Getting a better finish

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johnr

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Alright lads. Finished my Level 2 plastering at college 5 monthes back. Done quite a few skimming jobs on my own property and friends and family including ceilings and two full stairs and landings.

They was very pleased with the finish results seeing as it cost them materials only. During these jobs my laying has become a lot tidier, doubled in speed, more organised and a lot less messier. My problem is ive been focusing quantity rather than quailty.

I know it should be the other way round. I always leave my internal and externals looking sharp but the wall or ceiling is always left with too many imperfections. hollows,odd trowel marks,not uniform in colour. Not good enough for the standards i want to reach. I know it will take years of experience.

This next part is where i would like some feedback from you more experienced guys. This is how i was learnt at college. Lay on 1st coat, flatten. Lay on 2nd coat,flatten. Leave till tacky then flatten again. Wait till its going off. Wet trowel. Then wet cross trowel. Then dry cross trowel.

Obviously brushing my angles in along the way. Problem is i dont see the imperfections till after the mist coat of paint. too many to put right with filler. So ive dot and dabbed my outhouse in my garden which looks great with the intention of skimming smaller sets but getting a more quality finish. In doing so ive started to change the way im advancing through the flattening stages. In doing so my results have got much better. Hardly any imperfections or trowel marks. drying all one colour. looks flatter,smoother and overall more professional.

I feel like im achieving this not because they are smaller set but because im cross troweling and the tacky stage which seems to close everything in pushing the highs into the lows etc. making the rest of the stages much easier. my teacher at college learnt me not too cross trowel until the very last stages but the plaster seems to be to far gone by then. flattening in the same direction until the last stage dont seem to be working for me. Any advice and personal expreriences on how i should be thinking at this part of my learning curve would be much appreciated. Thanks.
 
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johnr said:
Alright lads. Finished my Level 2 plastering at college 5 monthes back. Done quite a few skimming jobs on my own property and friends and family including ceilings and two full stairs and landings. They was very pleased with the finish results seeing as it cost them materials only. During these jobs my laying has become a lot tidier, doubled in speed, more organised and a lot less messier. My problem is ive been focusing quantity rather than quailty. I know it should be the other way round. I always leave my internal and externals looking sharp but the wall or ceiling is always left with too many imperfections. hollows,odd trowel marks,not uniform in colour. Not good enough for the standards i want to reach. I know it will take years of experience. This next part is where i would like some feedback from you more experienced guys. This is how i was learnt at college. Lay on 1st coat, flatten. Lay on 2nd coat,flatten. Leave till tacky then flatten again. Wait till its going off. Wet trowel. Then wet cross trowel. Then dry cross trowel. Obviously brushing my angles in along the way. Problem is i dont see the imperfections till after the mist coat of paint. too many to put right with filler. So ive dot and dabbed my outhouse in my garden which looks great with the intention of skimming smaller sets but getting a more quality finish. In doing so ive started to change the way im advancing through the flattening stages. In doing so my results have got much better. Hardly any imperfections or trowel marks. drying all one colour. looks flatter,smoother and overall more professional. I feel like im achieving this not because they are smaller set but because im cross troweling and the tacky stage which seems to close everything in pushing the highs into the lows etc. making the rest of the stages much easier. my teacher at college learnt me not too cross trowel until the very last stages but the plaster seems to be to far gone by then. flattening in the same direction until the last stage dont seem to be working for me. Any advice and personal expreriences on how i should be thinking at this part of my learning curve would be much appreciated. Thanks.
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U need to get in with a spread who's been doing it years uve mentioned all the rite things u do in stages like txt book stuff but u CNT beat actually working with a experienced spread who will show you how to do it properly
 
Yes Kitchy your right. Just got transport problems at the moment. Head gasket gone on motor. would it be a good idea to veer away from the textbook stuff in order to suite the individual as long as the finish is getting better?
 
johnr said:
Yes Kitchy your right. Just got transport problems at the moment. Head gasket gone on motor. would it be a good idea to veer away from the textbook stuff in order to suite the individual as long as the finish is getting better?
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Your pretty much doing the process rite but its hands on experience u need working with sum1 full time for a couple of years..we follow same process but we let it go in that flatten with a tiny bit of water then give it 2 trowels with water but its different strokes for different folks..u defo need to ring around and get in with sum1 as all college do is teach u how to be a diy plasterer not a spread who can make a living from it in my opinion
 
Seems like a bit too much water and messing about with it to me, I maybe wrong.

We

1st coat
Flattern
Second coat / leave for 5 mins
Flattern / leave for 5 mins
1 wet trowel (don't go mad)
Dry trowel

2 wet trowels seems a lot of water, which may result in a lot of fat on the surface.
 
mac_plastering said:
Seems like a bit too much water and messing about with it to me, I maybe wrong.

We

1st coat
Flattern
Second coat / leave for 5 mins
Flattern / leave for 5 mins
1 wet trowel (don't go mad)
Dry trowel

2 wet trowels seems a lot of water, which may result in a lot of fat on the surface.
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Wen I say 2 wet trowels its 1 wet trowel with water brushed/flicked onto wall nxt trowel is wet trowel not actually flicked onto wall saves a dry trowel,dnt need to give it a dry trowel with a nela
 
There's that many trowels out now Mac there's that many systems! Them nelas I dnt think ur ment to hardly use any water at all..
 
I hardly put much water now compared to when i started which has definately helped. My main question though. At colloge i was always learned to flatten with the up and down motion. My last few attempts i have been flattening by going across the wall in the opposite direction to laying on. The reults have looked excellent to my untrained eye. As though by troweling in the opposite direction its pushing the plaster closer together and covering more imperfections if not all of them. plus drying out all one uniformed colour. Is that what im looking to achieve. I was taught to cross trowel at the very late stages and up untill now stuck to it. How do i know when ive done a great job skimming a wall. What am i looking for.
 
I have said it before and ill say it again .... when the fook did skimming a wall become so complicated. ?. To many trowels ,to many short corses and not enough good old fashioned start at the bottom and work your way up training.you cant learn a skill like plastering off the internets.
 
johnr said:
I hardly put much water now compared to when i started which has definately helped. My main question though. At colloge i was always learned to flatten with the up and down motion. My last few attempts i have been flattening by going across the wall in the opposite direction to laying on. The reults have looked excellent to my untrained eye. As though by troweling in the opposite direction its pushing the plaster closer together and covering more imperfections if not all of them. plus drying out all one uniformed colour. Is that what im looking to achieve. I was taught to cross trowel at the very late stages and up untill now stuck to it. How do i know when ive done a great job skimming a wall. What am i looking for.
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We always flatten up n dwn motion u don't want to be flattening by cross troweling its always nice to have a uniformed colour but dsnt matter if it isn't..u don't sound like ur a million miles away but if seen it u mite be like I say its orite putting into words wat u need to do but u need to be shown
 
beader said:
I have said it before and ill say it again .... when the fook did skimming a wall become so complicated. ?. To many trowels ,to many short corses and not enough good old fashioned start at the bottom and work your way up training.you cant learn a skill like plastering off the internets.
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It's the only way in my opinion work with a good spread for at least 5 years do as ur told earn s**t money and earn him loads then you can say see ya mother fcker and you then start the same process and teach ur own lad..its the best way and always will be
 
I did two and half years at college pal. Just looking for some positive advice to take with me for when i do my next bit of working my way up. Only so much you can learn at college. Skimming wasnt the only things i learnt the basics of. I did rendering ,screeding ,dot and dab, floating as well. Plus all the paperwork. Nothing wrong with wanting to improve and get some feedback.
 
johnr said:
I did two and half years at college pal. Just looking for some positive advice to take with me for when i do my next bit of working my way up. Only so much you can learn at college. Skimming wasnt the only things i learnt the basics of. I did rendering ,screeding ,dot and dab, floating as well. Plus all the paperwork. Nothing wrong with wanting to improve and get some feedback.
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U could do 10 years at college John and a decent spread will teach u more in 6 months..how old are you? Ring around your local firms or try get in with a 1 man band
 
johnr said:
I did two and half years at college pal. Just looking for some positive advice to take with me for when i do my next bit of working my way up. Only so much you can learn at college. Skimming wasnt the only things i learnt the basics of. I did rendering ,screeding ,dot and dab, floating as well. Plus all the paperwork. Nothing wrong with wanting to improve and get some feedback.
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John here is one of kitchys videos to help people skim..enjoy

 
Im 39 Kitchy. I completely agree with you mate. Ive rang around and emailed a few local firms and heard nothing back. Ive got a part time job already. Would be willing to give an experienced plasterer a day or 2 each week some free labour. Like i say im not urgent to get into the trade full time just yet but would like to keep learning. Got to invest in another car after Christmas cause mines just gone on me. Where you based mate?
 
Good on ya fella! I agree with what others have said regarding spending time with a established spread. That said, I flatten across the wall. Try not to lash too much water on it. And like you've said, concentrate on doing smaller areas perfectly, your speed will pick up.
 
johnr said:
Im 39 Kitchy. I completely agree with you mate. Ive rang around and emailed a few local firms and heard nothing back. Ive got a part time job already. Would be willing to give an experienced plasterer a day or 2 each week some free labour. Like i say im not urgent to get into the trade full time just yet but would like to keep learning. Got to invest in another car after Christmas cause mines just gone on me. Where you based mate?
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We are Leeds john.. Hope ur better than that guy in vid :lol::lol:
 
Cheers Pug. Im a bit of a perfectionist mate. I wont be happy till im getting the best results. My last 2 sets ive flattend them across a bit earlier. Looks much flatter than my previous work. Made the later stages easier as well. Plus drying out all one colour.
 
Like KK says plenty of critical lighting early in the gauge will prevent the misses that eventually fill with fat giving the marks you mention. Alternating trowells at 90deg is a method many use to good effect, I would put on with cross trowell, flatten up and down, lay down with cross and first trowell up and down, 2nd trowell across, quick up and down to finish, in theory this should leave a flat panel/wall, if you find this is not leaving 100% try a once over with sponge float after laying down, in nice big circular movements, with out removing 2nd coat, get your 1st trowell on fairly lively, keep trowell nice and flat not much H2o, as the lads say working with a tradesman is the way to go, if so never contradict him with any nuggets learned in college, garunteed to get back up.

Sent from my HUAWEI G6-L11 using Tapatalk
 
Practice and lighting... don't worry too much if you are aware of the misses and what not that's a good sign you will improve... it's when you deny it.. that's when you should worry

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I see a lot spreads put their 1st coat on to thick & untidy if you put it on flat ist coat you haven't got to much work to get it ready for the second, then same again laying it Down with the second coat that way you use very little water troweling up I just use a spray bottle now it's also handy for cleaning door frames etc you will know if you have done a good job when it dries & it' all looks the same nice & flat & crisp.
 
@themucky1 Its been a few months back mate. A couple of firms Wolverhampton way. One was a feeder company for the college but they seemed more intrested in the young lads for the appernticeships. Give me a few numbers mate i would appreciate that. Ill give them a ring once i get my car back on the road hopefull middle of Jan. Thanks. Great result today for the baggies. Boing boing
 
Kitchy said:
We are Leeds john.. Hope ur better than that guy in vid :lol::lol:
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It's a shame ! I was about to pop the question how did you reshape the hawk? I think it's a brilliant idea, and the key on it......even that guy didn't drop anything on the floor:ROFLMAO:
 
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