zxcvbob wrote:
Colbyt wrote:
"zxcvbob" wrote in message
...
...for the skim coat? Would it be lime putty plaster, or gypsum
plaster (such as plaster of Paris)?

If lime putty, can I use the bag of slaked lime that's been in my
garage for a year or two (but not more than 2), or will it be too
carbonated by now? I *really* doubt that I can find quicklime.

My inclination is to use a setting-type joint compound, like Durabond
45.

Thanks,
Bob

Clean it very well, rinse and dry. The Durabond will work fine.

If you think you may need to sand, a sandable mud will work well also
but will not be as hard of a finish.

Using something 2 years old is begging for problems.

Colbyt



This is new construction in an old house. I'm remodeling the bathroom.
Half ceramic tile and half plaster, so I drywalled the whole thing with
Wonderboard and taped the joints with thinset mortar. Now I want a
finish for the plastered parts that (if possible) will match the rest of
the house.

I'll bet they used plaster of Paris when the house was built, because
they used gypsum lath rather than wood lath.

I also have a bag of lightweight sandable setting compound. I'll
experiment with some of that on some scrap Wonderboard.

[why are they playing "God Save the Queen" at Arlington while President
Ford's casket goes by?]

Best regards,
Bob

Plaster of Paris is very soft and unsuitable for any walls.

I've used patching plaster and plaster wall patch (from DAP)as final
coats, both with good results, but buying plaster any more is getting
harder and harder. Since drywall is so much easier, the skills to do
real plaster are disappearing, so fewer and fewer places stock it. I
still prefer to mix my own, rather than buying the premixed drywall
gunk, because you can mix just how much you need, and have some control
over the stiffness; the premixed sets once the bucket is opened, so if
you use just one gallon of a five gallon bucket, you will have wasted
four gallons.

Unless you have controlled the humidity, I would hesitate to count on
the bag that has been sitting around for years.