Plastering of 1940s semi

[adam2]

Just bought a semi off an elderly gentleman.
The present state of affairs,

3 bedrooms stripped of wallpaper. The paper came off and so did the plaster.
The wall had several layers of paper. The plaster would have been old say 10 plus years... In every room upstairs the plaster came off and the grey coating on the brickwork( on the external wall bedroom) is damaged showing small patch of redbrick.

Now i was planning a quick paint session..for my decorator who assures me he is also a plasterer.

He has bought multifinish for the walls and some filler for any browning which has come off the brickwork.


Is it acceptable for him to just strip plaster to browning(grey dusting powder covering bricks) and then trowel the multifinish from Wickes straight onto the walls.

He has used some PVA to wall first.

He says he will be able to paint walls a day later. Does that seem too quick?

The plaster is brown/pink in color not grey.

Can any plasters help..this is going to cost me more than just decorating...What we find downstairs is another story.......

 

[gcol]

If the plaster is down to the brick in places of a sizeable area then there's no way you'll be painting for at least a fortnight. Even after just skimming there's no way the day after.
You'll know when you can paint when the plaster looks dry.

 

[Third_Eye]

Do remember that it is your house that needs the work done (not being cheeky). Though, as stated you did not expect the plaster to fall off hence extra cost (i understand your anxiety). Do understand that plaster once mixed it naturaly starts to decay, hence why plaster can start to fail after 25 years etc. Also you ask, "Is it acceptable for him to just strip plaster to browning(grey dusting powder covering bricks) and then trowel the multifinish from Wickes straight onto the walls. " To be honest your decorator/plasterer is doing it the cheapest way for you, and yes it can be done with milti-finish plaster. Also, yes again in terms of painting plaster after only 24 hours PROVIDING HE USES "DULUX FAST MATT EMULSION".

 

[adam2]

Thanks for your replies.

There is one patch which is to brick( about 10cm by 10cm). the rest is fine with the grey covering intact although very damaged in some areas.

He is skimming with the multifinish and is quite a young lad who says he's been plastering since has was 14...city/guilds course. He's about 19/20yrs so thats why i'm a bit nervous. I am a bit dissappointed with the purchase since I expected some painting/decorating and not to replaster the whole house. It seems downstairs will need similar treatment.

So for me a layman..it is OK for him to go ahead and skim the multifinish onto the walls....its just that i thought you needed several coats. I did find that the grey coating had scratch marks in them. It was also apparent that someone had tried to plaster over paper previuosly when we took the several layers of paper off.

Not sure how this is going to turn out but hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.

 

[Third_Eye]

Is the lad skimming with multi-finish the full 100% walls or just patching ?

 

[JohnD]

If your decorator can arrange for you to visit some other homes he's replastered, that will give you a better idea of his quality of work.

I'd expect a decorator to be skilled at patching and filling repairs, but not as good as a pro plasterer as doing a whole wall (it's tricky to get it flat without a lot of practice)

 

[jbonding]

Thanks for your replies.

There is one patch which is to brick( about 10cm by 10cm). the rest is fine with the grey covering intact although very damaged in some areas.

He is skimming with the multifinish and is quite a young lad who says he's been plastering since has was 14...city/guilds course. He's about 19/20yrs so thats why i'm a bit nervous. I am a bit dissappointed with the purchase since I expected some painting/decorating and not to replaster the whole house. It seems downstairs will need similar treatment.

So for me a layman..it is OK for him to go ahead and skim the multifinish onto the walls....its just that i thought you needed several coats. I did find that the grey coating had scratch marks in them. It was also apparent that someone had tried to plaster over paper previuosly when we took the several layers of paper off.

Not sure how this is going to turn out but hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.

seems a bit young for a professional decorator and plasterer, keep an eye on him

 

[joe-90]

No-doubt he's hired the cheapest he can find. Who's to blame if it all goes awry?

joe

 

[adam2]

He is a plasterer, not decorator but is painting the house for me. I originally had him to paint house but seems the plaster has come off. He is going to multifinish the 100% of the walls...is that not normal practice. Thats every wall in 3 bedrooms and lounge/dining room. In some areas he will use filler where there is exposed brick or damaged grey coating on brick.

From my limited knowledge this would be acceptable as long as he gets a smooth surface. After striping paper we have only got one wall covered in 3-4 days. He wants to finish job quick as he says he's missing out on the other plaster work he gets and charges more for. I have agreed another price for the plastering and additional for painting.

Does the job sound OK or should I arrange for a pro to take over? Please also note that i will be renting the property out after i install GCH the sooner this job is finished...he reckons he'll finish in a few days....only works 11-4pm.

 

[adam2]

Joe ..its not like that at all...
He was recommended to me by a friend who told me he can redecorate the house for tenants. I knew he was a plasterer too but we thought that painting would be done in say 4-5 days. when he stripped paper then we realised it was more than a paint job. Now ratther than get someone else since he had stripped most of the rooms to see which needed plastering, or could be painted.

Its only then we decided he would replaster and renegotiate the costs/labour.

I do hope he does it well and for both of us that is the ideal outcome...but i'm having doubts since its seems to me i haven't seen his other jobs yet.

 

[Third_Eye]

If you feel any anxiety then get the lad to just do one room. However, as you maybe in a rush, then this could hold you back in your plans. Also, yes its perfectly normal to use milti-finish plaster over entire walls provided the walls are correctly Bonded, assuming the walls have been plastered before and only need repaired then a new skim over 100% areas. Plaster can be painted over after 24 hours after application of the plaster but you MUST use Dulux Fast Matt Emulsion ONLY in order it will not flake. If i were u i would explain to the lad that u are expereincing some caution therefore you would rather he do one room first, then at a later date to the rest but only if u are happy with the one room.

 

[adam2]

Third eye

When you say "mulitifinish is OK when the walls have been plastered before and correctly bonded"...

I'm assuming your referring to the dark grey/blue dusty textured coating on the brick underneath ( as layman i don't know what it is or its name...is it browning). i'm assuming this is the undercoat plaster or bonding which you then place multifinish on.When we stripped paper the white plaster came off with the paper and we were left with this dark grey block looking coating with swirl marks in(ie been keyed...if i'm right in that technical term)-and cracks in a few places and some places very damaged and exposed to brickwork largest 10cmx10cm.

We are not putting multifinish directly onto bricks as there is this coating. sorry for being thick but I've never decorated let alone plaster.

 

[Third_Eye]

Bonding Coat Plaster can be applied at an thickness of 8mm. Multi-Finish Plaster can be applied to a thickness of 3mm. However, Multi-Finish Plaster can be used for small patching at 10cm by 10 cm holes and can be also used over any Undercoat/Build-Up Coat Plaster, though, each Undercoat/Build-Up Coat Plaster has different procedures for overcoating with Multi-Finish Plaster. Multi-Finish Plaster can be used over Gyproc, previously plastered surfaces and over artex provided each mentioned surface is correctly sealed/bonded prior to plastering etc. Therefore, in your case your patched areas being 10cm by 10cm will need PVA applied to them prior to plastering, as will ALL your surfaces need PVA prior to plastering.

 

[adam2]

Thanks third eye.

Seems he knows what he's doing....
He has bought one bag bonding/filler material for larger holes(10cm diameter). He is skimmimg the keyed wall with multifinish after applying PVA to ensure better adhesion. I will see this AM if the plaster has dried on the wall he did on Friday and how smooth it is. Not sure if he could recoat over it to get it smooth or would he sand down. Anyway will have a look.

 

[Third_Eye]

Yes, he can re-skim over providing he seals up again. Yes, he/you can give it a LITTLE rub down though making sure not damaging the surface of the multi-finish plaster i.e. use low grade sand paper.