whats the best plastering tip/advice youve been giving

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zombie said:
Good little tip when skimming come in off ceiling/ internals/skirtings slightly on first stroke then go up to on flatten stroke so not to ski ramp or loose detail on cove or skirtings etc

In every room there's always walls areas that will get more critical light ie where day light runs across or walls with uplights/ down lights etc always try and catch them when the lights on them and spent that little more time on them.

Always give walls a good hard dry trowel when walls turning...

Learn how to 1 coat plasterboard trust me it can be done and can earn you a lot of money and save a lot of time and get extra sets in.

Always allow an extra day when saying to customers how long a job will take to give you a bit of breathing space.

Don't book jobs in front specific start date advise a w/c with a view to firming up few days before thus allowing time if hit any problems on jobs before or squeeze in a screamer that you'd otherwise loose.

Only skim dry PVA,

Bead up in between trowels,

Scrim as you go along boarding and stick couple of staples in if going to be a while before skimming.

Always allow for waste materials and round up when pricing...

Price in fuel...

Price in upkeep of tools and maintenance of vans...

Always start early...

Small quick gauged 3/4 easier than 2 big and produce more...

Never rush out of a job without being your own biggest critic...

No your limits...

And the biggest and most important learn how to blend flawlessly then there's never a ceiling or wall that you cant take on...

Stairs pull all top area off baton then pick rest up as a blend instead of up and down ladders...

Only pay yourself a minum wage and bank the rest to cover slow times...

Wear gloves my hands are fooked!!!

Could go on for ever but hey ho...
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Next time I got a week gap in my calender I wouldnt mind travelling up and doing a week with you zombie, think it would be a good learning experience
 
Id love to see a four set day by the way, done 3 a couple of times but that kills me and dont know how you have enough hours in the day
 
Kitchy said:
I havnt got patience for 3 gages zombie let alone 4!! I dnt think 1 coating is quicker than 2 aswell u mite save 10 mins if that zombie
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Nah I cam knock 1 coat gauges out around 1- 1.5 hr

Gauges with 2 coats same mix nearer 1.5 - 2hr

Gauges with a fresh 2nd coat 2 - 2.5+

Cause loads of variables

But that's how I can get 4 quick small gauges out when 1 coating...

I put more on at once if 2 coating though so swings and round abouts!

Also if 1 coating I knock my gear up much thicker thus already starting to turn bit quicker
 
zombie said:
Nah I cam knock 1 coat gauges out around 1- 1.5 hr

Gauges with 2 coats same mix nearer 1.5 - 2hr

Gauges with a fresh 2nd coat 2 - 2.5+

Cause loads of variables

But that's how I can get 4 quick small gauges out when 1 coating...

I put more on at once if 2 coating though so swings and round abouts!

Also if 1 coating I knock my gear up much thicker thus already starting to turn bit quicker
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Do you only 1 coat boards or would you do it on reskims too?
 
I was plastering a bathroom today...insisted on leaving the sink in place...was so tight behind there could get any tool in so had to rub the skim on the wall using my hand...any advice on getting a nice crisp finish when using your hands not a trowel:numberone: even the pipe trowel couldnt get in there.....in the end wet brushed it all and rubbed it down with a little sponge, was the best thing I could think of:endesacuerdo:
 
Lodan said:
Do you only 1 coat boards or would you do it on reskims too?
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Always on plasterboard if on my own board work as I take bit more care on prep to allow me to or at worse 2 coats out of she mix....but I only put small quick gauges on like that never more than 2 bags...

Re skims - all depends on substrate I'm working I only 1 coat/same mix both coats where will be same quality as a fresh 2nd coat...

Artex always 2 seperate coats with bonding in the first coat mix those sets can be 3 hrs + at times

Ref 4 gauges in a day that's when works prepped and ready to go...

Also may have 1 gauge on then after say 2 trowels whilst its pulling in for a wet trowel knock another mix up and chuck another smallish gauge and so on so you may have few areas at different stages...

I will say I don't do price work anymore nor have anyone else's wages to cover these days so I generally do as little as possible these days...

My days of chasing the money have gone finances are established have what for us isv dream home and life's easy now...

But its down to all the graft from younger yrs...

Now don't have the need or want!
 
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Lodan said:
I was plastering a bathroom today...insisted on leaving the sink in place...was so tight behind there could get any tool in so had to rub the skim on the wall using my hand...any advice on getting a nice crisp finish when using your hands not a trowel:numberone: even the pipe trowel couldnt get in there.....in the end wet brushed it all and rubbed it down with a little sponge, was the best thing I could think of:endesacuerdo:
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Yeah unless it was artex explain to customer best you can do is blend up the dink around the perimeter and that they will need to sand and fill the awkward area...

I always say the same with radiators happy to blend just shy of them but never plaster/ push plaster just behind just looks rough proper dog s**t
 
The best tool for this cut down bits of plastic like old store cards bath panels and tape the to a pencil or something else's so you can get in there and you will get a good finish with them too
 
funkycarl said:
The best tool for this cut down bits of plastic like old store cards bath panels and tape the to a pencil or something else's so you can get in there and you will get a good finish with them too
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Lol, I did think after id finished maybe my bank card would have helped, but never had the idea until after
 
whats the best plastering tip/advice youve been giving
 
Gibbo said:
Work smart dont chase it
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Yeah think I been chasing it, was so happy to get going and get some jobs wouldnt say no to anything, now with things running over think its 4 or 5 weeks since I had a day off...just booked a two week holiday ang going to leave the calender blank for when im back and start again a bit more sensible this time...been to a quote straight from work and just walked in at 7.40pm on a saturday
 
Cant even be arsed quotting me these days had a phone call last week to quote a domestic just said nah ant got time..cnt wait mysen to go on hol and get re freshed
 
Lodan said:
Yeah think I been chasing it, was so happy to get going and get some jobs wouldnt say no to anything, now with things running over think its 4 or 5 weeks since I had a day off...just booked a two week holiday ang going to leave the calender blank for when im back and start again a bit more sensible this time...been to a quote straight from work and just walked in at 7.40pm on a saturday
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7.40 on a Saturday f**k that. I got a phone call about a job 5 min ago told him to ring me back Tuesday he says to me you don't sound to interested. I say it's Saturday evening am not. He put the phone down on me lol it was a full house internal and external I don't give a f*** :descansando:
 
I always find buying decent halogen bulbs makes them last an age ... Phillips ones etc yet cheap shitty poundshop ones go quickly ... Only issue with no glass is all it takes is some stray water and your fooked ...
 
Olican said:
100% used to go through loads of bulbs, now they last sooo much longer
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My advice is don't do it.
A few years ago, glass broke in halogen.
Used it for a week then water hit bulb.
Exploded shards we're on fire, melted tarp onto customers carpet and Fu**** carpet.
 
Donzo said:
My advice is don't do it.
A few years ago, glass broke in halogen.
Used it for a week then water hit bulb.
Exploded shards we're on fire, melted tarp onto customers carpet and Fu**** carpet.
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Must admit a bulb once exploded 1 second after my bonce was bout 1m away I'd just turned around and stood up was a close miss... Would have defo mashed up my face and eyes!

Though have to admit they do last longer lol!!!
 
zombie said:
Must admit a bulb once exploded 1 second after my bonce was bout 1m away I'd just turned around and stood up was a close miss... Would have defo mashed up my face and eyes!

Though have to admit they do last longer lol!!!
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Once glass breaks I ditch the light,,
Usually done by then.
 
Badgerrrrrrr said:
Ok, everyday is a school day, work with different people, we all do things different, youll pick up things you like and things you don't, tip for you Lodan, when skimming but a shovel of sand in your water for cleaning your whisk, at the end of a few days poor out, one it helps clean your whisk and two, the skim doesn't stick to the bottom of your bucket.
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Top tip that no messing with whisk thru the day, just quick brush sorted
 
hstoke said:
Top tip that no messing with whisk thru the day, just quick brush sorted
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To be honest, wasnt sure if he was taking the piss or not but ill give that a go...thats why I started the thread, so many tips and tricks and cos I worked alone from the early stages will never pick them up any other way than just asking
 
Lodan said:
To be honest, wasnt sure if he was taking the piss or not but ill give that a go...thats why I started the thread, so many tips and tricks and cos I worked alone from the early stages will never pick them up any other way than just asking
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If your doing some sand and cement mix it up with your drill makes it spotless
 
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