Fit architrave before or after plastering / skimming

[freshy]

Hi,

I have a plasterer coming over this weekend to skim my room and have removed the old architrave as I am planning on replacing it with some modern 'pencil round' stuff.

The plasterer has recommended I fit the architrave first so he can give me a clean finish right up to the architrave. However I thought I would simply fit the architrave after so he could skim underneath right up to the wooden door frame.

So is it best to fit the architrave before or after skimming the wall? Which will give me better results?

Cheers

Freshy

 

[Richard C]

With new walls the architrave is always fitted after plastering as the door lining is used a guide; however you have existing plaster so it’s likely to be level with the lining already & your plasterer may be concerned the skim will end up slightly proud putting the architrave out of square. I’m also replacing all my architrave & skimming my walls with the architrave removed, feathering it right down over the edge of the door lining & once the architrave is fitted it looks fine. I don’t really know why your guy is concerned but it may be better to either do as he asks or talk to him again about it first.

 

[freshy]

Hi Richard,

These aren't new wall I've just had a hole in the wall firelplace installed and want the wall perfect. The first plasterer really made a mess of it and now I have got a second guy in to redo it, I really want a top finish.

I will call him and double check but my idea was to remove architrave skim and refit the architrave.

Cheers for the advice.

Freshy

 

[Richard C]

Hi Richard,

The first plasterer really made a mess of it and now I have got a second guy in to redo it, I really want a top finish.

I had to get rid of 2 plasterers my builder sent in after similar disastrous results, in the end he paid me to do it; although only still learning, I could produce results far & away better than their efforts!

Personally, I would now ask top see an example of previous work before employing another plasterer; you have to be very careful on small jobs as all the decent guys will be booked up months in advance on new builds/renovations by local developers