Pasterboard or render???

[nothandyman!]

Hello wb, I'm going to start decorating a bedroom. The plaster is in a bad state and will probably all have to come off. Its all blown and very crumbly, probably the original plaster in the house thats almost 100yrs old. Is it better to use plasterboard or to render the wall before applying a final smooth skin. Or does not matter either way?? Any answers much appreciated.

 

[noseall]

unless your skills include 3-5 years hands-on in the plastering trade dealing with float & set plastering, then i would say dot 'n' dab plasterboards and skim is the least difficult.

 

[nothandyman!]

hey noseall. Cheers for your reply. Just wondering are there any major pros and cons between render or plasterboard. I'll get a plasterer in to do the plastreing as thats a skill i aint got! Also, can the walls just be skimmed without taking the plaster off. The plaster is patchy from previous owners 90 years worth of repairs and sounds hollow in places. and is loose in various spots as well. Will the old plaster hold the new skimming plaster??

 

[noseall]

overskimming is only as successful as the plaster below is sound.

remove any hollow sounding plaster and patch up. copious amounts of diluted pva is a must.

just remember, a coat of skim is a cosmetic improvement only. don't be surprised if fine hairline cracks do re-appear.