Advice on plastering coats please!!

[matt204]

Hi all. I am at the stage of plastering the new kitchen extension I have just built. I have got 3 walls to plaster with hardwall, ceiling to skim with multi-finish and one dry-lined wall to skim.

I was going to plaster the 3 walls I need to plaster and leave them to go off before skimming everything, starting with the ceiling. However, according to a couple of other posts I have read, it seams that the advice is to finish an entire wall in one go before the float coat goes off.

I have never plastered before and am not sure how quick I am going to be. Would it be posible to get the hardwall on the walls in one or two days and then start skimming?

 

[Alastairreid]

plaster the ceiling first taping all the joints including the junction between ceiling and walls.
then do 1 wall at a time hardwall first let it go off then skim, then start your next wall.
if you bond the walls and let them dry you will need to seal them with pva otherwise the suction will drag the water from the finish.
plastering walls is difficult enough for a beginner, ceilings even more so.
good luck.

 

[Richard C]

I think your taking on a big task attempting a complete extension if you’ve not plastered before; it’s one of the most difficult trades to master. Before you start I would advise buy a couple of boards & some timber, fix the boards & practice skimming those to give you some idea of what your letting yourself in for; cielings are even more difficult & I still hate them but attempting a full float & set, (finish over base plaster) is even more demanding.

I not saying don’t have a go, if you prepare well & understand the materials you may be a natural but your first attempts will almost certainly end in tears & you don’t really want that on your new extension walls!

 

[roy c]

If you are going to attempt to skim the ceiling you should make sure that it is all planked out at the right height and you can reach every part of the ceiling without getting down. The way to find the right height for plastering a ceiling is to have the planks or platform set so if you put your out streched hand on your head with the thumb touching your head and your little finger touching the ceiling then that is the comfortable height for you. Better still get some stilts and learn how to use them. But if you do that then everything must go up a level (spot board or tressels so you dont have to bend down to get things off the floor)....Good Luck ...Your a brave man .. Let us have some photos of your results......

 

[matt204]

Thanks for the advice guys. I think that has answered my question. Now I know that you can do it as I was thinking of doing it I might try it that way.
I just think it would be easier for a beginner like me. Many thanks.

 

[matt204]

Well, either brave or stupid, but you have got to try these new skills. I never thought a few months ago that I would have been able to build an extension single handed. But, I guess this is where sites like this come in so useful.