1st Wall Plastered

K

Kdavm

New Member
Hi,
I posted a week or so ago explaining I am new to this game and since then I have managed to skim a 7.5 sq mtr wall and the results arent too bad in my opinion! I do have a question though, if anyone is prepared to give me some advice!
I followed a method for mixing the plaster for my first mix and all seemed well, the consistency was good and it was managable in terms of it not falling of the hawk or more importantly the wall! The problem I had was that it seemed I was too slow in putting the first coat on and found that I was very quickly fighting with the setting plaster! To compensate for this I mixed the plaster for the second coat a little thinner and while this gave me the time to work with the plaster it was almost unmanageable in terms of control! Put it this way, I didnt anticipate skimming the floor!!!!!
So the question I have do I continue to mix the plaster in the first instance, work on smaller areas until I build up my speed or get used to working with slightly wetter plaster and give myself the time to work on areas of that size for now!
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
 
If you have struggled the way you are saying. There is no way on this earth the results are any good, sorry to say. Unfortunately most people do not know what good plastering is
 
Kdavm said:
Hi,
I posted a week or so ago explaining I am new to this game and since then I have managed to skim a 7.5 sq mtr wall and the results arent too bad in my opinion! I do have a question though, if anyone is prepared to give me some advice!
I followed a method for mixing the plaster for my first mix and all seemed well, the consistency was good and it was managable in terms of it not falling of the hawk or more importantly the wall! The problem I had was that it seemed I was too slow in putting the first coat on and found that I was very quickly fighting with the setting plaster! To compensate for this I mixed the plaster for the second coat a little thinner and while this gave me the time to work with the plaster it was almost unmanageable in terms of control! Put it this way, I didnt anticipate skimming the floor!!!!!
So the question I have do I continue to mix the plaster in the first instance, work on smaller areas until I build up my speed or get used to working with slightly wetter plaster and give myself the time to work on areas of that size for now!
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...
Is this your own house you’re plastering?
 
I'd say your problem is you've mixed way to thick to start with and your moving at the pace of a sloth... As soon as your gear touches the water it starts setting put it this way you should be mixing for first coat around 13l of water per bag atleast (personally if I'm doing a big area on boards I pretty much like it to run off the hawk) second coat you should be using around a third of what you do on the first coat if your chasing the skim your never ever going to have a good finish! Get yourself some 2x4 and screw some boards to it and practice on that don't bother doing anyone's rooms until you can actually lay on lay down and the gear still be wet... I spend more time giving myself cancer then I do plastering
 
Kdavm said:
Hi,
I posted a week or so ago explaining I am new to this game and since then I have managed to skim a 7.5 sq mtr wall and the results arent too bad in my opinion! I do have a question though, if anyone is prepared to give me some advice!
I followed a method for mixing the plaster for my first mix and all seemed well, the consistency was good and it was managable in terms of it not falling of the hawk or more importantly the wall! The problem I had was that it seemed I was too slow in putting the first coat on and found that I was very quickly fighting with the setting plaster! To compensate for this I mixed the plaster for the second coat a little thinner and while this gave me the time to work with the plaster it was almost unmanageable in terms of control! Put it this way, I didnt anticipate skimming the floor!!!!!
So the question I have do I continue to mix the plaster in the first instance, work on smaller areas until I build up my speed or get used to working with slightly wetter plaster and give myself the time to work on areas of that size for now!
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...
I had same trouble today but I worked through it.

Pretty good yes?


1st Wall Plastered
 
Plasterersforum ?

A) A forum for professionals to share knowledge an new material techniques an some banter along the way

B) answering diyers plastering questions on how to plaster.

C) both answers above
 
You could use some plaster retarder which would give you up to about an hour extra. I use this on ceilings and large walls as I'm not a plasterer so I'm quite slow too lol.

A few things I have learned..
Suction/wall preperarion could of been your issue. I used a few coats of PVA either 2:1 or 3:1 mix which was okay but found that blue grit (I use the wickes version) is loads better. Yeah it's more expense but the plaster seems to stay wet a good while longer than using PVA.

If you are planning on doing a lot of plastering around the house, get a speedskim. The time you save using it the flatten is well worth the price. Took me a few minutes to get used to it. I got one with the plastic blade but bought the steel blade for it.

As I said.. I am by no means experienced or knowledgeable on plastering but I hope the few little thing that work for me help you out.
 
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