Skimming neat and tidy without spat/speedskim

Cornelius

Cornelius

Well-Known Member
my Refina spat is in the skip, lost it’s shape. Speedskim is not my cup of tea and I’m just thinking to myself I’d be better actually making an effort to actually plaster nice and neat rather than buy another spat for flattening, an old guy I used to work with laid on his first coat so tidy it didn’t need flattening same as his second coat was so neat it looked flattened just the way he put it on. I’m in the bad habit of lashing it on then going back flattening with spat or trowel. My question is what is your method? And if you skim neat and tidy what tips you got for applying really flat without lines? Basic questions I know but just intrigued, my methods have evolved over the years but I’m looking at scratching it on tidy enough to second coat straight on top without flattening, broken in trowel with round edges obviously but what else is going to help? @flynnyman @essexandy
 
Cornelius said:
my Refina spat is in the skip, lost it’s shape. Speedskim is not my cup of tea and I’m just thinking to myself I’d be better actually making an effort to actually plaster nice and neat rather than buy another spat for flattening, an old guy I used to work with laid on his first coat so tidy it didn’t need flattening same as his second coat was so neat it looked flattened just the way he put it on. I’m in the bad habit of lashing it on then going back flattening with spat or trowel. My question is what is your method? And if you skim neat and tidy what tips you got for applying really flat without lines? Basic questions I know but just intrigued, my methods have evolved over the years but I’m looking at scratching it on tidy enough to second coat straight on top without flattening, broken in trowel with round edges obviously but what else is going to help? @flynnyman @essexandy
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My old mate Justin (Birdy) is working with JDA, do you still do a bit for them. Birdy is a neat spread.
 
Olican said:
My old mate Justin (Birdy) is working with JDA, do you still do a bit for them. Birdy is a neat spread.
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Hey yo yeah I’m still doing the majority of my work with them, regular money good continuity of work, ideal for me. Yeah Justin has been paired off with josh in Dartmouth. Nice blokes, josh has got a bizarre but amusing fascination with other blokes cocks. He often talks about the communal showers after playing football :eek:
 
I only use speedy on the first coat, try to fill anything out with that coat then a tight second coat fresh stuff. Heavy second coat is asking for trouble. Sick to death of filling casings and wank studs. 1 flatten 3 wets and a dry refina spat to take any hairs off 5 mins after final wet.


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Tighter neater ye get it on better ye finish with less work imo . I got in to same bad habbit of chucking it on knowing I could sort it. Now I.ve started banging handful of dot in each bag of skim for first coat . Allows me to get first coat on super neat at a tired man's pace lol . Plus got in to of another bad habbit of hitting it to soon. f**k*d all new toys of now 13 inch trowel . 1st coat . Flatten . Second coat flatten. Tidy corners. Polish . Cross done . Like I got taught.
 
I've gone back to how I was taught recently too.
Used to throw it on then smarten it up.

Now I take my time. Long strokes. Nice and tight.
Always flatten first coat.
The finish might feel the same but looks so much better.
Same with laying down but even tighter.

I end up getting just as much on.

Very rarely use water. No speedskim no spat (unless I'm doing a ceiling thats massive).
 
I allways flatten but seen some not n get great results . Think it' bout catching it at right time . Where flattening gives you bit more time if it starts to pull in on you
 
Never really need to flatten first coat, its not something many over here do that I've seen. Coat ur first coat as if ur second coating,just slightly thicker. Taking an extra few mins coating it will save u time flattening in the long run. Ideally our method (we normally do opposites) get a, first coat two walls, if they are pulling in a bit, will double coat them before leave the room, if still sitting soft enough will go into next room and split it then drop back and double coat. If u coat ur first cost tidy enough the second coat is almost closing it in like uv done a first flatten over it.
 
Old school is nice and tidy, two nice tight coats and you’re all good............however,...........old father time takes his toll on the joints etc.......so to ease the potential pain, a change of grip with a different tool helps me.
Still apply tight both coats, but pop a speedy in the mix as well.
A flat Matt finish to take paint........that’s the goal..........how you get there.....well......
 
Years ago I’d get first coat on and mix my second coat and start flattening and applying second coat as I went along, worked at the time but now I’m flattening and washing out between coats, the multi hangs wet for longer now.
 
Your probably correct what you say their,,,only thing that really matters is your product good,,,,how its done is secondary,,,
I do have a speedskim though dont use it daily,,,,it is handy when needed.
 
t33ch said:
Not me! My speedskim is a spider-home in the garage, never could get on with it. Gone back to old skool Nela:sorprendido3:
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The speedskim is pure shite in my opinion, I’ve used the one with the white blade, blue blade and the new metal one all of them utter rubbish I found. Awful uncomfortable to hold and just drag rather than flatten anything.
 
Put first coat on thicker filling out joints and beads first, leaving no lines at all. Maybe lay down with a couple of handboards, then trowel till finish using a spray bottle and angle brush, maybe a twitcher if I'm working to wet angles.
 
Cornelius said:
my Refina spat is in the skip, lost it’s shape. Speedskim is not my cup of tea and I’m just thinking to myself I’d be better actually making an effort to actually plaster nice and neat rather than buy another spat for flattening, an old guy I used to work with laid on his first coat so tidy it didn’t need flattening same as his second coat was so neat it looked flattened just the way he put it on. I’m in the bad habit of lashing it on then going back flattening with spat or trowel. My question is what is your method? And if you skim neat and tidy what tips you got for applying really flat without lines? Basic questions I know but just intrigued, my methods have evolved over the years but I’m looking at scratching it on tidy enough to second coat straight on top without flattening, broken in trowel with round edges obviously but what else is going to help? @flynnyman @essexandy
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I think working methodically across a wall/ceiling helps a lot.
Just up and down motions, only working half way down the wall from a hop up and then a nice comfortable bottom half to meet up. No massive long sweeps.
You just can't beat a nice bit of suction to help you get the skim on neatly. I actually wish there was a higher suction plasterboard, that'd help with the shite Multi as well.
 
essexandy said:
I think working methodically across a wall/ceiling helps a lot.
Just up and down motions, only working half way down the wall from a hop up and then a nice comfortable bottom half to meet up. No massive long sweeps.
You just can't beat a nice bit of suction to help you get the skim on neatly. I actually wish there was a higher suction plasterboard, that'd help with the shite Multi as well.
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Been using monkey finish today, no body to it whatsoever. Can’t wait to get back to the other job with board. I’ve been putting a bag of halftime in with 2 bags makes it trowel up that bit better, give it a whirl Andy.


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I’ve got to admit I like the speedskim. I’m still on the original ones and they work well for me. The stuff goes on flat but I think the speedskim takes the shine off the surface the metal trowel leaves. Can lay down a bit quicker and just makes things a bit easier in general.
 
Topspread16 said:
Been using monkey finish today, no body to it whatsoever. Can’t wait to get back to the other job with board. I’ve been putting a bag of halftime in with 2 bags makes it trowel up that bit better, give it a whirl Andy.


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Thanks for the tip but I'm not going to pay for little sachets of stuff to go into crappy finish. If I wanted to speed up the gear I'd be tempted to have a play with adding some casting plaster.
 
How many gadgets etc only help us 'in the mind ' as it were , I think a lot of it is just killing the boredom , trying something different
 
essexandy said:
Thanks for the tip but I'm not going to pay for little sachets of stuff to go into crappy finish. If I wanted to speed up the gear I'd be tempted to have a play with adding some casting plaster.
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Doesn’t really speed it up at that ratio, just makes it creamier. Better to trowel when it’s cold.


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Cornelius said:
my Refina spat is in the skip, lost it’s shape. Speedskim is not my cup of tea and I’m just thinking to myself I’d be better actually making an effort to actually plaster nice and neat rather than buy another spat for flattening, an old guy I used to work with laid on his first coat so tidy it didn’t need flattening same as his second coat was so neat it looked flattened just the way he put it on. I’m in the bad habit of lashing it on then going back flattening with spat or trowel. My question is what is your method? And if you skim neat and tidy what tips you got for applying really flat without lines? Basic questions I know but just intrigued, my methods have evolved over the years but I’m looking at scratching it on tidy enough to second coat straight on top without flattening, broken in trowel with round edges obviously but what else is going to help? @flynnyman @essexandy
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Come work with me for a while mate
 
Mix the first coat a bit stiffer and it goes on nicer.
I got given a few sachets of halftime and xtratime and it really does improve multi. But I’m not going to get them just to improve a mix.


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Deri said:
Mix the first coat a bit stiffer and it goes on nicer.
I got given a few sachets of halftime and xtratime and it really does improve multi. But I’m not going to get them just to improve a mix.


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How does extra time compare to just using nice cheap cream of tartre?
 
John j said:
Mug I.ll like to fill thats all I.m saying.
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Skimming neat and tidy without spat/speedskim
 
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