So really, how hard is plastering?

Having had half the kitchen plastered (ceiling and largest wall) - the plaster has "gone missing" and left the job half done. We need it finishing pretty quickly but it is tricky getting anyone to do the job soon or at a reasonable price. There are no big walls left, the biggest single area is about 3' wide x 7' high, a few smaller bits around a box type window, and two small bits of ceiling above the sink and where a wall was knocked through. Some is already plasterboarded, I dont think nailing/screwing the rest of the plasterboard on is a problem (he left a bag of bonding coat for one section of wall - might have a go with that too as he probaly hasnt left enough board to do the whole thing). So once it is all boarded, it is just a matter of skimming it all. I can see that might be tricky on a big wall, but on relatively smaller sections that can probably be done one at a time surely it isnt that hard to get an even coat? I do fancy having a go if I think there is a chance I can do it, but have a few questions...

1) Consistency - I keep reading the plaster should be "creamy" but does that mean thick cream? Are we looking at something that should drip off the trowel? I guess it must have to have a certain thickness or when you transfer from mixing bucket to board it will spread out on drip off the edge!

2) Do I need to put corner beads on *all* external corners, or just vulnerable ones?

3) There is a kitchen sink/worktop/base unit already in place that needs to be plastered up to. Should you really plaster right up to the worktop surface and base unit sides, or somehow stop just short and then maybe put a bead of silicone at the join?

4) When skimming over an existing skim coat that has had several layers of wallpaper on - is it imperative to get every last bit of paper off or can you plaster over it (I am guessing if you can plaster over paper joining tape etc then you can go over those stubborn bits of paper that get left behind?)

I guess if the worst happens it can always be scraped off :o)

Cheers

Dave.

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a
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Plastering is a skill and as such can only be learnt by practice. You can get hints and tips to avoid some of the bigger clangers and get an idea of how to do it but that is no replacement for actullly doing it.

Thats part of the skill...

I would plaster will not take a knock without failing, especially on an external corner. Of course if the corner is hidden behind a unit or something...

The plastering should have been done first... I think I'd go for a gap of a few mm and just silicone along the back edge of the worktop. The problem being if you ever need to move the units or worktop with them plastered right up the chances are you pull great lumps of skim off. I'd make the gap uniform by temporally fixing a thin strip to the work top/units plastering to that and releasing it with a thin blade and removing it whilst the plaster is still "plastic".

I would, the water in the plaster will soften the old paste, if it doesn't fall off straight away it's not going to have a strong bond... A steam stripper makes very light work of removing old wallpaper.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

That was the original idea - but pressure was on to have a functioning sink and the earache meant putting the whole thing in was simply the easiest solution ;o)

It is actually only along the two ends of the worktop - there is a window along the back of it. I'll try and find some thin plastic to act as a spacer.

cheers.

Reply to
a

If you're not careful, it does! As a rough guide, scratch coat plaster should be just thick enough that it stays on the trowel when held vertically, but slides off if you give the trowel a small vertical movement to break the friction. Finish coat should slide off a vertical trowel.

It makes it much easier to plaster.

Not sure. I think I would plaster right up to the edge initially as it will be difficult not to, and then when the plaster has started going off, but before it's rock hard, use a knife to remove a thin strip. Only when the wall has completely dried should you fill this with silicone or some other flexible filler.

You can skim over anything, providing the surface isn't in danger of coming loose. The problem is that the surface you skim needs to be flat. Scratches, dents, holes, etc which are smaller than the length of the trowel don't matter, but bumps may well show on the finished plasterwork if they are significant in profile.

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

and hard, which paper isnt. If it all stays stuck, the skim over the paper will be as weak as anything, and if any paper comes adrift while plastering, youll never get the plaster to stay flat, it'll slump after every attempt to flatten it. Off it needs to come.

The good news is that just scraping it off with something fast that damages the surface a little wont matter, as youre skimming over it.

NT

Reply to
N. Thornton

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