step-by-step guide for beginner

[arejaydee]

Hi folks, help required for an eager beginner please!

I've bought a house to renovate from top to bottom (professionals doing the skilled work, me doing the donkey work!) and want to try my hand at a bit of plastering.

I've got a plumber in replacing the old heating system, and we've ripped out the old boiler situated in a cupboard under the stairs, and a new wall mounted boiler is being installed next week.

This weekend I want to brick up the old flue opening, and plaster the wall surface ready for the boiler being installed. The wall is currently part plastered (poor condition) and part painted blockwork. The wall is approx 750mm x 1800mm. Varying thickness of plaster required due to patches in the wall.

I would really appreciate if you could provide a step-by-step guide to what I will need to do for this work, including:

1) can I plaster over painted blockwork, or remove paint?
2) do I need to use a bonding agent?
3) will a 'one coat' plaster be best for the job? (not bothered about a great finish for painting after)

Cheers guys

Rob

 

[ollieman]

I'm not an expert on plastering but as its an expensive trade I've made a few efforts at plastering. Its not really that hard but then I've done it a few times before.

In answer to your questions.

1.) If the painted block is a rough surface then plaster will probably adhere to, to be sure, mix some pva with water and brush on, this should seal the surface and form a better background surface to adhere to.

2.) answered above

3.) Just use a multi purpose plaster from B+Q

Useful tips:

You should apply the plaster in layers, roughly to begin with and then smooth over with a slightly wetter plaster mix.

Keep your tools clean at all times, including your mixing bucket as fragments of partially dried plaster mixed in with new plaster really muck things up!

Have paitence and good luck!

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Depends how want to develop your skills,
your wall should be dry and clean from dirt, grease and flaky paint.
The wall then needs to be PVA approx 4 water to 1 PVA.
Leave that to dry, then apply PVA again leave to go tacky.
Apply a basecoat this can be work on quite quickly after application then a two coat finish, the second mix being a little wetter than the first.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO4orltyxfk

http://www.youtube.com/user/skimdiy

 

[trowelmonkey1]

DEFINITELY use a bonding agent on painted surfaces!

use hardwall or bonding to fill out, skrim the joint between the board and new plasterwork then skim it, same day as filling out otherwise you'll need to PVA the new plaster before skimming.

 

[JohnD]

(professionals doing the skilled work, me doing the donkey work!)

you are suggesting that plastering is not skilled work?

I would say the opposite.

Unlike some technical work, it is a job where reading a book, and doing it slowly and carefully, and testing it to find any errors so you can put them right, doesn't work.

You need to acquire the correct manual dexterity, speed and confidence before you can do it.

 

[Richard C]

I've bought a house to renovate from top to bottom (professionals doing the skilled work, me doing the donkey work!) and want to try my hand at a bit of plastering.

Perhaps ollieman is a born natural but his slant on things is over simplistic as is the advice on prep. & which plaster you should use. If you think plastering is not skilled work, then you have a very big surprise coming my friend; I can tackle anything & it’s one of the most difficult trades to master if you want it to look like anything other than a Sunday afternoon DIY job.

I've got a plumber in replacing the old heating system, and we've ripped out the old boiler situated in a cupboard under the stairs, and a new wall mounted boiler is being installed next week. This weekend I want to brick up the old flue opening, and plaster the wall surface ready for the boiler being installed. The wall is currently part plastered (poor condition) and part painted blockwork. The wall is approx 750mm x 1800mm. Varying thickness of plaster required due to patches in the wall.

What sort of flue opening is it? you should not just brick up a conventional flue. If you’re putting on plaster this weekend, next week is far too early to be hanging a boiler off it; you need to wait 10 -14 days for a skim to fully dry, much longer if base plaster/render is involved, could be up to 4 weeks.

I would really appreciate if you could provide a step-by-step guide to what I will need to do for this work,

Start by having a very good read of the archive posts on this forum.

1) can I plaster over painted blockwork, or remove paint?

You can plaster over almost anything with the correct preparation, what type of paint is it emulsion, oil based gloss, other?

2) do I need to use a bonding agent?

PVA is generally all you need but if it’s gloss paint you need to score it & put some sand, cement or Bonding plaster in the PVA; it must be allowed to fully dry (at least overnight) before you attempt to plaster over it.

3) will a 'one coat' plaster be best for the job? (not bothered about a great finish for painting after)

One coat plaster these days is generally intended for small DIY jobs or plasterers that arnt really; personally I hate the stuff, it’s far better to use a decent base coat plaster or render & skim over that.

 

[NickB_99]

Hi folks, help required for an eager beginner please!

I've bought a house to renovate from top to bottom (professionals doing the skilled work, me doing the donkey work!) and want to try my hand at a bit of plastering.

You are probably about where I was nearly 2 years ago (tho I wouldn't have dared say that about donkey work on this forum!).

Before I started, I did a 4 day plastering introduction course teaching some hands-on with the basics for a DIYer. A mate of mine had done a similar course and recommended doing one. For £250 ish, been a good return.
It covered skimming board (wall & ceiling), bit of dot & dab, built a little stud wall, patching with Bonding, re-skimming finish plastered walls etc.
I would say it was introduction, because even two years on I know I have still masses to learn.....

Unconscious Incompetence
Conscious Incompetence
Conscious Competence
Unconscious Competence


I was really glad I got some hands-on experience first. It is not simple.
I would say any number of things can go wrong - even the pros can have the odd mis-hap if you read the forum! I would have had a disaster without some practical training first.

It is a rewarding skill and I enjoy the sight of a fresh finished wall - thinking "I did that"

I wish you luck with it.

 

[roughcaster]

It is a rewarding skill and I enjoy the sight of a fresh finished wall - thinking "I did that"

I share your thoughts there Newbie, and i get the same buzz. You're a good plasterer in the making, and i enjoy reading everything you have to say about your progress.

Roughcaster.

 

[Richard C]

It is a rewarding skill and I enjoy the sight of a fresh finished wall - thinking "I did that"

I share your thoughts there Newbie, and i get the same buzz. You're a good plasterer in the making, and i enjoy reading everything you have to say.

Roughcaster.

Here here; or did someone else already say that

 

[roughcaster]

I fink it was TM Rich',, a likeable lad.

Roughcaster.

 

[trowelmonkey1]

i may have said ear ear

i agree lads, Newbie is a credit to this here or ear site, keep up the good work Newb!

 

[NickB_99]

i agree lads, Newbie is a credit to this here or ear site, keep up the good work Newb!

Thanks guys, you do me proud.

Mind, I did my first ceiling today. Not perfect, but hopefully will be ok.
By all your standards at 3m x 3m, probably a wee one!

Big Ouch now though!
Not sure which arm and shoulder is hurting the most - the one holding the hawk or using the trowel.... probably wasn't helped moving from my existing 11" marshalltown to my recently purchased 14" one.

But it covered way faster - I even had time to wash the bucket out before the remaining plaster in it had gone hard - progress!

However, I think I need to get tidier. The floor is a state!

 

[Alastairreid]

I think I need to get tidier. The floor is a state!

plenty of polythene and dustsheets! the day will come when you can look down after doing a ceiling and there's more on the ceiling than the floor.

 

[roughcaster]

I think I need to get tidier. The floor is a state!

plenty of polythene and dustsheets! the day will come when you can look down after doing a ceiling and there's more on the ceiling than the floor.

Well said Alastair mate. Have you been away? we've missed ya on here.

Roughcaster.

 

[Richard C]

Speed is everything & bigger is usually better but unless you’re doing contract work to a tight schedule its not worth it unless you’re a fit, young super spread with steroid induced muscles & stilts; using too large a trowel to lay on will kill you, especially on ceilings. It’s a bit like running a marathon, you need to pace yourself & I’m just a seedy old fart now so stick with a trusty old 11 inch for laying up (it’s not even stainless!) but I can still lay on enough Sq/meterage on my own to cope with all but the very, very largest of walls/ceilings.

Who puts plaster on the floor that's just wasteful, it’s supposed to go on the ceiling/wall dust sheets, like lunch breaks, are for wimps.