Skimming up to original features – any tips?

[kingandy2nd]

Hi All,

A few of the rooms in my house retain their original features (large skirting boards, plaster coving). Some of the walls and ceiling in-between these features are sound but in need of a new skim.

I’m a competent diy plasterer and not afraid to tackle the walls or the ceilings, but in my previous goes at plastering the skirting or coving has been added afterwards.

As I want to keep the original skirting and coving I was hoping you’d all be able to give me some tips or pointers on how to plaster up to the features??

The only thing I’ve found on the search is to use a feather edge to thin out the edge of the skim where it meets the skirting.

Thanks for your time.

 

[roughcaster]

It's better to add skirtings etc after a room has been skimmed, and it looks nicer, but it is not always possible. Most of the rooms I work in have all the skirtings, architraves etc in place, but you can only work with what you have. I don't think the search meant "use a feather edge" where it meets the skirting, not when skimming anyway, It would have meant "feather",,,,, to taper away to nothing, or as thin as possible. I just use the trowel all the time to cut in, keeping it tight, similar to this......This is a pic of neat PVA/Bonding (slurry) being applied with a trowel to a sound, smooth, emulsioned wall,,,,,close into the edge of an architrave around a window, and when it has dried the out, it provides a great key for plastering onto any painted/smooth internal wall. I also put fibre tape above or around every feature/skirtings, in behind sockets,switches, etc, it helps to take the plaster off of the trowel more easily and cleanly. The rest of the walls/ceiling, the slurry is brushed on. This is all put on a day or two earlier, as was discussed on here in another post.....so this is how I would also plaster up to any feature too, others would do it the same way, just feather it away very thinly..... By the way, that's paint on the edge of the wood!!

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• roughcaster
• 3 Oct 2008
• 3

The finished item...

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• roughcaster
• 6 Oct 2008
• 1

Roughcaster.

 

[marshman]

RC,
now there's a man after my own heart, nothing is to much trouble to get a good finish and I bet there is not a spider hole to be seen.
but I've never sat back at the end of the day and blew bubbles for a bit of relaxation.
guess you had the camera on the window sill.
the scrim at the edge is a new one on me and I can appreciate its worth and see the reason for it.
are you left handed ?.

like to add to kingandy2nd that I find its best to keep the skirting's, coving washed clean with your wet brush as you work your way across the walls.

 

[roughcaster]

Hi Marshy,
I don't know what causes the bubbles in the pic, it doesn't happen all the time. .I am left handed though and it shows on every wall. I used to work mates with a right hander, so any awkward little corners/cupboards, it suited one of us no problem, very handy, if you pardon the pun. The tape I always use, the plaster grips it right away. I also use it all around the inside of window/door reveals where it meets the frame. I use a lot of jute scrim too... it reminds me of the old days.

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• roughcaster
• 6 Oct 2008
• 4

Roughcaster.

 

[marshman]

I still use a bit of jute, I like it when I'm loading out to get a cove in a ceiling, I miss the old cotton scrim, always found it easy to run it off
the roll and cut it with the trowel at the end of the run, well apart from the odd string that wound its self around the finger,
I've not used jute on board wall for some years now, but I still fill the joint then run the scrim in to it as taught.
looks like you'd flick the camera with your brush.
my walls show I'm right handed.