster is underneath first. If no cracks and sounds solid to tap, would prob only need a skim at worst.
(Of course if it's plasterboard it will prob sound hollow anyway, but should be smooth and crack-free).

Start small in what you do. The more you do wrong, the harder it is to put right

This forum has loads of info as also the wiki. Read up a lot first.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Welcome R27ADam,
what are the walls made of, as tiles can be a s0d to remove from boarded walls and damage is often a result.
When removing the tile adhesive, it is best to soften the stuff up using heat, this can be applied by a heat gun or a steamer, much better than hacking away at it.
I'll try find a link to something I wrote up not to long ago about the process I go through. If it's re-skim don't forget it will need to primed first with PVA.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

This is some info I post to another thread,
Bear in mind it was a newly boarded wall.
So in you case, I would repair major damage with a basecoat. I would tape over any cracks or minor holes, prime the walls with a dilute PVA 4-1, let first coat dry then apply a second coat wait until it goes tacky then start applying your first coat.

This is the method I use when plastering a boarded wall.
Joints taped up with nylon scrim.
*one bag(25kg) of multi covers 10sqm
*one bag of multi to one standard bucket of water.
*water in mixing bucket first, then pour plaster in until powered is just heaping over top of water, then mix up, add more plaster a bit at a time until bag is empty, all mixed up through with no lumps.
*slightly wet down ligger board, hawk and trowel
*mix on to ligger
*then spread the plaster on wall starting at top left to right (right handed) in motions of three, leaving a thickness of about 2mm. Then up from middle to top again motions of three, then bottom to middle motions of three.
*once area is covered, flatten and fill
*tools cleaned and wet down
*mix second coat 1/2 (25kg) bag for 10sqm
*half bag to just over half a bucket of water, this mix wants to be a little wetter.
*mix up as with first coat
*spread again starting at top left to right (right hander) 1mm thickness, motions of three.
*you can then again go middle to top and bottom to middle, motions of three. or you can go bottom to top.
*once second coat has covered area, flatten and fill.
*clean tools
*wait for it to take
*cup of tea and garibaldi/custard cream or hob nob if it's Fridays and chill
*once taken, wet trowel wall, taking out any imperfections.
*clean tools
*you can dry trowel and polish if you wish, but if the surface is going to be painted, I find the paint takes better after the wet troweling.



for tiled areas I would leave the finish coat slightly rougher, this would allow a good key for the tiles.