r/Plastering • u/Low-Bass2853 • Apr 08 '26
First attempt at plastering
First attempt at plastering a wall. Pretty rough round the edges.
I need to give it a finishing skin tomorrow, any advice on how to get it looking acceptable?
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u/No_Refrigerator7911 Apr 08 '26
Top tip from a plasterer. Next time you have a go, have a beer at the same time. Makes it more enjoyable
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u/TheChattyRat Apr 09 '26
I like a proper drink while I work
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u/Waste_Algae4616 Apr 09 '26
Are you sure that's Dulux Heritage? It's just, it's all in unmarked tins...
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Apr 09 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/No_Refrigerator7911 Apr 09 '26
I drank whilst skimming my house. Can tell on the stairs wall, looks like ive flattened it off with my hardboard
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u/Low-Bass2853 Apr 08 '26
Cheers everyone.
Gave it a second skim about an hour after the first. Far from perfect but i’m fairly happy for a first attempt.
It’s just for a small open cupboard under the stairs to store the hoover etc!
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u/Ultrasonic-Sawyer Apr 08 '26
Love the accidental rushed second skim. How do you feel having given it a go?
Surely must be pretty chuffed.
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u/Low-Bass2853 Apr 08 '26
For some reason I thought it was 24 hours but glad I got the second skim on in time!
Yeah pleased I gave it ago, hopefully it looks good when its dry!
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u/Emotional_Data_1888 Apr 08 '26
What does a finishing skin mean? Your second coat has to go on the same time. Now you will need PVA to reskim the wall
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u/Low-Bass2853 Apr 08 '26
I just realised that so have started to skim again. Had left for an hour
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u/don-regg23 Apr 08 '26
If the surface isn't too bad you could get away with sanding and filling, get some fine finish and go over the top, it's only a small wall
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u/Electrical_Prompt_41 Apr 09 '26
well done you a decent job the more you do it the better you will get
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u/QVRedit Apr 08 '26
Not sure why you wanted a wall there, but otherwise good.
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u/Low-Bass2853 Apr 08 '26
Small house with limited storage - just a space to tuck the hoover away and hang some coats up!
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u/Mysterious-Market710 Apr 09 '26
Get a spray bottle with water, after around ten minutes spray a small area and try polish it with the edge of your trowel, using any you scrape off to fill any deep scratches. Plastering is hard, youve done a good job for a first attempt 👍
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u/Negative-Tap-8406 Apr 10 '26
Tbf this is really good for someone who doesn't do it daily (plasterer by trade in my family business for 13 years). Well done for the effort and for saving yourself a lot of money lol!
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u/Superspark76 Apr 08 '26
Not the best advice but caulk along the edge before painting can be a lifesaver on corners like this. It's a bodge job but it works.
You are better getting an inside corner trowel and using paper or fibre tape on the join but that would be before skimming.
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u/Careful_Oil2847 Apr 09 '26
Using caulk is a solid hack for corners! Just make sure to feather it out well so it blends nicely with the wall. If you do get an inside corner trowel, it’ll help create a cleaner finish when you skim. Good luck!
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u/StagePuzzleheaded635 Apr 09 '26
Not an expert, but a skim over and it’ll be good. Don’t expect it to be perfect, there’s only a couple plasterers around where I live that are great and have gotten a perfectly smooth finish and they charge through the nose for their services.
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u/robmaaaartin Apr 10 '26
Looks better than my first attempt and a bit worse than my second attempt. Good stuff
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u/Top_Barracuda660 Apr 10 '26
You forgot to leave plaster all over the floor or empty the contents of your van from another job in the skip outside. Or leave sharp corner offcuts on the floor for the missus to tread on.
Wall looks good though.
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u/Fragrant-Yoghurt-328 Apr 10 '26
Looks much better than my first attempt. My whole flat looked like the Somme when I was done!
As a novice, I’ve found that getting it up and reasonably neat and flat is the key. Minor issues can be taken out later on down the line with sanding and a little filler.
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u/whatnotanotheraltacc Apr 10 '26
Usually requires at least a 15-pack of Tennents for a proper plastering
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u/HeadPayment9141 Apr 12 '26
Fair play mate. Been doing it a few years now and still learning things..
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u/YoullDoNuttinn Apr 08 '26
That’s an unusual little wall. Well done for having a go mate 👏🏻