Anyone know of a source for these? I found them to be a cheap and easy way of sorting wonky walls but Wickes seem to have stopped doing them.
Google only seems to turn up out-of date references to Wickes and a Lithuanian shopping site.
Do you mean a Derby? I use any old straight edged piece of timber. Note, you only use this on the scratch (under) coat, not on the finish coat.
Piece of architrave was all I have ever seen Plasters use on site. The thin edge makes it easy to use while thicker edge makes it easier to hold.
Looks like a depth gauge bead - Catnic make them, so should be obtainable from builders' merchants. These people list them, but only in 50s on the website:
Try spelling it 'Darby' - that seems to have become the accepted spelling to refer to the plastering tool rather than the city.
I'd like an easy way to fix wonky walls. I've stripped the wallpaper from one wall to re-paper it and discovered all the cable channels were plastered flush with the *paper*. It's knackering sanding them all down, and I'm trying to do it in short bursts to avoid sending the neighbours mad.
JGH
Yeah well, try searching for "plasterer's derby" when you want a tool, not a tradesman ... that's where Google's verbatim option is handy
from builders' merchants. These people list them, but only in 50s on the w ebsite:
Thanks for that. I thought they might have another name but didn't know wh at it was. Will ask in Selco the next time I'm in there. I had a quick Go ogle using the new name and found a few references on plasterers' forums. Most of them seemed to think they were the work of the devil and that you s hould make your own plaster screeds - although it seems they're commonly us ed in Germany.
One small advantage of the Wickes ones though (which I discovered from a he lpful staff member were made by Knauf and dropped by Wickes through lack of sales) was that they were only 3mm which meant you could stick 'em on the high points and not lose another cm of room / use another bag of plaster.
Proper plastering is about getting wall surface flat and vertical, and not necessarily parallel to the underlaying brickwork. I describe how to do this in the following old usenet article, but basically, you make the depth bead out of plaster as you go...
ble from builders' merchants. These people list them, but only in 50s on th e website:
w what it was. Will ask in Selco the next time I'm in there. I had a quic k Google using the new name and found a few references on plasterers' forum s. Most of them seemed to think they were the work of the devil and that y ou should make your own plaster screeds - although it seems they're commonl y used in Germany.
a helpful staff member were made by Knauf and dropped by Wickes through lac k of sales) was that they were only 3mm which meant you could stick 'em on the high points and not lose another cm of room / use another bag of plaste r.
I think we might be talking at cross purposes. The flatness guides take th e place of the screeds you describe. If the flatness guide touches the hig h points, you'd pack it out at the low points to be vertical.
The Wickes How To leaflet is here:
It describes using their one coat plaster but you can equally use it for br owning/bonding.
For the minor cost involved, I found them to be better than making your own plaster screeds.
I appreciate a professional would likely follow the plaster screed method b ut if you only plaster occasionally - like most DIYers - I think they're a useful tool.
nable from builders' merchants. These people list them, but only in 50s on the website:
now what it was. Will ask in Selco the next time I'm in there. I had a qu ick Google using the new name and found a few references on plasterers' for ums. Most of them seemed to think they were the work of the devil and that you should make your own plaster screeds - although it seems they're commo nly used in Germany.
m a helpful staff member were made by Knauf and dropped by Wickes through l ack of sales) was that they were only 3mm which meant you could stick 'em o n the high points and not lose another cm of room / use another bag of plas ter.
the place of the screeds you describe. If the flatness guide touches the h igh points, you'd pack it out at the low points to be vertical.
browning/bonding.
wn plaster screeds.
but if you only plaster occasionally - like most DIYers - I think they're a useful tool.
I've got a job like this to do soon. Large areas of plaster to be filled in around good areas I have stablised with PVA. Seems to me the plaster scree d method should be easy enough - slap on a ridge of plaster and flatten it with a spirit level and allow to dry. The fill in later. This is only for t he undercoat though. I cannot and never will be able to skim to any standar d. I still have to sand a "pro" plasterer's job in places anyway.
Every time I wonder about dry lining and filling like they do in the US and Down Under, etc. Just seen a large community centre hall done like that - skimming would have been prohibitively expensive. It looks pretty good from a distance - not looked up close at corners, window reveals etc., and none of the slightly wibbly walls that all skimming has to some extent.
Simon.
They are still available through good builders merchants but you have to explain to them in simple language and where they can source them for you i.e. Catnic. I have just ordered a box of fifty pieces for a job I'm doing.
Ezra
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.