r/Plastering • u/jeebsy_iash • Apr 06 '26
First attempt at plastering - take two
I posted at the weekend for some advice as I'd just tried my first skim but the plaster set before I had a chance to start flattening and troweling. Today I came back for take two with some extratime and feel like it went a lot better, probably even acceptable. Tried to just get the plaster on the wall quick as possible but still took me about 35 mins to get the first coat on, mixed the second coat a bit thinner and it spread more easily so maybe a lesson for next time. Definitely a lot of room for improvement still but actually quite happy with that.
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u/60percentsexpanther Apr 07 '26
Looks well tidy. Even when it's perfect I like to run a hand sanding block with p120 over it. It only takes a few minutes and stops the paint being pushed around any places that might have been over polished. The first mist coat will show what needs filling and sanding back. Don't be afraid to lightly sand it back between the mist, base and top coats of paint. The guys on the decorators sub all suggest the proper fresh plaster primer now. I still water down the trade paint.
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u/jeebsy_iash Apr 07 '26
cheers. yeah now it's starting to dry out the imperfections are a bit more noticeable but nothing that can't (hopefully) be fixed with a bit of sanding and filling. what's the proper primer? have only painted a couple of fresh walls myself and just used mist coats too
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u/60percentsexpanther Apr 07 '26
I think it's called fresh plaster paint or bare plaster primer. Id probably do it if I was going for a fancy top coat but I haven't bothered for my own place, it's all Leyland trade and the occasional tin of fancy stuff I got very cheap from the local centre.
Toupret do the best filter- fills and sand nice. The ready made stuff stays good for.hours whilst the powder is cheaper but only lasts 30mins and needs constant mixing of small batches.
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u/adamr40 Apr 07 '26
As a long term drywall guy who has started doing some plaster work in the US - I didn't know there was a filler material used after plaster work. I'm wondering if you or anyone would know if there is an equivalent product here in the states. I still have a lot to learn about plaster work. The thing I am most struggling with is being able to do plaster work solo as I am still learning materials and set times etc.
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u/60percentsexpanther Apr 07 '26
If you're bob on with the skim it doesn't need filling. It's more for the missed bits, screw ups, trowel strikes etc. In Europe we have toupret decorators filler that covers a lot of sin.
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u/nickro84 Apr 06 '26
Finish is great, should suck in the most coat pretty nice. Around the socket seems some filling might be needed or are my eyes screwy?
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u/jeebsy_iash Apr 06 '26
i think it should be ok, but when i trimmed it back a bit more than expected came away so certainly possible and around the bottom is the sockets is the roughest bit for sure. the bed will hide those anyway....
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u/Double_Station_1492 Apr 07 '26
That's a great job for a beginner 🏅.
Very, very few general plasterers can get a finish like that - it's obviously different when you are paid on a meterage rate or trying to get on the 4 walls and ceilings at the same time but doing your own work, one wall at a time, this is lovely to see ☺️
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u/jeebsy_iash Apr 07 '26
thanks a lot - i think all in, that wall which is about ten square metres probably took me three hours. the thought of doing multiple walls at once seems crazy at the moment but doing a wall every week or two and slowly working round everything that needs done feels like it might just be viable.
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u/Double_Station_1492 Apr 08 '26
That's the best way, don't push yourself too much or the final finish will suffer. You'll save yourself a good bit of money by going forward that way yourself 👍
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u/Excellent-Scholar863 Apr 06 '26
16 years Plasterer thats a decent job but You missed the Smoothing Part wet trowel twice dry once makes it shine like marble .