DIYbanter - novice plasterer

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novice plasterer

I have recently had a fireplace removed from my living room, which has left a
hole about the size of a small football in my plastered wall. I am a complete
novice at this type of thing but would like to try to repair it myself. Can
anyone please give me some advice about the steps i need to take. Thanks Paul

novice plasterer

"EmmaFreegard" wrote in message
...
I have recently had a fireplace removed from my living room, which has
left a
hole about the size of a small football in my plastered wall. I am a
complete
novice at this type of thing but would like to try to repair it myself.
Can
anyone please give me some advice about the steps i need to take. Thanks
Paul

For a bit of plastering this size you can afford to learn on the job. Get a
bag of Multifinish, mix it to be workable, put some into the hole so that
there's about 1/4 inch left to fill. Leave it a bit rough. Next day, no
later, finish it with Multifinish. This means filling to the original level,
smoothing a bit, leaving it a little while to go off (say 30 mins),
smoothing again, putting small amounts in if some is a bit low, and hoping
you've done a good job. If it's rough, don't worry. Either sand the tops off
with sandpaper after a couple of days, or fill in depressions with
Polyfilla, or both.

When you've filled the original hole ready for the topcoat,don't leave it
too long before putting on the finish or the base coat will dry out and suck
water out of the topcoat and make your life difficult. You can put on the
topcoat as soon as the bottom has gone off (and maybe shrunk, leaving cracks
which are fine in the basecoat but you don't want in the finish.).

You may feel a whole bag of Multifinish is a bit much for a small job. Well,
it's not very expensive, but you could get some small bags of jobbing
plaster from a shed. Mind you, they may work out more expensive, but the
psychology is that you throw less away so are more comfortable with it!

This is a non-professional plasterer talking so you may find some pros come
along and suggest something different.

Rob Graham

novice plasterer

Peter Parry wrote
(EmmaFreegard) wrote:

Can anyone please give me some advice about the steps i need to take.

Others better qualified will no doubt be along but my advice is,
before all else, make sure you get new, fresh plaster.

For holes blown out of plaster I use the ready mixed polyfilla
finishing skim. [1]

It's certainly probably not the most cost effective, but for ease of
going on, speed, coverage and finishing sanding it's the easiest i've
found to use.

Don't go over it too heavy, for deep fills use 2 or 3 applications
then sand down.

Cheers,

Paul.

[1] I'm sure someone will be along to say they don't think this is a
good idea !

novice plasterer

In article ,
Peter Parry wrote:
Others better qualified will no doubt be along but my advice is,
before all else, make sure you get new, fresh plaster. The
difference between using fresh plaster and an ancient sackful is most
considerable.

Funny - I've never seen a shop that sells used bags of plaster. ;-)

--
*Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it *

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

novice plasterer

On Wed, 24 Sep 2003 00:18:13 +0100, Dave Plowman
wrote:

Funny - I've never seen a shop that sells used bags of plaster. ;-)

I know lots that sell stale plaster though - and after its been in a
shed for a year you could make a model of the north face of the Eiger
with one pass of a trowel!

--
Peter Parry.
http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/

novice plasterer

"Peter Parry" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 24 Sep 2003 00:18:13 +0100, Dave Plowman
wrote:

Funny - I've never seen a shop that sells used bags of plaster. ;-)

I know lots that sell stale plaster though - and after its been in a
shed for a year you could make a model of the north face of the Eiger
with one pass of a trowel!

Too bloody right. I bought some once and attempted to plaster a french door
reveal. Bit tricky when it sets in 30 seconds! Grrrrr.

--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)

novice plasterer

Fit a piece of plasterboard into the hole in such a way you can use it
as a patch/backing piece. To do this:

Work out the biggest piece you can slot through the hole.
Thread a loop of string through two holes in it.
Slather a load of plaster on it.
Post.
Hold in place until the plaster sets.
Remove string.

Then plaster the hole. Do it in three layers. Expect the last one to
shrink too far back when it has dried in a few days. Go over it with
polyfiller and sand down flush.

novice plasterer

In message , Dave Plowman
writes
In article ,
Peter Parry wrote:
Others better qualified will no doubt be along but my advice is,
before all else, make sure you get new, fresh plaster. The
difference between using fresh plaster and an ancient sackful is most
considerable.

Funny - I've never seen a shop that sells used bags of plaster. ;-)

You don't shop at Wickes then
--
geoff

novice plasterer

In article ,
geoff wrote:
Funny - I've never seen a shop that sells used bags of plaster. ;-)

You don't shop at Wickes then

I do, but realise my limitions, plastering wise. The white one coat stuff
is about my standard.

I'd have thought places like Wickes good for plaster given the rate they
sell it.

--
*I got a sweater for Christmas. I really wanted a screamer or a moaner*

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn