Touching up (read:filling the holes in ) 'Skimming over emulsion on brickwork'

[Kevin Brady]

After my post last week, and many useful answers, I proceeded with skimming the concrete ceiling, after removeing paint and rolling on coat of Bonding solution.

I used Thistle multifinish, and am generally happy -ish with the results, being my first internal plastering job, in warm weather.

However there are the odd givaway scratches and pits in the surface which are more prominent now it has 'gone off' and I am happy to spend a bit more time getting that super smooth finish.

One person on this group previously said that a thin skim using BG Easifill (a product for the dry-lining industry) was a breeze since it went on smooth and sanded off a lot quicker than either plaster or polyfilla. Put it on - let it dry then sand - as long as you can stand the dust.

If anyone else has other suggestions, I would be very happy to read them - I was planning on using a sharp trowel and polyfilla in the pitted areas, but I know this can be a bugger to sand off if you overdo it.

Cheers

[Andrew Gabriel]

Make sure these can be felt and not just seen. Often there are visible marks all over a newly plastered wall, but you can't actually feel them as the surface is flat, which is all that matters.

[Kevin Brady]

Sorry - also meant to ask: Could I simply have another attempt at a very thin skimcoat on top of the previous one - any preparation needed over fresh (one week old) plaster?

[Kevin Brady]

Yes I know exactly what you mean, but there are definately a couple of 'feelable' pits in the surface that need a little attention before decorating.

[Andrew Gabriel]

You would need to do the two coats of dilute PVA first. However, unless you know how to do a better job than you did last time, there doesn't seem to be any point (not meaning to be nasty -- just stating the obvious;-).

[Kevin Brady]

The thought did occur to me, hence looking at fullproof remedial techniques for small areas - no offence taken.

I'm quite confident to move on to the next wall and keep at it (hopefully improving as I go) - the odd dents are worth doing it myself - and the overall finish is still the best in the whole house (even if i do say so myself!)

Cheers

Kevin Brady, Oxford

[Lobster]

Might be worth trying Polyskim? It's a Polycell product (surprise, surprise) rather like Polyfilla and supplied in tubs of ready-mixed at a high price - any pro will sneer at it, but I've had pretty good results out of it under conditions such as you describe. One advantage of Polyskim is that it goes off very slowly, so you have plenty of time to prat about and get it flat.

Maybe others have experience with it?

David

[Rob Morley]

I'd just scrape on some fine surface Polyfilla type stuff with the plastering trowel - too little rather than too much, as you can always add a bit more later and if you need to sand it that's too much :-) The fine filler has good adhesion, goes on very smooth and feathers well at the edges.

[John Rumm]

I would suggest that you give any obviously bad bits a quick sand, then paint the lot with a watery coat of emulsion. That will then let you see what bits actually need attention (many bits you may well find vanish under the paint).

Then use a wide filling knife (i.e. a taping knife) and some artex as a fine filler. This is dirt cheap compared to most fillers (fiver for 25kg if you get Wickes own brand), and will sand much more quickly than polyfiller etc. Once sanded, paint as normal.

[ocidental]

When its dark try holding a torch to the ceiling and shining it along the whole area and this will show peaks and troughs as shadows.

[Andy Luckman (AJL Electronics)]

Mind you do it the right way up then and trim.