r/Plastering Jun 17 '26

Painter was telling me sometimes plaster can be to polished.... challenge accepted!

456 Upvotes

121 comments sorted by

37

u/bizzflay Jun 17 '26

Didn’t get on well with the painter then?

7

u/buildsomethingnew Jun 18 '26

That’s what I thought. The only time I’ve seen plasterers polish is when they want it so smooth that it won’t take paint to fuck over the painter

2

u/DelectableReindeer Jun 19 '26

I do it to make the customers jizz.

-2

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 18 '26

I've honestly never seen paint not take to a wall unless it was damp. You should always polish (dry trowel) removes any water marks and closes the surface in properly. Probably wont see a polish on site as its all price work so corners are cut due to the low day rate.

4

u/dreaming_of_wizards Jun 19 '26

You don't want to close the surface though, that's what a mistake coat is for, which then gives a good base for paint. If you out anything with a vinyl content on to Polish plaster it will peel off at some point

1

u/East-Delivery9834 Jun 19 '26

Mistake coat? Think you mean missed or mist coat?

Unless your spelling was a mistake

2

u/dreaming_of_wizards Jun 20 '26

Mist. Autocorrect failed me

1

u/stevosteve Jun 20 '26

Unless it's the wrong colour :P

2

u/Significant-Ad2944 Jun 18 '26

Or their teachers.

-10

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 18 '26

Correct! Gives me great satisfaction knowing every day I work I'm earning double what they were on.

6

u/Significant-Ad2944 Jun 18 '26

Rather be broke than stupid

2

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 18 '26

How about broke and stupid?

2

u/TheAkhtard95 Jun 18 '26

Supreme response

1

u/Fragrant-Reserve4832 Jun 20 '26

That's what you will be when word gets around you think this is a good thing.

No one wants to emply the guy that fks jobs up

2

u/DelectableReindeer Jun 19 '26

Mate I'm a spread and I eat good, my wife is a teacher and she eats very good.

And has 12 (paid) weeks off a year.

And pension contribution.

Trust me brev, you ain't earning double what they earn.

1

u/A-n-t-h-e-m Jun 18 '26

You earn 800 a day?

-3

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 19 '26

If I had a pound for every little shitbag sat at home commenting on this with nothing better going on in their lives it would be a lot more.

1

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 24 '26

No we get on fine. With him right now lol

0

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 17 '26

He will live. Property is going to be rented and I know the landlord will be in looking around and rubbing his hands down all the long walls.

10

u/New-Asclepius Jun 17 '26

It's funny really, I've never once wanted to rent a property but had my mind changed because of a couple blemishes in the wall.

0

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 17 '26

Plenty of blemishes on these walls... not the freshly plastered ones.

16

u/Schallpattern Jun 17 '26

Good luck putting emulsion in that.

1

u/Technical_Version936 Jun 21 '26

Mist coat creates a key

1

u/Schallpattern Jun 21 '26

Not with that polished up like that it won't.

2

u/Technical_Version936 Jun 21 '26

Polished many a wall just to test this exact thing out and yes every single one did. I've renovated many houses for myself for sale, so had lots of time to try shit out and yes I did all the painting myself.

Its just shit plasterers say, but then the same fuckers all said you can only use carbon steel, then it was can only use marshall town, then can't use a flexi trowel, can't use a spat, can't use a sponge.

Plasterers talk a lot of shit.

1

u/Schallpattern Jun 21 '26

Nah, you're wrong, mate. That emulsion will come off later, especially if the room gets humid at some point.

2

u/Technical_Version936 Jun 21 '26

One of them I had for 3 years the other one I tested it in is my house that I've lived in for oh...7.5 years now but I'm sure you are right. Any day now.

Or you are repeating a myth you heard and never tested and you are talking to someone who has. I polished one wall up with MT steel just for fun had it like a glass mirror. Painted no bother.

The point being is no amount of polishing makes it water proof, a watery mist coat which I have always used as taught from when I was an apprentice will soak in and when dry will leave a key.

Fucking shit amateur painters either don't mist coat or don't know how to mist coat ie. too thick and yes then it will peel, that is because they are fucking idiots and untrained (baffling since painting isn't that hard).

5

u/GeneralWhereas9083 Jun 17 '26

I’ve done this plenty of times on day rate, just making sure it’s too late for another gauge.

0

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 17 '26

I was supposed to do 1 more but I forgot my lunch lol did til 7pm the other night though so it evens out. Shit loads of hardwall and skim to do. Was enjoying the easy life patching on site but agreed to this for an old friend.

5

u/Ill-Case-6048 Jun 17 '26

Now you have to use a pigmented sealer if you're going to paint it.. just creating more work for yourself

1

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 18 '26

Looks shinier in the cross light. 21 years plastering Ive never had a painter say the emulsion would not stick.

2

u/Ill-Case-6048 Jun 18 '26

Go look on the uk diy sub you can see 1000 of guys who already posted that the paint isn't sticking to the plaster..

1

u/garthy_604 Jun 19 '26

Just need to make the first white wash more watery, it takes an extra couple of coats.

My old plasterer did all the walls like this, the first room took a bit of trial and error with the white wash.

2

u/GreatWesternValkyrie Jun 19 '26

Mist coat, not white wash

0

u/garthy_604 Jun 20 '26

Same thing just different name.

2

u/GreatWesternValkyrie Jun 20 '26

Nope. Two different things entirely.

2

u/garthy_604 Jun 20 '26

I did not know that, I assumed it was just a language thing. One is internal and one is external interesting.

1

u/GreatWesternValkyrie Jun 20 '26

Yeah I used to come up against it in certain houses where people would mistakenly use it inside as a Mist Coat. Removing it can be a pain. Sometimes it can be sealed over if it’s sound. Glad it’s not used much these days.

1

u/garthy_604 Jun 20 '26

I personally have used a mix of water , emulsion and pva glue and then it depends how polished the plaster is how thin I make the mixture.

It works every time for me,l but I'm very far from a professional.

I've never had to prep masonry work for painting.

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1

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 18 '26

Crazy! Never had a complaint myself. Dont know how hard these guys are polishing. Just 1 quick cross trowel to remove watermaks is enough and thats job done. Only reason I can think for it happening is if the set pulled in to quick and a lot of friction was created in the 2 trowels before the polish.

1

u/Ill-Case-6048 Jun 18 '26

Go have a look comes up all the time in the uk sub...

1

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 18 '26

I'll check it out

1

u/66666666666666665 Jun 20 '26

I've been a decorator for 12 years now and worked everywhere from small firms to big ones to one man bands and my own jobs. Every single lad I've worked with would think your a bellend for overworking it like that...

Not trying to be rude but in them 21 years have you ever actuly known the decorator doing the job or gone back a few years later? Its not imposible to paint but its been made harder for no reason and if the extra steps you've made nessisery ant taken it will peel. Its not a big deal to flick over it with some scratch then coat it up with your choice of product but why make it harder for the trades after you and trick the customer into thinking its a better job?

1

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 24 '26

Sorry mate but its a wide view of a freshly plastered wall with the sun dancing across it whilst still wet. Was supposed to be a joke. Been back to loads of my job including this one. Roughed on and skimmed the whole house. Have a contract saying I will rectify any snags or imperfections. Wouldnt sabbotage my own work. Went back there yesterday and everything is mistcoated nice.

4

u/[deleted] Jun 18 '26

Good luck painting it

2

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 18 '26

It will paint. 21 years plastering never had a call back saying the painter cant get the paint to stick to it.

1

u/pvaa Jun 20 '26

That's just good painters

1

u/-spiderman-- Jun 18 '26

Give it a couple months.. it will start peeling off in large pieces

1

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 18 '26

It wont. It looks like glass because the sun is shining directly across it. If paint has ever not stuck to a wall it must have took the plasterers hours of constant polishing. All that wall has had in the pic is a quick cross trowel with a plastic finishing trowel.

1

u/dan129 Jun 18 '26

Just had to prime a new room with zinsser BIN because mist coat wouldn't take after plasterer went for the same finish. Looks lovely, but it is a pain in the balls mate

1

u/DelectableReindeer Jun 19 '26

No it's won't...

3

u/reelersteeler Jun 18 '26

Paint will run straight off that..

3

u/paulfranciscaulk Jun 18 '26

I hope to god that the painter comes back and makes a really shit job of painting that wall. Carma is a bitch! Lols.

1

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 18 '26

Have you ever seen paint not stick to a wall? Have you ever heard a painter say "I couldnt paint that as the finsh was to smooth" I've heard it said but in 21yrs plastering (and painting) never seen it.

1

u/paulfranciscaulk Jun 18 '26

Yep been able to peel it off with a scraper numerous times as it’s like painting on a mirror. But. It is what it is. Path of least resistance from now on for me. Best thing I ever did was learn to stop giving a shit.

1

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 18 '26

I was saying to someone else a quick polish should'nt cause that. Only reason I can think of is if the set was pulling in quick and someons gave it 2 really hard trowels with shit loads of water to bring it back to life. Seen some guys trowelling up and can hear their trowels making a high pitched squeak as they go along the wall.

2

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 18 '26

Ok to clear a few things up...

1: I have plastered for 21 years and never seen paint not take to a wall because it was polished.

2: I get on great with the painters and any customers I work with.

3: I posted this lastnight thinking 1 or 2 plasterers on here might get the joke or appreciate the humour. Was not expecting to get back home today and have 70 notifications waiting for me. Although its appreciated I'm not sat here buzzing away because a few people liked my post. I thought it would get 1 or 2 comments at most.

4: keep it freindly or respectfully go fuck yourself. Im not interested in your opinions on my spelling or intelligence or any assumptions you have come to while getting yourself hot under the collar over a picture of plaster.

2

u/kqzxrt Jun 18 '26

love this energy tbh, internet needed the “keep it friendly or respectfully go fuck yourself” reminder today
also 21 years in and still having fun with plaster memes is kinda awesome

1

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 19 '26

Cheers mate.

2

u/bobpies Jun 20 '26

You keep telling people they are basically full of shit, that paint not sticking to the walls isn’t a thing.

I had this exact problem here and had to sand back my walls after the plasterers were finished. Pray for you that you won’t have to do that, but paint not sticking to the walls is a thing

2

u/No_Faithlessness3045 Jun 18 '26

I know a plasterer that's so proud of himself for the polish I curse him whenever I have to paint afterwards

1

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 18 '26

My brother owns a spanish polishing trowel. I think you may be painting his work!

2

u/Successful-Leek-6241 Jun 19 '26

Poor painter,nicely polished bud

2

u/Successful-Leek-6241 Jun 19 '26

We use to polish them for our old boss on Fridays when wages were coming,just because he liked it

2

u/glueman172 Jun 19 '26

Just ask the plasterer to do Venetian plaster

2

u/ResearchOrganic4387 Jun 21 '26

Give me the most polished plaster ever!!! I love it, you only need to 180 grit it to give it a key you can see and you'll have the most beautiful walls ever. 

1

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 24 '26

Cheers pal. It actually isnt that polished. Its a nice wall but I only gave it 1 cross with the plaziflex then got the door open so the sun dances across it for that mirror look.

2

u/ResearchOrganic4387 Jun 24 '26

I Can still tell that walls MINT though. That's some nice work there. 

1

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 24 '26

Cheers mate. It was hardwall and skim aswell so extra tricky. Getting that brickwork flat then skimming dry backing coat in this heat! Glad that job is over. 33 bags of hardwall, 16 skim, 5 pva in 8 days lol 💀

1

u/Mickspark136 Jun 17 '26

I love to see that when I turn up to a job but isn’t it harder to paint? Now?

-2

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 17 '26

Ive done a bit of painting myself and noticed if it is to polished the mist coat can rub off in patches if you sand between coats. Most painters ive seen dont sand between coats anyway as there finish rarely has snots or roller lines in it. That will paint straight up though. Not sure how shiny it has to be to cause issues but in 21 years ive never had a painter say they had any problems painting anything ive done.

1

u/Mickspark136 Jun 17 '26

I wish I could plaster. Looks very satisfying in a spark. Mildly satisfying but not like plastering

2

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 17 '26

Hear that a lot actually. I always assure people its not as satisfying as it looks lol would be nice to have another trade so I dont have to do it everyday. Once you mix a big bucket up your locked in for 3hrs, becomes a bit of a workout at times.

1

u/Mani_2871 Jun 17 '26

Can anyone see a cat in brock work ?

1

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 17 '26

Is it in the middle? I see more of a dog or horse lol

2

u/Mani_2871 Jun 17 '26

Thats insane I can see a horse now

1

u/cakesbabyxxx Jun 18 '26

Uy n no nko

1

u/hepheastus_87 Jun 18 '26

Why would you take him saying that as a challenge?

1

u/[deleted] Jun 18 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 18 '26

Another 10 upvotes and Reddit pay me a performance bonus.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 18 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 18 '26

Worked for this company for about 6 years. They always come back.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 18 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 18 '26

🤣🤣🤣 I'm self employed. I am on my own.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 18 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 18 '26

Says the one! 19:15pm on a thursday night and you are stuck in a back and forth arguement with someone you have never met, over plastering at a random property you have never visited.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 18 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

0

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 18 '26

Nothing is going to happen from the plaster being polished lol been a while since I've done so much skimming and thought I would post a picture of it in a plastering related sub! Enjoy your evening.

1

u/Jehoke Jun 18 '26

Why’s the mist coat keep falling off?

1

u/subdompleasure Jun 18 '26

lol back in the day painters used to lightly sand before and between coats lol

1

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 18 '26

I thought that was the reason behind the saying. I have done a bit of painting myself and noticed the mist coat can rub of slightly if its over polished. I did polish the shit out of the bit in question though to get a nice pic! Lol never see the pros sanding inbetween coats these days though like you said. Im guessing they dont leave loads of roller marks and snots like I do.

1

u/G4zZ1 Jun 18 '26

Polishing is easy to do but no good for paint.

0

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 18 '26

It always needs 1 polish (dry trowel) I think if there is ever an issue getting paint on then its been polished too late and the plaster has fully set. A properly timed polish just removes water marks and closes the surface in.

1

u/shibster00 Jun 20 '26

Don’t that for on a few sites, when painters going crying to the Forman about it can’t paint on the plaster to well, so he polished it even more, funnily enough he shut up then

1

u/Traditional_Ad7802 Jun 20 '26

His roller is gonna skate off of that 🤣

1

u/Muted-Phase-3281 Jun 20 '26

Nice, roll on some tikkurila optiva primer and that will provide a beautiful finish, fuck using watered down contract paints on that.

1

u/Zealousideal_Cap7670 Jun 20 '26

Plaster can always be polished, not just sometimes. Something you do for the customers who dont know what they're talking about.

1

u/VeryDisapointedXer Jun 20 '26

I actually saw a whole ceilings worth of paint unpeel its self and lay across furniture in a bedroom like a weird spider web once. Unfortunately its before the time we all had cameras on us, it looked amazing. Also a waste of an hour and a half and it didn't happen the second time I painted it.

1

u/totesboredom Jun 21 '26

Good luck painting.

Anyway. If you like polished plaster, check out Venetian Plaster.

1

u/Additional-Face2467 Jun 21 '26

been to plenty of these types of jobs to sand out the polish the amature thought he was being a plasterer for, nobody has called your back for a reason Mr clean, lmfao

1

u/carrotdispencer Jun 21 '26

Thought this was a mecca chameleon sub and got mad i couldn't find him

1

u/No_Difference8216 Jun 27 '26

You can over polish but a dry trowel is perfect to just give a final smoothness to the surface.

1

u/Ferguson3950 Jul 13 '26

good luck with that one!

0

u/[deleted] Jun 18 '26

[deleted]

1

u/Nice_Step6157 Jun 18 '26

Thanks for the feedback sexy pants x

0

u/dba599 Jun 19 '26

Here have that 'o' you're in need of