Visible joins in plasterboard after skim

[markwm]

Do all plasterers has this problem? We've used 3 plasterers now for various projects and every time there's always a visible join or two between 2 boards. Whether it be dot and dab or board onto battens, after painting we can see the join between two boards, looks worse in some lights than others but it really bugs me everytime it happens. It often looks like a blister underneath the plaster along the join, as if air has made the skim bubble.

Each time the plasterer always tapes the join so I'm not sure why this always happens. Is there a trade secret for getting invisible joins?

 

[Plastile]

could be it was painted to soon, and the gaps between boards were large (more than 5mm) therfore the joints would take longer to dry, or if there is a ridge between boards this would be noticable, if cowboy plasterer only skimmed once (should be 2 coat)wouldn`t help. not saying he did or is.

 

[jbonding]

you shouldnt see a joint full stop.

 

[markwm]

We've waited a few weeks before painting.

Our current plasterer is very good, I've never seen better BUT on his last job we can see some joins. I imagine most people wouldn't notice but I do....!

 

[marshman]

you shouldnt see a joint full stop.

markwm can you post a picture of the join

 

[vbpupil]

id get the guy back and ask what he suspects

 

[markwm]

Can't really post a picture of the visible join because it won't show up on the camera.

Just had another room skimmed and more visible joins!

I'm wondering if it's the fact that the boards are square edge? thus the tape is proud of the surface. Basically we've been using square edge boards, then joint tape, then multi finish.

Just painted the room yesterday and today in the light you can see exactly where the boards meet if you look along the wall. The wall in question was battened aswell.

Should we be using tapered edge boards? I assumed these were only for use if painting straight onto the plasterboard, using jointing compound etc?

 

[markwm]

Managed to take a pic.....see here:

http://img33.picoodle.com/data/img33/3/9/18/f_joinm_f2bda7e.jpg

 

[kingandy2nd]

To my untrained eye it looks as if those plasterboards haven’t been levelled properly when they’ve been fixed on the wall.

The second plasterboard (away from the window) has a noticeably different colour to it, which would indicate that the second board is at a slightly different angle to the first because the light is reflecting off it differently.

To me it seems that it’s not the joints themselves that are the problem, but that the plasterboards haven’t been fitted flush and level to the walls and/or each other board.

Did you put the plasterboard up yourselves, or did the plasterer fit it?

 

[markwm]

I did all the battening and boarding and they are definitely straight.

 

[kingandy2nd]

Ok, you’re the boss. I can only suggest what I can see from that particular piccy… and it looks to me like the light hits that second board at a different angle to the first.

If you have a feather edge or long spirit level why not hold it up horizontally across the joint and see if it touches the wall all the way along? It’ll only take a few seconds, so give it a try.

 

[markwm]

Got a big 2m metal straight edge up against it. Defo straight.

 

[roy c]

looks like bad plastering to me....Get another plasterer in.....

 

[noseall]

it does not look like bad plastering to me (looking at the image anyhow) , merely a plastered wall with a visible joint.

did the spread use paper joint tape or scrim?

there can be more than one reason why a joint becomes visible particularly when dealing with timber battened walls.

 

[roy c]

it does not look like bad plastering to me'

A good plasterer won't leave joints showing after he's skimmed awall!!!

But thats only my opinion....