Plastering tips

i normally use about 4-5 bags a day, always best to do ceilings first.

plastering, everyone is different, first coat is a key get it on just make sure no mountains in it.

me i get second on leave it 5 before even try to flatten it, let it key then just trowel it in, some flick water i dont i just trowel it with a wet trowel til its nearly set and then a dry trowel

its a learning curve mate, it takes years to get it to an art and still learn years into it, no job is the same, evry wall is different, drying times, humidity...

keep at it, takes time

 

If you are doing a room including the ceiling, what
order would you do it in? Ceiling first?

Always plaster the ceiling before the floor.

 

Whenever I've seen plasterers at work, they've always
done both at the same time.



Mr. Handyandy - really

 

charlie 21

Every job is different. The amount of thistle you use in a day depends on what you're doing. I sometimes work alone, I hate it but it happens. If you're alone, you have to mix, lay it on, lay it in, trowel up and finish, wash out the bucket, move the milk crates and boards out for ceilings, as well as have something to eat to keep the energy levels up. I usually manage to get through 4 to 5 bags in a day, but it's hard work. Just work at your own pace and quote accordingly. I work with someone who's 68, he's been doing it for 40 years, I can't keep up with him, i'm half his age. Experience takes time. I'd generally do the ceiling first, this stops splashes on the walls. I'd not do all together as you need to move the scaffolding about too much and if you're alone, this takes valuable time.
Troweling Process. 1st coat to lay in then lay it down (flatten). 2nd coat to lay in then take it as it comes. Wet trowel, dry trowel, do whatever it takes. Every job is different. You'll soon learn, you'll make mistakes, but the one thing I've been told is to never panic.
Keep up the work, don't panic, just do what you can. you'll get quicker, like everything else, experience takes time. Just don't try to run before you walk. After a while you'll get to know how much you can do. Sometimes i have to sit and wait for the thistle to go off, other times i work like heck to keep up with it. There are so many elements that interfere with what you're doing, you'll learn in time. Goooood luck!

 

aint that a blag newey when you just know its drying to quick and you having to kill yourself to keep up with it....

 

I tried using a sponge float, but on the thistle stuff the finish is not as good.

I have a couple of questions though myself:
1) What is the purpose of the final dry trowel?
2) Saw a plasterer's work recently and by the time his wall had dried it was like marble on top. My plastering never sets as hard on the surface (although my work is flatter ). What's the secret of this - am I leaving it too late before doing my wet trowel, too early, Not pressing hard enough?
3) What's a good source of milk-crates for doing ceilings?

Cheers,

TAngoman

 

if he is flicking water on dry troweling basically just runs all the water over the top hense the marble finish

 

come on guys, where's best to find milk crates? no local dairy. Have made several hop-ups, but you all know, crates are light wieght and blooming hard to get hold of!!!

 

newey,

A lot of parts of Europe sell crates of soft drinks or beer with glass bottles. You get charged a little extra for the crate and bottles and when you return the empties and crate you get the money back. I've got a couple of the beer crates and they are perfect for plastering. So if you're ever going to France then keep this in mind!

 

You can get a good aluminium step from dare I say it - B&Q for 20 - 30 quid. Probably the best thing they sell.

 

You can slow down plaster drying with some mortar plasticizer in the mix.

I like to work with a single halogen light source I cart around, when doing walls. Placed at one end of the wall it is great for seeing any imperfections in the finish.

Tangoman

 

i prsonally cant stand guys like you that do a quick course and then think u can catch up with the big boys. i personally went to college 4 yrs in all 2 for plastering then another 2 for fibrous but here goes. always plaster in to coat work. 1st coat leave to go off then flatten with a 18 inch dry trowel. second coat mix with dirty water it will go off quicker if u want speed. again flatten with the 18 wet trowel. to avoid waives never plaster in different directions always go up down the only time you go across is to dry trowel 15- 30 mins after completing a wall. tips, wet trowel with clean water only with a drop of pva the painter will love you. add dirty water only to 2nd mix to make water go off always clean angles out that is the true sign of a master plasterer add pva to slow down mix and finally never panic only put on as much as you can handle and work only in a clear room. i personally use about 7-10 bags depending most done in 1 day 160 metres. good luck

 

so you mix with dirty water, which british gypsum don't reccomend, to speed up the setting process. then you put pva in to slow the setting process which isn't reccomended either!!

 

using dirty water can effect the strength of the plaster so in some cases when trowelling off the plaster starts to break down causing it to flake. thought you were a master plasterer? sound like a bodger to me! 160m a day either ******** or a very bad job! you would have had to use about 15 bags of powder for that area! me thinks you lying!! bye for now.

 

hello all

I've been plastering for 15 years and was tort by the best plasters i know, my father and my grandad they made a great team my grandad is 80 now and still working.

This is how I work and as I am concerned the only way to plaster . I always get 3 mixes a day in 4 it's to much. 1st one 8:00 till 10:00 , 10:30 till 12:30 and 1:15 till just after 3 ish and then I put beads on scrim up for the next clean up ect .


I always use clean water for my mixes. 1st coat the walls opposites only . Your 1st coat shouldn't need flatting get it right in the first place, 2st coat when you finished the first coat but clean your trowel first. Don't let the first coat get dry as am reading here.

soon as you finished the second coating clean your tools if its the first opposite wall just clean the wood work if it the second opposites clean the angles down with clean water . you should have a clean bucket of water next to your spot , change it when its dirty!!.

First trowel should be a dry trowel no water but this depends on the suction so no real rule here . second and third trowel with water start at the top of the wall .

It should be about 10:00 now go and have break hard trowel the wall after break to a nice finish ,clean wood work .



Ive used a sponge float a few time cant get used to it tho cant see the benefit of it too

 

each to there own in regards to how you plaster, personally i think you have to let the first coat stiffen a bit and flatten before laying down if you lay it down straight away and the first coat is still slashy you might as well just put one coat on! just my opinion though.

 

each to there own in regards to how you plaster,
personally i think you have to let the first coat
stiffen a bit and flatten before laying down if you
lay it down straight away and the first coat is still
slashy you might as well just put one coat on! just
my opinion though.

totally agree, let it go in a bit, flatten then top coat.