Lumpy Skim on Tapered Edges.

[keyplayer]

I've just skimmed a small loft wall for a mate which had been boarded with taper edge boards. On his insistence we ran a band of board finish up the joints (only 2 joints) to level the surface. And an hourish later skimmed the whole thing. My question is why would the banded areas of the wall have been so difficult to work compared to the rest of the wall? These areas went all lumpy and refused to flatten for ages, although they did eventually and now it's all dry it looks very good, you can see the joints but they are flat and will paint over. Does this happen if the "undercoat" hasn't gone off enough or what?

 

[noseall]

next time yer mate tells you to wallop some skim up the joint, tell him no.

it was probably the time differential between coats that gotcha. you wouldn't normally leave it hours between coats on a regular skimming job.

p.s. did you scrim the joints?

 

[keyplayer]

p.s. did you scrim the joints?

Yes. Presumably you pro spreads would tend to use square edge boards for skimming? The only reason these were taper edge was the merchants only had these in 6' x 3'. It's only a loft so he didn't want it perfect, I think he just wants to get his old Razzles out now and again up there, lol...

Cheers noseall.

 

[Richard C]

I used taper edge boards on a new stud wall & then wished I hadn’t; I did skim the joints first to level them but skimmed over the rest of the wall almost immediately. I didn’t have any real problems but did notice the extra thickness on the joints started to pick up a little on the trowel second time around but not to the point where it went lumpy; I just left them alone for a while & got on with the rest of it before re-working the joints last of all. I’ve not used taper edge on any of the other work I’ve done & it’s all been plain sailing; wouldn’t bother with it again!