plastering techniques

[adam32]

Hello I've done many plastering jobs around the house mainly skimming but I for whatever reason can never get it like a pro plasterer. I apply first coat of skim then leave it to go off abit then flatten off then apply second coat more or less straight away, leave second coat to go off a little but still workable and flatten it off filling any holes and hollows, I then go straight over it again with a wet trowel and finish with a dry troweling. Am I doing anything wrong it seems to feel chalky when fully dry leaving a little dust on my hand. Could any pro plasterers let me know what I am doing wrong. Many thanks.

 

[ree]

Do you prep the surface before applying the first coat - take up suction, using PVA as a prep?

DIY'ers tend to over trowel or polish - its not necessary. They are often too liberal with a wet brush.

Are you mixing fresh powder, adding to clean water, and constantly cleaning your tools (that includes buckets and boards)?

Research past similar posts on here.

 

[joe-90]

Sounds like you are doing right. It's the over polished so-called pros that are wrong.
You are looking for a satin finish that takes paint well, not some over polished marble you can't paint.

 

[adam32]

Thank you for your replies, the surface is silk paint so I blue grit it and pva that before skimming. I dont think i'm getting the timing right to do the final trowelling this is usually done when brown patches are forming.

 

[joe-90]

That's when you do your final polish - but not too much. You don't want hard and shiny - you want smooth and soft.

 

[adam32]

Thanks for the reply and your time. I always thought it was to late to polish when it started to go dark.

 

[joe-90]

It is if you leave it until it feels hard under your trowel but when you get the very first signs of it turning - then I find that the best time to do the quick and final polish.