Plastering inside window reveals

[williamglossop]

To all the experienced spreads -

Any tips on skimming the insides of window reveals. I have been DIY'ing plastering for about 10 years now and i've reached a point where I can get a typical sized bedroom skimmed in a day including the lid and to a decent enough finish. I'm not claiming to be fast, but really enjoy it. Mostly self taught - did a few courses here and there over the years and lots of youtube videos.

BUT - try as I might, I can never get a nice flat finish on window reveals. I can get it smooth and blemish free, but I always end up with small humps and ripples in the finish. I have tried pre-filling the beads at the start of the day but this doesn't really help with this particular issue. I have no problem with filling the beads out, its just the overall plane that i struggle with. If I trowel from the back (of the side reveal) to the front (vertical trowel) I get a hollow in the middle, if I trowel from top to bottom (horizontal trowel) I get ripples - the trowel can run up the bead at the front of the reveal, but as there is nothing for the trowel to run up against at the back of the reveal, I get a crappy finish.

Any tips? RoughCaster, Stevethespreader???? Any others

Cheers

 

[roughcaster]

Williamglossop,
Have a read of the topic titled, "Reveal Gauge", it'll help.

 

[williamglossop]

Cheers rough

 

[williamglossop]

I read the reveal gauge thread but can't get my head around it. I've tried Google images and youtube but there's very little info out there about skimming/plastering the reveals.

Can u try n explain the gauge stick?

Thanks again

 

[stevethespreader]

Reveals are where your eye must be keen lay your reveals on then run your trowel along the bead to straighten it all up keep your eye on the Skim against the windrow for waviness if the reveals are not that wide I use the toe of the trowel if not I use the edge but I always keep an eye for how straight its looking you get the knack for it after a while there is a trick that some people use to get extra flat skim at the window edge they run a stopbead down it so there is no chance of waviness but try what I said lay it on then when you flatten run your trowel along the edge don't try and flatten in pulling the trowel towards you from window that will cause you to take skim off making shallow areas

 

[stevethespreader]

Tbh I'm not sure why your having trouble with this if you can skim everything else to a good standard it doesn't take much to flatten in

 

[williamglossop]

I can't work it out either Steve - it's not that I can't get em done, just never that happy with em. Was wondering if there was some technique I was unaware of.

Thanks for your time buddy

 

[stevethespreader]

Maybe watch someone should get the hang of it after watching just the once