Newbie needs lots and lots of advice :)

[iturner15]

Hi all,

I am Ian, 25 from Bournemouth and I've just brought my first house with my girlfriend.

Earlier in the year I did a plastering course at evening college and keen to get stuck in have thrown myself in at the deep end!

I am starting in the box room (smallest room first!)

So far I have pulled the carpet up, removed the skirting, wallpaper, tilled window ledge (have now replaced with bullnosed mdf) and removed the vent (yet to fill!)

I have also added 2 double sockets and a tv and media plate for future use!

When I was removing the tiles from the window ledge some of the render came off the wall, see photo below.



Should I remove the rest of it and then plaster board the whole thing? Or plasterboard upto it and fill the gaps with undercoat plaster?

Should I close the cavity, or will the plasterboard do that? Its the moister proof stuff

When I put plasterboard up can I just gripfill it to the wall (as I have a tube open) or should I use plasterboard adhesive?

Looking forward to your help! Sorry for all the questions, Ian

Edit: Just because photos always make threads a bit more interesting.... here are some photos of my poor diy!!

Blown render replaced:



Window ledge before:



Tv socket and media:



New window ledge:

 

[jay679]

Sorry, don't know anything about plastering, but just wondered what vent you have removed and why. If a vent was present, it must have been there for a reason?

 

[Alastairreid]

Looking good well done! your plastering looks fine from here

Either reform the reveal with a straight edge and bonding or take the lot off and do as you said.

Welcome to the forum

 

[iturner15]

Sorry, don't know anything about plastering, but just wondered what vent you have removed and why. If a vent was present, it must have been there for a reason?

Hi, just a standard room vent, I forgot to take a photo. its about 250mm sq at a guess. It was so hard to open I figured it had been shut so long it wouldn't matter. Behind it is a air brick. Cavity's have been filled, loft has some insulation over each room. Do you think I will be ok removing the vent? I figured a windows slightly open in the house most of the time that will be enough ventilation. The house is a 1950s originally with a open fire, I'd figured that was why there was vents. I'd be interested to hear peoples thoughts on blocking the vent up though...

 

[iturner15]

Looking good well done! your plastering looks fine from here

Either reform the reveal with a straight edge and bonding or take the lot off and do as you said.

Welcome to the forum

Thanks! I did more last night around the window (I am plastering right up to the window) and filled more chasing around the new sockets low down (not photographed) where massive chucks of render had fallen off. It was extremely hard and I made a right mess of it. (I had just laugh at myself!) What do you think would be easier then, board it all or add boarding? I do wonder if I just add board, it wont be level, but if I remove more render loads will end up falling off from the main wall!