Plaster not drying

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Hi - Just posting to ask for some advice on some plastering I had done just over 2 weeks ago.

I had a skim done in a bedroom and it seems to be taking a long time to dry. Parts of the walls dried out in a few days, but most of the plaster still looks pretty dark/wet in comparison. Just wondering if this sounds right? And if not, what the problem could be?

The windows have been left open and I've even tried an electric radiator in the room, but the wet parts just don't seem to be drying. Have attempted to attach a photo but not sure if it's uploaded properly.
IMG_0216.JPG
 
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It could take 6 weeks plus for plaster to dry out completely. Any deep plastered areas will take longer, especially if a base-coat was applied.
 
Thanks for replying.

I was told around a week when it was done, so was starting to worry there was something wrong with it, especially since the wet parts don't seem to be changing at all. Was wondering if it had just dried darker in certain areas.

Will give it a bit longer. Thanks again.
 
Generally plaster when drying goes through a few colour changes, dark purple, red, pink.
The drying will depend on the environmental conditions. But I am not a fan of forced drying!
And the application of base-coats plus the depth of the applications, other considerations would be external cold walls.
But as previously mentioned, six weeks is really the drying time. I know others would state a week or two, but not all situations are the same. Providing you have no damp issues, then just be patient, applying and decoration to damp plaster, could cause you issues with it taking to the surface.
 
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I do actually have damp problems in the house, so that could be something to do with it.

3 other rooms have been plastered and dried without any problems, so didn't think the damp problems would be an issue in the bedroom either. Will do as you say and wait and see.
 
Hi, just wondering how this went for you. I have the same issue in my house now and am worried about how long it will take. Been drying for 2.5 weeks now and will give it 1 more week.
 
Hi,
Same thing over here. Last wall dried unevenly but a reskim made things a lot better. So the picture is of a wall done 3 weeks ago.
Im trying to work out whether its best to wait 3 more weeks then:
1) reskim the wall after 2 coats of watered down pva.
2) use joint compound to fix the uneven bits (where the plaster has dried too quickly).
Bit dissapointed the wall turned out like this as it did get 2 good coats of pva (not gone off, 3:1 ratio).
Really went to town with the trowelling, maybe over-did it ? But i was careful to use very little water.
Other than that, it was 2 coats of multiskim with a worn-in trowel. Speedskim to flat. Any advice on preventing those dry blotches would be welcome.
Thanks,
 

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Hi,
Same thing over here. Last wall dried unevenly but a reskim made things a lot better. So the picture is of a wall done 3 weeks ago.
Im trying to work out whether its best to wait 3 more weeks then:
1) reskim the wall after 2 coats of watered down pva.
2) use joint compound to fix the uneven bits (where the plaster has dried too quickly).
Bit dissapointed the wall turned out like this as it did get 2 good coats of pva (not gone off, 3:1 ratio).
Really went to town with the trowelling, maybe over-did it ? But i was careful to use very little water.
Other than that, it was 2 coats of multiskim with a worn-in trowel. Speedskim to flat. Any advice on preventing those dry blotches would be welcome.
Thanks,
watered down pva is next to useless.
wait for it to dry and either neat pva with a handful of sand thrown in or bostik green or blue grit.
It actually looks like you overtroweled it.

pva - skim 24 hrs later.
When you skim the pva emulsifies so if you trowel up to soon you’ll start dragging it around.
this wont happen with green or blue grit.
 
watered down pva is next to useless.
.....
When you skim the pva emulsifies so if you trowel up to soon you’ll start dragging it around.
this wont happen with green or blue grit.

Thanks I really appreciate that. Will give blue grit a try.
 
Cheers once again - will do (to be honest I didn't even know they did the green stuff).
I have got a new bucket of PVA (so well before end date etc.). As a stop gap, I'll buy a small bag of sand and try that also before getting some of this green grit.
That point about the overtrowelling makes a lot of sense. It is odd still, I made a point of waiting until I could just about make fingerprints in the plaster but other than that it was almost 'set'. I almost thought I had left it too long.
Perhaps the only other difference was that I did the trowelling up with an older steel (worn-in) trowel. Mind you, it was not marked/damaged in any way.
Sounds like I had gone at the wall a bit too hard. Will give it another try. Thanks for your help.
 
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Cheers once again - will do (to be honest I didn't even know they did the green stuff).
I have got a new bucket of PVA (so well before end date etc.). Is it worth grabbing a small bag of sand and making use of it for this ?
you could.
 

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