Hi everyone! I'd like some advice on some newly done plastering. Skim coat on top of existing plaster (original with house aged 1935). I understand it won't be as good as skimming over plasterboard and this was fully my decision not to do. PVA bond and mesh has been used throughout, as well as fixing some blown areas. Photos are taken in dark with a flashlight to explain what I am feeling with my hands - I know doing this can shown imperfections on basically perfect walls. I'm also showing you the worst areas and I am happy with the majority of it, but of course not the areas I'm showing here. Quote wasn't worryingly cheap and not outrageous . Basically in the middle of a few quotes and matched what to expect from online articles/sources.
The plaster is general silky smooth to the touch in 85% of areas but has ripples/broad bumps etc when you feel across the wall. Some are broad across larger areas and some are small and cover smaller areas. There are also areas with crazing (with super tiny cracks appearing along some of the lines) and what I can only but call skim-acne (tiny bubbles/pimples). Most of these 'issues' don't show in daylight or with the ceiling light on, but I'm concerned it will once painted and with a lamp light (as preferred).
So, my general questions are:
1) Is this a bad plastering job? I feel it's a B- with room for improvement.
2) Should I not accept the response of 'you can sand and poly fill the issue areas', and ask for him to do touchups? I expected a skim coat to be practically good to go to decorate with some minor prep to ensure a higher quality finish. This will take a good few hours to identify the issue areas, sand, dust down, poly fill, sand and dust down again.
3) Not take the reason for the ripples/bumps being due to the plaster underneath? To add to this, the pre-skimmed walls weren't perfect but I never felt ripples like this. They were basically flat, and had just seen far too much wallpaper removal!
4) How to tackle the skim-acne?
5) Accept the outcome as it is at my extra work/expense? Maybe the higher quote would have given a glass finish....
More plastering is to be done and I have felt the pre-skimmed walls for any ripples/bumps. There basically aren't any, so I'll put the 'its the state of the walls underneath' reason to the test.
Thanks to anyone and all who help here! xx
The plaster is general silky smooth to the touch in 85% of areas but has ripples/broad bumps etc when you feel across the wall. Some are broad across larger areas and some are small and cover smaller areas. There are also areas with crazing (with super tiny cracks appearing along some of the lines) and what I can only but call skim-acne (tiny bubbles/pimples). Most of these 'issues' don't show in daylight or with the ceiling light on, but I'm concerned it will once painted and with a lamp light (as preferred).
So, my general questions are:
1) Is this a bad plastering job? I feel it's a B- with room for improvement.
2) Should I not accept the response of 'you can sand and poly fill the issue areas', and ask for him to do touchups? I expected a skim coat to be practically good to go to decorate with some minor prep to ensure a higher quality finish. This will take a good few hours to identify the issue areas, sand, dust down, poly fill, sand and dust down again.
3) Not take the reason for the ripples/bumps being due to the plaster underneath? To add to this, the pre-skimmed walls weren't perfect but I never felt ripples like this. They were basically flat, and had just seen far too much wallpaper removal!
4) How to tackle the skim-acne?
5) Accept the outcome as it is at my extra work/expense? Maybe the higher quote would have given a glass finish....
More plastering is to be done and I have felt the pre-skimmed walls for any ripples/bumps. There basically aren't any, so I'll put the 'its the state of the walls underneath' reason to the test.
Thanks to anyone and all who help here! xx
