Newbie DIY plasterer question

[Jzl]

Hello everyone

Come across this forum a few times when I've been searching for DIY answers do though I'd join and ask some questions.


We have just been awarded a council home and the council being the dirty dodgers they are have gave us a house that needed extensive renovating and bringing up to date. They replaced the kitchen but that's all (even that wasn't great!). Between working some bloody long hours me and my friend who is a painter and decorator managed to line the living room walls which came out bloody good actually but has been extremely time consuming waiting for things to dry etc fitting coving and so on.

So....decided to turn my hand to plastering. Always been able to skim fairly well with easi fill and a few plasterers said that once I got the wrist movement I should be able to do it.

Have given two walls a go and watched a couple of (wait for it)...YouTube videos and got the nack of it. However, after reading up some more I've realised I've skimmed much too shallow at around 1mm ish and can't seem to get the hang of skimming more On top of the first coat without dragging it back off and over skimming/flattening (I am waiting for it to dry slightly before flattening and polishing) We don't have much time as we have up our old house and are sleeping at the wife's parents In one room with our little girl so not the best scenario. So given that time is of the essence would this be acceptable considering its not a professional doing the job and all I want and need are smooth walls irrespective of plaster depth.

Thanks you all in advance and what a wonderful forum

 

[peaps]

Common problem when learning how to lay down plaster. The idea is to push to finish not to scrape it off.

When you apply finishing plaster the object is for the plaster to be drawn into the substrate, suction. The plaster will stiffen from the substrate out and you are pushing softer finish around harder finish that is setting. This is another reason you need to apply two coats of finish, you apply the first coat and remix for the second, this way you have two setting times and time to push the finish around to get the desired finish.

So you need to look at the angle of your float, don't remove finish push don't scrape.

 

[darrington]

That's a great constructive reply there Peaps.

 

[peaps]

That's a great constructive reply there Peaps.

I have my moments

 

[huddsspread]

Thats exactly what i used to do when i was training. You are pushing hard( what your meant to ) but your trowel needs to be nearer to the wall, i mean the side thats not touching. Imagine if you WERE trying to scrape it off, you would tip the trowel right back,thats what your doing.

Also make sure your trowel is worn too, if it has big square edges it will scrape slightly. What i was shown years ago, was to scrape really hard and quick, 2 or 3 times, the sqaure pointy edge on a KERB stone, that rounds it off. Then try and wear down the long edge, either sit and rub it on a stone or sand it.

The first wall i skimmed "alone" about 16 years ago was a chimney breast. And when i finished you could see it actually curved in between the two beads. I had been scraping everythime i trowelled across the wall. I had also not troweled up the bead.

When i put a level on the "dip was about 5 or 6mm away from the middle of the level, with the level touching the beads either side. Done it again the next day and had my boss stood with me and told me where i was going wrong, it the clicked.

Once you "get it" you'll know and never forget....

 

[Jzl]

Hi all,

Thanks for all of your replies. Been busy today trying out all your advice and found a very informative video on YouTube too. Done all around the windows and finished a complete room (not the whole room in one day, half last night half today from 12-8!). Once you get the 'nack' it's not actually too hard. Although as I found out today you can play around with it too much!! Had a 19ft wall to do with 2 windows! Bit of easi fill I think once it's under coated!! Thank you to everyone. You've all been brilliant. Going to keep practicing now as starting to get the hang of it.

 

[dmplastering]

I think the polite way to thank someone on here is the button top right of their posts