Why does my coving keep falling off the walls :-(

[holman210]

Hello

We recently put up some plaster coving using Wickes coving adhesive. It went fine, looked great, all the corners smooth.

About 1 week later hairline cracks appeared at the joins, corners and between the ceiling and wall. So I went about filling them but as I touched one of the sections it completly fell off. Every single peice of adhesive was stuck to the coving and not a bit on the wall. Looking around the room it looks like the same will happen if I touch it.

What can I use or do differently so that the coving stays up!!?!??

Since I have lived at the flat the walls, door frames just about everything cracks like the flat is on the move all the time. Take a crack in the wall, it opens up, I fill it. few weeks later its opened up again. But the crack never gets any bigger.

Thanks

 

[roughcaster]

The coving adhesive needs a key for it to get a grip on the wall/ceiling,,, then it will stick permanantly.
Have a read of this:
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=125383

 

[opps]

I agree that it sounds as though the level of suction was too high, causing the moisture in the adhesive to be sucked into the plaster rather than curing properly.

I haven't used the Wickes stuff- infact I try never to use them as (aggregates aside) they have some of the lowest quality products of all the DIY sheds

Incidentally- I fire pins into the cornice to support it whilst the adhesive goes off.

 

[Richard C]

Have a look at RC’s link, your problem is a lack of adhesion to the existing wall/ceiling; you have to give the cove adhesive something to grab on. If you don’t provide a sufficient key, the adhesive will never grab & hold; many use nails screws to hold coving up as a mater of course but you don’t need them on Gyproc coving if you prep it correctly, it just creates extra work & won’t necessarily mean they will stay up there either! When I used to fit coving, the only time I’ve ever used nails/screws was on custom made Plaster of Paris coving which is cast over a timber base & is bloody heavy.

Just my opinion but coving is far less fashionable now, square ceilings is to go for & is “IN”.

 

[Robbie uk]

Most people will use artex rather than small bags of coving adhesive, its too expensive and not very good. But have to agree with the others in that the prep is most important.

 

[sergeantash]

Touch wood, I haven't had a piece of coving fall off to date, squared ceilings are old fashioned in my opinion, coving adds that modern touch, even if the origins of coving were from times past.

Some say don't use nails, or that you don't need them - in my opinion nails provide more structural stability and hence reduce the potential for movement...which causes cracking!!

...this is what I do:

- Paint newly plastered wall/ceiling with a water diluted mixture of white emulsion (1 unit water to 2 unit paint) to seal the new plaster, wait to dry thoroughly.

- Key the area where the glue will make contact with a scalpal in diagonal strokes

- Apply adhesive to the coving flat surfaces and trowel with a tiling trowel to leave lines in the adhesive.

- Lift to the wall, line up the ends and hammer nails into the far ends of the plaster.

- Ensure that the coving is firmly pressed against the wall and hammer in additional nails evenly along the coving.

- Force adhesive into any gaps along the top/bottom edges and then run a small stripping trowel along to remove any excess.

- After about a day, the adhesive will have set, hammer the nails just below the surface of the coving and fill with adhesive. Sand flat once this has dried.

Works every time with no cracking after 2 years in a house that does move as it was built in 1927 patience is a virtue, particularly with corners and angles lol!

Good luck, hope this helps!

 

[simonpolly]

Touch wood, I haven't had a piece of coving fall off to date, squared ceilings are old fashioned in my opinion, coving adds that modern touch, even if the origins of coving were from times past.

Some say don't use nails, or that you don't need them - in my opinion nails provide more structural stability and hence reduce the potential for movement...which causes cracking!!

...this is what I do:

- Paint newly plastered wall/ceiling with a water diluted mixture of white emulsion (1 unit water to 2 unit paint) to seal the new plaster, wait to dry thoroughly.

- Key the area where the glue will make contact with a scalpal in diagonal strokes

- Apply adhesive to the coving flat surfaces and trowel with a tiling trowel to leave lines in the adhesive.

- Lift to the wall, line up the ends and hammer nails into the far ends of the plaster.

- Ensure that the coving is firmly pressed against the wall and hammer in additional nails evenly along the coving.

- Force adhesive into any gaps along the top/bottom edges and then run a small stripping trowel along to remove any excess.

- After about a day, the adhesive will have set, hammer the nails just below the surface of the coving and fill with adhesive. Sand flat once this has dried.

Works every time with no cracking after 2 years in a house that does move as it was built in 1927 patience is a virtue, particularly with corners and angles lol!

Good luck, hope this helps!

X1 This is exactly what i have done in the past and no problems.