Plastering tips and advice

Cunning Plan · August 05, 2010, 04:35:51 AM

Going to try plastering an 'outhouse'. It already has plasterboard up but you can see the joins etc as it hasn't been plastered - and I want to paint it.

I need to do the celling and the walls, but as I have heard plastering is hard, I think I will try the walls first.

Any tips?

What tools do I need?

Do I just put that join-tape over the gaps in the board, then get some plaster mix, put some water in there, put it on a motar-board, then paste-it up on the wall?

(Still need to finish that garage concrete entrance btw

)

EDGE · August 05, 2010, 04:52:40 AM

I plastered bits of our kitchen, even though it was being tiled over after.

You'll need to pva the boards first I believe, or seal them in some way, otherwise they'll get all soggy from the plaster mix. You'll have to cover the joints too with tape.

You can buy one-coat plaster from wicks, just add water, mix thoroughly and lob it at the wall. Use a wet plaster trowl to move it around and smooth it out, I used a big old length of 2x2 to make sure it was all flat too, bit like doing a concrete floor, but on a wall!

you're best of working around the room constantly, going over each wall again and again as its drying, that's how the guy that did our main room worked, it's mint so it must be the way ahead. He said if you keep working it while its too wet you just mve it about, not smooth it over..

btw... take some pics :)

Cunning Plan · August 05, 2010, 05:21:03 AM

Quoting: EDGE

btw... take some pics :)

What so you can have a good laugh

Sure okay, will do

Quoting: EDGE

You'll need to pva the boards first I believe, or seal them in some way, otherwise they'll get all soggy from the plaster mix. You'll have to cover the joints too with tape.

You can buy one-coat plaster from wicks, just add water, mix thoroughly and lob it at the wall. Use a wet plaster trowl to move it around and smooth it out, I used a big old length of 2x2 to make sure it was all flat too, bit like doing a concrete floor, but on a wall!

Got it, so seal with tape, then PVA. One-coat plaster, smooth whilst working around room.

How thick do I apply it?

art b · August 05, 2010, 05:33:23 AM

its a tricky job,traditional skimming onto plasterboard....

you can tape and skim the joints if the correct feather edge boards have been used,
that allows you to apply jointing compound and tape,you can then seal the boards with a few coats of emulsion....this is the method the yanks and commercial shopfitters and office builds use,

i think thats what deano used for his garage build....

heres a vid for ya,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDGFs4uYNS8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDGFs4uYNS8

ive done a few walls like this...

Cunning Plan · August 05, 2010, 06:01:37 AM

Quoting: art b

you can tape and skim the joints if the correct feather edge boards have been used,
that allows you to apply jointing compound and tape,you can then seal the boards with a few coats of emulsion....this is the method the yanks and commercial shopfitters and office builds use, i think thats what deano used for his garage build.

Wait wait wait - what?

Are you saying do:

Quoting: art b

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDGFs4uYNS8

Then paint the walls with white emulsion? No need to plaster the plasterboards?????????

Quoting: art b

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDGFs4uYNS8

Why is that guy wearing a Rambo-styled bit of tape around his head

Roadkill · August 05, 2010, 06:17:33 AM

Too much to say - to little time at the moment - plus I can't see the pictures . . .

There's a very set process . . . Was it tapered edge plasterboard that was used (I hope for your sake it was) . . . ?

Cunning Plan · August 05, 2010, 06:34:33 AM

Quoting: Roadkill

plus I can't see the pictures . . .

No pictures in this thread ATM dude

Edge was asking for me to TAKE pictures of the ~~mess~~ result.

Quoting: Roadkill

There's a very set process . . . Was it tapered edge plasterboard that was used (I hope for your sake it was) . . . ?

A set process not already described by Edge or Art B? ARR I was hoping you would just say "he is right do it that way"

I'm not sure, I didn't look at it in that way - I take it tapered edge is where the two edges 'dip' towards eachother to make a reces for you to fill with plaster? - I think it wasn't tapered edge

art b · August 05, 2010, 06:37:24 AM

yea cp ya can tape and joint,fill the screw holes, then seal with paint,
heres another vid,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utCMeQoj070&feature=related\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utCMeQoj070&feature=related

the yanks,who have mastered the whole thing, dont really ever ''plaster'' drywall boards...

without a lot of practice skimming plaster board is a pita,and the amount of stuff you have to buy and mix and use b4 it goes off is surprising....

Cunning Plan · August 05, 2010, 06:55:27 AM

Quoting: art b

yea cp ya can tape and joint,fill the screw holes, then seal with paint,
heres another vid,

PERFECT!!

Thanks Art

I'll give this a go - sounds fairly quick!!

Quoting: art b

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utCMeQoj070&feature=related

I prefer this guy's method - just the mesh tape over the joins, then plaster just the join, then paint the whole thing - the other guy was plastiering the joins, then putting tape over the top - seems like more work.

Quoting: art b

then seal with paint,

By 'seal' you don't mean anything special do you?

I can just use a stock white paint - like

EDGE · August 05, 2010, 07:44:18 AM

i used a mix of paint, pva and water for a few wash coats, that sealed the mofo !!! then painted. Worked a charm.

Roadkill · August 05, 2010, 07:49:35 AM

Quoting: Cunning Plan

By 'seal' you don't mean anything special do you?

You wanna use a couple of coats (at least) of water/PVA mixes.

Quoting: Cunning Plan

I think it wasn't tapered edge

OOooo, fail.

With TE you simply fill the edges . . . the taper provides enough "dip" to put your skrim tape on and fill flush . . .

SE is generally used if you intend on plastering the WHOLE wall - a job, quite simply beyond general DIY*, in my opinion.

I've tried plastering - It's difficult - that's why I always use TE and then smooth-fill.

FYI - I made up an UBER filling tool when I did the lounge a few months back - it p!sses all over the troughs/spreaders etc you buy in the shops . .

* It can be done but, unlike wiring a plug, takes multiple attempts to get it somewhere-near-right.

Cunning Plan · August 05, 2010, 08:06:28 AM

Quoting: Roadkill

I've tried plastering - It's difficult - that's why I always use TE and then smooth-fill.

Do you do what Art is describing then? - Just fill the gaps - paint the boards directly after a few coats of PVA and water?

Quoting: EDGE

i used a mix of paint, pva and water for a few wash coats, that sealed the mofo !!! then painted. Worked a charm.

Quoting: Roadkill

You wanna use a couple of coats (at least) of water/PVA mixes.

Roger

But Art - do you paint straight away or seal with PVA and water? :poke:

I want to do the same as Art

art b · August 05, 2010, 08:27:14 AM

Quoting: Cunning Plan

I want to do the same as Art

usually thats never a good thing....

it depends a bit on the side of ya plasterboard you have to work with,

there are two different finishes, one side white, one grey
the grey is for plastering and the white is for direct decoration,
id pva the joints,
then apply a couple of watered down emulsion mist caots to prime the whole board, then a couple of coats of emulsion,
in a lot of offices the walls are papered straight on to the board with a heavy vinyl paper,

fyi...
i was involved in central london, on project managing design and builds in offices,for a few years in a former life.... [couldnt stand the train journey with miserable cants everyday.. so jacked it in]

Cunning Plan · August 05, 2010, 08:38:56 AM

Quoting: art b

it depends a bit on the side of ya plasterboard you have to work with,

Grey

Quoting: art b

id pva the joints,
then apply a couple of watered down emulsion mist caots to prime the whole board, then a couple of coats of emulsion,

After PVA'n the joints do I then use the mesh tape or no tape at all?

And for PVA, you just mean the glue - right?

Jamieg285 · August 05, 2010, 08:48:11 AM

:fail:

Cunning Plan · August 05, 2010, 08:57:34 AM

Cunning Plan · August 05, 2010, 08:58:36 AM

Quoting: Jamieg285

:fail:

The hotlink thing?

Well I meant this:

Roadkill · August 05, 2010, 09:28:06 AM

Quoting: Cunning Plan

Do you do what Art is describing then? - Just fill the gaps - paint the boards directly after a few coats of PVA and water?

Yup - that's more filling than plastering - alot easier.

Quoting: Cunning Plan

Grey

There's normally a note on the grey side saying : "decorate on other side"

Quoting: Cunning Plan

mesh tape or no tape at all?

Mesh tape / skrim tape must be used or it'll crack as soon as it dries.

Get your PVA from Wickes - it's a lot cheaper than a branded one and is exactly the same.

Same for paint - use wickes trade but DO NOT USE B&Q TRADE PAINT as this is utter, utter, utter watered down shite !

Cunning Plan · August 05, 2010, 10:06:46 AM

Quoting: Roadkill

Same for paint - use wickes trade but DO NOT USE B&Q TRADE PAINT as this is utter, utter, utter watered down shite !

Roger that.

Cheers guys, pictures to follow

EDGE · August 05, 2010, 10:19:21 AM

the trae paints are wierd... the b&q white is indeed shite, but the magnolia is fine.... very odd....

art b · August 05, 2010, 04:18:33 PM

go off and enjoy coverin ya self in filler.....

fyi
i have used wickes ''easy fill'' in a bag ..its easy mix apply and sand down,

Roadkill · August 06, 2010, 06:31:34 AM

Quoting: art b

i have used wickes ''easy fill'' in a bag ..its easy mix apply and sand down,

They do a ready mix in a tub, too, that's fantastic to use . . . . beware, though, as they do a very similar product that is an utter ba$tard to sand down !!

I'll find the name of the one I used . . still got a tub in the garage for when I attack the kitchen later in the year . . .

Cunning Plan · October 04, 2010, 03:11:46 AM

Quoting: art b

i think thats what deano used for his garage build

Quoting: Roadkill

They

RK, did you use a mesh or tape? I'm finding that some of the paper tape lifts off when it's dry, but the small section I did with mesh tape was fine - BUT the mesh was harder to get flat..

art b · October 04, 2010, 03:34:11 AM

you could pva, the paper tapes on to the wall boards first, and allow to dry, b4 skimming ,

ive seen em on ceilings, sagging when they have been artexed...

Big Mouse · October 04, 2010, 03:59:13 AM

Scrim tape gives a better joint imo. Generally they sag in artex ceilings if the applicator used cold water instead of hot.

The best way of applying that I used was to apply a light skim up the joint first, roll some scrim into that from the bottom and then, using another trowel of plaster, run the trowel up the joint again until the scrim starts showing, fresh plaster and start from where you left off. get it roughly flat but don't play around with it too much; leave it for 10 minutes or until it the surface starts drying then brush over it with a wet brush and start skimming it again, feathering the plaster out from the edges of the joint. You might have to do this 4-5 times over an hour to get it flat and the edges feathered out to nothing.