After my post last week, and many useful answers, I proceeded with skimming
the concrete ceiling, after removeing paint and rolling on coat of Bonding
solution.

I used Thistle multifinish, and am generally happy -ish with the results,
being my first internal plastering job, in warm weather.

However there are the odd givaway scratches and pits in the surface which
are more prominent now it has 'gone off' and I am happy to spend a bit more
time getting that super smooth finish.

One person on this group previously said that a thin skim using BG Easifill
(a product for the dry-lining industry) was a breeze since it went on smooth
and sanded off a lot quicker than either plaster or polyfilla. Put it on -
let it dry then sand - as long as you can stand the dust.

If anyone else has other suggestions, I would be very happy to read them - I
was planning on using a sharp trowel and polyfilla in the pitted areas, but
I know this can be a bugger to sand off if you overdo it.

Cheers

In article ,
"Kevin Brady" writes:
However there are the odd givaway scratches and pits in the surface which
are more prominent now it has 'gone off' and I am happy to spend a bit more
time getting that super smooth finish.

Make sure these can be felt and not just seen. Often there
are visible marks all over a newly plastered wall, but you
can't actually feel them as the surface is flat, which is
all that matters.

--
Andrew Gabriel

Sorry - also meant to ask: Could I simply have another attempt at a very
thin skimcoat on top of the previous one - any preparation needed over fresh
(one week old) plaster?

Yes I know exactly what you mean, but there are definately a couple of
'feelable' pits in the surface that need a little attention before
decorating.


"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
.. .
In article ,
"Kevin Brady" writes:
However there are the odd givaway scratches and pits in the surface which
are more prominent now it has 'gone off' and I am happy to spend a bit
more
time getting that super smooth finish.

Make sure these can be felt and not just seen. Often there
are visible marks all over a newly plastered wall, but you
can't actually feel them as the surface is flat, which is
all that matters.

--
Andrew Gabriel

In article ,
"Kevin Brady" writes:
Sorry - also meant to ask: Could I simply have another attempt at a very
thin skimcoat on top of the previous one - any preparation needed over fresh
(one week old) plaster?

You would need to do the two coats of dilute PVA first.
However, unless you know how to do a better job than
you did last time, there doesn't seem to be any point
(not meaning to be nasty -- just stating the obvious;-).

--
Andrew Gabriel

The thought did occur to me, hence looking at fullproof remedial techniques
for small areas - no offence taken.

I'm quite confident to move on to the next wall and keep at it (hopefully
improving as I go) - the odd dents are worth doing it myself - and the
overall finish is still the best in the whole house (even if i do say so
myself!)

Cheers

Kevin Brady, Oxford



You would need to do the two coats of dilute PVA first.
However, unless you know how to do a better job than
you did last time, there doesn't seem to be any point
(not meaning to be nasty -- just stating the obvious;-).

--
Andrew Gabriel

Kevin Brady wrote:
If anyone else has other suggestions, I would be very happy to read them - I
was planning on using a sharp trowel and polyfilla in the pitted areas, but
I know this can be a bugger to sand off if you overdo it.

Might be worth trying Polyskim? It's a Polycell product (surprise,
surprise) rather like Polyfilla and supplied in tubs of ready-mixed at a
high price - any pro will sneer at it, but I've had pretty good results
out of it under conditions such as you describe. One advantage of
Polyskim is that it goes off very slowly, so you have plenty of time to
prat about and get it flat.

Maybe others have experience with it?

David

In article ,
"Kevin Brady" says...
After my post last week, and many useful answers, I proceeded with skimming
the concrete ceiling, after removeing paint and rolling on coat of Bonding
solution.

I used Thistle multifinish, and am generally happy -ish with the results,
being my first internal plastering job, in warm weather.

However there are the odd givaway scratches and pits in the surface which
are more prominent now it has 'gone off' and I am happy to spend a bit more
time getting that super smooth finish.

One person on this group previously said that a thin skim using BG Easifill
(a product for the dry-lining industry) was a breeze since it went on smooth
and sanded off a lot quicker than either plaster or polyfilla. Put it on -
let it dry then sand - as long as you can stand the dust.

If anyone else has other suggestions, I would be very happy to read them - I
was planning on using a sharp trowel and polyfilla in the pitted areas, but
I know this can be a bugger to sand off if you overdo it.

I'd just scrape on some fine surface Polyfilla type stuff with the
plastering trowel - too little rather than too much, as you can
always add a bit more later and if you need to sand it that's too
much :-) The fine filler has good adhesion, goes on very smooth
and feathers well at the edges.

Kevin Brady wrote:

If anyone else has other suggestions, I would be very happy to read them - I
was planning on using a sharp trowel and polyfilla in the pitted areas, but
I know this can be a bugger to sand off if you overdo it.

I would suggest that you give any obviously bad bits a quick sand, then
paint the lot with a watery coat of emulsion. That will then let you see
what bits actually need attention (many bits you may well find vanish
under the paint).

Then use a wide filling knife (i.e. a taping knife) and some artex as a
fine filler. This is dirt cheap compared to most fillers (fiver for 25kg
if you get Wickes own brand), and will sand much more quickly than
polyfiller etc. Once sanded, paint as normal.


--
Cheers,

John.

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On Wed, 17 Aug 2005 14:41:49 +0000 (UTC), "Kevin Brady"
wrote:

Yes I know exactly what you mean, but there are definately a couple of
'feelable' pits in the surface that need a little attention before
decorating.


"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
. ..
In article ,
"Kevin Brady" writes:
However there are the odd givaway scratches and pits in the surface which
are more prominent now it has 'gone off' and I am happy to spend a bit
more
time getting that super smooth finish.

Make sure these can be felt and not just seen. Often there
are visible marks all over a newly plastered wall, but you
can't actually feel them as the surface is flat, which is
all that matters.

--
Andrew Gabriel

When its dark try holding a torch to the ceiling and shining it along
the whole area and this will show peaks and troughs as shadows.

In article , Kevin Brady
wrote:

The thought did occur to me, hence looking at fullproof remedial techniques
for small areas - no offence taken.

Mind you do it the right way up then and trim.

--
AJL

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