OK - so what's a float and what's a trowel?

To put a skim coat on, am I supposed to use two different tools (one to
put it on in the first place, then something else to polish) or does the
trowel (if that's the right word) do both jobs?

"AJ" wrote in message
...
OK - so what's a float and what's a trowel?

To put a skim coat on, am I supposed to use two different tools (one to
put it on in the first place, then something else to polish) or does the
trowel (if that's the right word) do both jobs?

Nowadays only soe plasteres will use the float to throw the slop on and
finish off with the trowel,same as the darby really on a handfull of
plasteres will use one.

In article ,
AJ writes:
OK - so what's a float and what's a trowel?

A float is a wooden (or nowadays plastic) tool which floats over
a surface to provide certain finishes. The working part of a
float is the surface which might be flat, rough, or even with
nails sticking out (devil float), depending on the surface
required. (The name actually comes from it floating in your
water bucket, being traditionally made of wood.)

A trowel is a steel tool which is used to lay the plaster on
the wall and to provide a polished finish on the plaster surface.
The main working part of a trowel is the long edges.

To put a skim coat on, am I supposed to use two different tools (one to
put it on in the first place, then something else to polish) or does the
trowel (if that's the right word) do both jobs?

Trowel does both jobs. You don't use a float for this at all
(nor a darby as another poster suggests, which is not for skim/
finish coat).

Just to add to the confusion, trowels are sometimes incorrectly
called floats on the basis they are rectangular like a float.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
...
In article ,
AJ writes:
OK - so what's a float and what's a trowel?

A float is a wooden (or nowadays plastic) tool which floats over
a surface to provide certain finishes. The working part of a
float is the surface which might be flat, rough, or even with
nails sticking out (devil float), depending on the surface
required. (The name actually comes from it floating in your
water bucket, being traditionally made of wood.)

A trowel is a steel tool which is used to lay the plaster on
the wall and to provide a polished finish on the plaster surface.
The main working part of a trowel is the long edges.

To put a skim coat on, am I supposed to use two different tools (one to
put it on in the first place, then something else to polish) or does the
trowel (if that's the right word) do both jobs?

Trowel does both jobs. You don't use a float for this at all
(nor a darby as another poster suggests, which is not for skim/
finish coat).

Just to add to the confusion, trowels are sometimes incorrectly
called floats on the basis they are rectangular like a float.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

Next time your watching DIY SOS watch them use the float to put the plaster
on the ceiling and as for the darby I didn't say it was used for putting
plaster on merely they hardly get used nowadays for levelling(although
levelling was not used in the sentence.

AJ explained on 06/07/2007 :
OK - so what's a float and what's a trowel?

To put a skim coat on, am I supposed to use two different tools (one to
put it on in the first place, then something else to polish) or does the
trowel (if that's the right word) do both jobs?

The float will be the last thing that you will use to get a smooth
surface. If you was putting a scratch coat then you would not bother.

Don't forget that you will need a "hawk" to hold the plaster while you
work.

If you are plastering a full wall then do not start ar the top like
many tell you to do. Spread plaster towards top of wall (upwards
motion) and cut off about a foot from the ceiling. Then work across
and downwards and then go back and finish the top.

--
Count Baldoni