Joining tapered edges to cut (square edges)

[tireetim]

Hi, please can anybody help. I'm drylining a room and have never used plasterboard before. I have just realised that I have made some joins that are tapered on one side and cuts on the other. Will I still be able to join these with tape as per a normal tapered joint or is this not possible (can I still get it to blend in on the cut side without being too visible)? I really don't want to take it all down or skim everything if possible.
Thanks for any help !
Tim.

 

[Richard C]

If you’re just going to tape & fill (not going to skim), all the joints should be tapered edge otherwise it’s going to be nigh on impossible to hide theem without blending it all in around 300mm either side of the join; you might as well skim the wall. Don’t be tempted to leave the joint tape off & just fill, it'll crack.

Why don’t you get it skimmed? It’ll save all that faffing about with filler, sanding & sealing & will look 1000x better.

 

[tireetim]

Thanks, it's because I don't think I'll be able to do a decent job of skimming the wall (never tried it before) and I live in a remote place where getting a plasterer is next to impossible. Do you think a first timer would do a better job of skimming or bodging a couple of joints? I could replace the boards but that is also a big hassle.
Cheers.

 

[Richard C]

Skimming boards is the easiest of all plastering jobs; weather or not you can make a decent job of it really depends if you have a natural affinity for it. Some can pick up a trowel & skim boards to a passable standard after just a few hours practice; others will be at it for many years & never be any good. Best advice is to get a couple of spare boards, fix them to some timber &, after reading up all you can about materials, preparation & technique, have a practice; you never know you may be a natural, it’s how I started out around 6 years ago. Another alternative is a short plastering course which can work for some but that’s probably going to cost at least as much as hiring a decent spread in for a couple of days so maybe not viable unless you have a lot more to do or thinking of taking it up.

 

[tireetim]

Thanks Richard. I think I'll try with tape and see what it looks like then skim it or find a professional if it doesn't work out.

 

[Alastairreid]

Hi Tim from Tiree,
i'm heading north the end of march if you can wait that long.

willing to give you a crash course on skimming if you wish.

 

[roughcaster]

Hi Tim from Tiree,
i'm heading north the end of march if you can wait that long.

willing to give you a crash course on skimming if you wish.

There ya go Tiree Tim,,, that's a great offer, you wouldn't even get that on Dragon's Den.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

You can feather the joint out on the square edge side of the boards, or you could get a planer file or block planer to the square edge of the cut, and taper that edge down, forming a taper edge on the board. It's not the ideal solution but do-able.
But I'd skim it.

 

[Richard C]

Hi Tim from Tiree,
i'm heading north the end of march if you can wait that long.

willing to give you a crash course on skimming if you wish.

Bite his hand off at the elbow; worth a steak dinner & a decent bottle any day

 

[1john]

i suppose that you could fill out the taper with some one coat plaster and smooth off, then bed down some paper tape over the join once the one coat has set, and feather out the paper tape with jointing compound or easy fill, then sand, fill, sand, fill, sand, fill. Take up the offer of the crash course I just got on with plastering and found i could acheive a standard that i was more than happy with for what it cost me. as stated, skimming on boards is easier than bonding coats and what-not on old bumpy walls.

If you have a bash at skimming and you think that it isnt any good afterwards, you can just pva it once dried and have another go.

 

[tireetim]

Alastair, thanks very much that is very kind of you. Not sure if I will be sorted by then or not but if you are heading this way maybe I could contact you nearer the time and let you know how things are going?
Looking at the state of the rest of the house I think that learning to skim would be a good thing !

 

[Richard C]

Don’t be tempted to leave the joint tape off and just fill, it will crack.

Don’t be tempted to leave the joint tape off & just fill, it'll crack.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Déjà vu

 

[Richard C]

Déjà vu

Wha; who said that