Levelling a wall without using plasterboard

[James W]

Happy New Year to you all!

I have a wall with a few dips in it that needs levelling off, with a skim coat of plaster being the last stage.

Could I level this by scratching the old surface, making it good, slapping on some PVA and then a coat or 2 of undercoat plaster in the dips to level it off?

Would the undercoat stick sufficiently to the wall? Will I have to undercoat over the whole wall, not just the dips?

Thanks very much in advance for any replies given.

James

[Set Square]

You should be able to fill just the dips with base coat after applying PVA. I assume that you are going to finish by skimming the *whole* wall?

[James W]

He he :-) Yep, can't wait.

[Witchy]

We have a plasterer friend who says it's not worth doing that 'cos you'll still end up with unevenness and it takes too long from a labour = time point of view, unless you're doing it yerself of course.

If you're skimming the whole wall afterwards anyway he'd go for the dob'n'dab plasterboard way 'cos it takes less time.

I'd just stick with the uneven walls :)

-- cheers,

witchy/binarydinosaurs

[Andrew Gabriel]

Yes. What is the depth of the dips?

Yes, providing the existing surface is sound. Use PVA and then Bonding coat. You shouldn't need to scratch the old surface, but what is the old surface?

That depends on how flat the wall ends up. A couple of finish coats can hide a few mm of unevenness, but probably won't hide any more than this.

[James W]

The deepest part 25mm Max

Old old plaster, the stuff with horses? hair in it.

Thanks for the replies btw.

James