Plastering those awkward areas...

[Czar]

Evening fellas,

Quick question for those way more knowledgable than me!

I'm plastering a few rooms in my house, and I'm pretty competent with getting a smooth finish. I'm struggling though when it comes to awkward areas between sockets and skirting etc. Some of the nooks and cranies are only about an inch or so wide. Also a couple of areas where the gap between the edge of the wall and the doorframe is about four or five inches.

Ive got a pre-worn tapered Marshalltown, so the end is 'bowed', so I can't use that end to get a flat finish because it isn't perfectly flat, if that makes any sense?

I know there are pipe trowels etc, but the process you go through to get a flat finish on the wall can't be applied with these can it?

Any tricks of the trade out there...?

Cheers

 

[NickB_99]

Evening fellas,

Quick question for those way more knowledgable than me!

I'm plastering a few rooms in my house, and I'm pretty competent with getting a smooth finish. I'm struggling though when it comes to awkward areas between sockets and skirting etc. Some of the nooks and cranies are only about an inch or so wide. Also a couple of areas where the gap between the edge of the wall and the doorframe is about four or five inches.

For sockets, get the socket faces off, tape up the wires and cover inside the back box with a cardboard cutout.
*** Make sure power off before you plaster ***
Water, plaster and electricity don't mix funnily enough.

For very narrow gaps I use margin trowels. They're not pricey.
Agreed bit more fiddly to polish with than a marshalltown on a flat wall, but as it starts to firm up, they work ok.
I've also got a mini-trowel which is probably 3-4" anyway.

 

[Czar]

Evening fellas,

Quick question for those way more knowledgable than me!

I'm plastering a few rooms in my house, and I'm pretty competent with getting a smooth finish. I'm struggling though when it comes to awkward areas between sockets and skirting etc. Some of the nooks and cranies are only about an inch or so wide. Also a couple of areas where the gap between the edge of the wall and the doorframe is about four or five inches.

For sockets, get the socket faces off, tape up the wires and cover inside the back box with a cardboard cutout.
*** Make sure power off before you plaster ***
Water, plaster and electricity don't mix funnily enough.

For very narrow gaps I use margin trowels. They're not pricey.
Agreed bit more fiddly to polish with than a marshalltown on a flat wall, but as it starts to firm up, they work ok.
I've also got a mini-trowel which is probably 3-4" anyway.

Cheers for the reply. I looked at getting a midget trowel - 8x3 aren't they? It's the 3" end that I would need be using mainly.

Any advice on how to get a great finish on areas a few inches wide, where you can't get a nice 'sweep' with the trowel?

 

[NickB_99]

Cheers for the reply. I looked at getting a midget trowel - 8x3 aren't they? It's the 3" end that I would need be using mainly.

Any advice on how to get a great finish on areas a few inches wide, where you can't get a nice 'sweep' with the trowel?

Do you know - I'm not sure! I've lent it to my dad to do some filling with easi-fill, so don't have it currently.
Had a quick google - it was a ragni and looking at the 8x3 ragni's, it looks spot on so think you're right.
Given it doesn't get much use, the top edge (I think termed the 'toe') is perfectly straight still.

This example is just how I'd look at this - pros may have better tips.
Hope the description makes sense!
For example, if I was doing a 4" gap between door frame and wall corner ....
Would lay plaster on using the long edges left and right side against frame/wallcorner.
Then run toe down wall from top to bottom to flatten down the middle. Maybe lay more plaster on using the toe if any low spots.
Apply 2 coats as usual.
When it came to polishing, polish away from frame and then away from corner working my way down the wall from top to bottom.
Finally run the toe downwards from the top of the wall and up from the skirting board for the bottom bit.
If you get the plaster at the right time you should get no lines and
polishes fine. It is more fiddly though than a clean wall.

The margin trowels are also useful if you find it really is a bit tight for a 3" wide trowel for all, and you can use a combination.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

When the areas are a little tight or awkward.
I use a whole host of different things depending on what I am trying to get to.
Here are are some that might help you.
pipe trowel
margin sets

Even an angled putty knife/scraper can help in those hard to get areas.

 

[roy c]

And also you can use a little piece of sponge nice and damp to get you out of trouble...

 

[jrplastering]

hi guys dnt know if this thread is still applicable or if anyone is still reading it but your old credit and store cards are ideal for getting into small areas they offer a nice finish like useing a small plastic trowel and they can be cut down to however small you so wish them to be, happy hunting

 

[noseall]

Turn the trowel around and use the bottom part of the blade as this is often less curved.