MY FIRST ATTEMPT (LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK)

[Jack McCombe]

Paint it mate that will highlight the faults, multi and board finish is hit and miss these days, you won't see many posting fully dried areas as the discoloration of the gear can be misleading even though it's fine when painted

Yea I should do that thanks for the advice. Do you know if I'm able to plaster over the same wall if I paint? I'm going to run out of walls soon enough.

 

[Jack McCombe]

What's the weird picture on the wall all about?

That's a video still from a video by Bruce Nauman. He made a lot of videos where he is testing the physical capabilities of his body.

 

[Jack McCombe]

Only ever heard them called cat faces don't know if it's northern or not.

It's a fine first attempt. College taught me to go straight over with second coat so don't know if they're teaching you that way but it's s**t.

Get your first coat nice and flat and then smooth it. New mix for second coat bit thinner, lay on and smooth. Leave it alone! Then trowel it.

You can only pick up timings as you go to avoid tiger stripes etc. Always watch your edges, nice clean lines

So timings are what make a good wall without tiger stripes and cat faces? What kind of timings are we talking about? This really helps!

 

[Jack McCombe]

Second coat could do with slightly more on. Get a feel for how much is on your trowel and how far it goes, you’ll get a more even coat then. When troweling give it more pressure and less edge. Most importantly don’t f**k about with it, get it on, clean off get the lines out. Mix up half what you mixed first coat. Pva it and go again, post the pics up. Keep plugging away, you’ll get there.


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Should one stroke do half a stretch of the wall (in the case of my wall in the pic)? I did the top half left to right and then bottom half left to right.

 

[Jack McCombe]

As jess said, ignore topspread

What is topspread again? I'm still getting used to all the terminology! Cheers

 

[zolco]

Yea I should do that thanks for the advice. Do you know if I'm able to plaster over the same wall if I paint? I'm going to run out of walls soon enough.

Sure, just put pva on it mate, you can skim over that

 

[Jack McCombe]

What did you think Jack?
If you can pick the faults yourself then you're on the right path. My first wall was an embarrasing mess (a cheese-on-toaster) but fortunately I did all my practise on my own house.
Standard beginning mistakes are to spend too much time trying to get a glass finish as you go. Slap it on, smooth it. Look for it firming up and get second on.

Jess had a good idea to try it half-pi55ed. You'll relax and will probably make a better job. Doesn't go down too well with clients though (not THAT wall you w@nker!), so only when practising
Practise lots and see if you can get in with an experienced plasterer to grab some tips. I pull guys in to help with big jobs and pretty much always manage to find a better way to do something.

Good luck

At first it was a disaster. Couldn't control the spread at all and it was going everywhere. But then I managed to control it enough to cover the wall. Even mixing the plaster was a nightmare. Trying to figure out the right consistency and how to control it on the hawk.

I was quite surprised how it actually turned out and was really pleased. It seems that the flattening stage for both coats really helps cover any mistakes, at least initially before it dries. It looked flat and smooth, something I didn't really expect.

But when it dried I was able to identify the dry bits (cat faces?) more easily (small parts lighter in colour and more crumbly) and the tiger stripes. But it's more identifying what these outcomes actually mean, and what to do to prevent them.

It seems timing is something I need to get better on. Since my technique is still really primitive at the moment. I hope that when my technique starts to improve then I can think about timings a little more.

I'm looking into someone in Glasgow I can get in touch with.

Thanks for your feedback!

 

[Jack McCombe]

Fair play for the guts to put it up.It’s not great,terrible to be honest.If your serious about wanting to improve try and get in with someone local to you that’s experienced and has a good reputation.You will improve rapidly.

Really appreciate the feedback. Was prepared to be told how bad it is!

 

[Jack McCombe]

Yeah when you start plaster is some weird unknown quantity with a mind of its own.

I remember one point dead frustrated feeling like I'd been whizzing it and then suddenly not getting better. Tutors used to let me come in on our Friday off and join the apprentice lads. I had a couple pints with them at lunch and was loads better, beer relaxed me and I stopped over thinking!

Lesson: beer makes you easy!

Best advice I've had yet. Cheers!

 

[Jack McCombe]

Best s**t iv seen on here for a while. Practice makes perfect.

No guts no glory

 

[Jack McCombe]

Way better than my first go

Keep going at it and tweaking your times and you will get into the flow if it

Thanks! It seems timing is the key piece of advice.

 

[Dropsalot]

Very brave. Humble. Well done. Welcome.
Know first what you want to achieve.
Put on a coat trying to get an even thickness all over the wall. Use the coverage needed to make any skrim disappear as your thickness gauge.
Clean up. Everywhere. Don’t rush. The time spent cleaning will do two things, first it is good practise, second it will allow your skim to “pick up”. Flatten the first coat.
Put a second coat on, no thicker than the first.
Do the cleaning again. Tidy your workspace. Wash off plaster from places it shouldn’t be.
Flatten in. Rest.
Trowel it up, use a dash of water if you need to lubricate the trowel.
Rest, tidy, get ready to feel smug.
As the plaster “turns” trowel once more.
All the above assumes you have filled all misses, and flattened all ridges whilst the plaster was wet.
Good luck, keep trying, keep learning.

 

[Mouldyoldspudgun]

Are the cat's faces the small whiter bits on the wall? I think someone told me they are dry bits? Same thing?

The cat faces or misses to us southerners are where your trowel goes over the wall and misses a little bit, they tend to show up more when the mist coat of paint goes on. You won’t get them as time goes on unless you get a bit slap dash. Good luck with it and beware the demon light shining on your wall from a different angle to what it was when you plastered the wall it shows any imperfection and I mean any.

 

[Nicm]

Really appreciate the feedback. Was prepared to be told how bad it is!

Stick with it,it’s surprising how little changes can make a big difference.

 

[vfr12]

That's the Christmas spirit . Bravery is always rewarded

 

[Marshy]

Are the cat's faces the small whiter bits on the wall? I think someone told me they are dry bits? Same thing?

No they are "misses" where a decorator would have to fill if that makes sense. And fair play to you for posting your pics. Easiest job in the world to pic fault with someone else's work. Be proud of yourself mate you did ok

 

[Stevieo]

Thanks! It seems timing is the key piece of advice.

`
What's the plan here anyway? What are you hoping to be able to achieve when you reach whatever standard it is that you're hoping for?

 

[choppa]

The cat faces or misses to us southerners are where your trowel goes over the wall and misses a little bit, they tend to show up more when the mist coat of paint goes on. You won’t get them as time goes on unless you get a bit slap dash. Good luck with it and beware the demon light shining on your wall from a different angle to what it was when you plastered the wall it shows any imperfection and I mean any.

Iv always known them as cats eyes for some reason I’m a Surrey swinger tho

 

[mark myers]

Link Removed

Learning via Mastering Plastering video tutorials.

Based in Glasgow.

Looking for critical feedback.

its a b*ll***s up man, cos the floor is a mess, up ya game.

 

[John j]

1 when flattening keep trowel as flat as poss
2 dont overload handboard and floor wont get done for free

3 wtf are cat faces .........f**k**g weird mancs lol

 

[Danny]

wtf are cat faces .........f**k**g weird mancs lol

They are "misses" i think

 

[Stevieo]

1 when flattening keep trowel as flat as poss
2 dont overload handboard and floor wont get done for free

3 wtf are cat faces .........f**k**g weird mancs lol

Bit of trivia for you - it seems cat face is a texture.

 

[John j]

Bit of trivia for you - it seems cat face is a texture.

Orrrrr .....we call that finished

 

[beader]

i am having the same problems with my skimming attempts .........

 

[Danny]

i am having the same problems with my skimming attempts .........

Spat my beer out

 

[algeeman]

Link Removed

Learning via Mastering Plastering video tutorials.

Based in Glasgow.

Looking for critical feedback.

you have the algeemans floor.....your on the right track xx

 

[Danny]

I put scrim on the bottom of a wall last week and pulled it off near the end of the set and it madebthe skirting line look pucker

 

[algeeman]

I put scrim on the bottom of a wall last week and pulled it off near the end of the set and it madebthe skirting line look pucker

youve got to much time on your hands....i might try meshing my floors

 

[Danny]

youve got to much time on your hands....i might try meshing my floors

The person I was doing it for is a bit of t**t so thought I would make the effort paid off well