Hello,

I have put up a plasterboard wall that is two sheets of plasterboard
wide. I am unsure what to do at the joins. I gather I am supposed to
put jointing compound or joint cement. I guess these are these two
names for the same thing, or are they different? The only place I
could find selling jointing compound is Wickes and they sell it is big
tubs. I'm not going to need much since I only have one wall with one
joint, so it seems a waste to buy a big tub, use 5% and have 95% go
hard in the garage. Can I get a smaller tub anywhere?

Do I have to use jointing compound? How is jointing compound any
different to plaster or filler? Is it much stronger?

Thanks,
Stephen.

Stephen wrote:
Hello,

I have put up a plasterboard wall that is two sheets of plasterboard
wide. I am unsure what to do at the joins. I gather I am supposed to
put jointing compound or joint cement. I guess these are these two
names for the same thing, or are they different? The only place I
could find selling jointing compound is Wickes and they sell it is big
tubs. I'm not going to need much since I only have one wall with one
joint, so it seems a waste to buy a big tub, use 5% and have 95% go
hard in the garage. Can I get a smaller tub anywhere?

Do I have to use jointing compound? How is jointing compound any
different to plaster or filler? Is it much stronger?


IME interior filler is pretty much the same thing.

On Sun, 08 Feb 2009 17:08:52 GMT, Stuart Noble
wrote:

IME interior filler is pretty much the same thing.

Thanks for the fast reply. So any old polyfilla will do then? I have
got some of that glass fibre mesh tape to put along the joint, thought
I wonder if I should use paper joint tape instead? You see, I can't
plaster, so I was hoping to seal the plaster and paper on top. If the
mesh stands slightly proud that won't look good; I wonder whether
paper tape will fit more flush to the surface?

Thanks.

Stephen wrote:
On Sun, 08 Feb 2009 17:08:52 GMT, Stuart Noble
wrote:

IME interior filler is pretty much the same thing.

Thanks for the fast reply. So any old polyfilla will do then? I have
got some of that glass fibre mesh tape to put along the joint, thought
I wonder if I should use paper joint tape instead? You see, I can't
plaster, so I was hoping to seal the plaster and paper on top. If the
mesh stands slightly proud that won't look good; I wonder whether
paper tape will fit more flush to the surface?

Thanks.

wallpapering over unplastered PB is false economy - you can't get the paper
off again and the wall will probably have to be demolished the next time you
want to decorate

--
Phil L
RSRL Tipster Of The Year 2008

Do I have to use jointing compound? How is jointing compound any
different to plaster or filler? Is it much stronger?

Long and bitter experience has taught me that, even though the various
compounds all look like white goo, using the right stuff for the right
purpose makes a big difference to the speed and quality of the job.
There are many types of filler available, and they are all quite
different to plaster. Not least because they go off many times more
quickly, enabling you to get on with the job, and most of them respond
to sanding pretty well, since they are much softer than set plaster.
The guide at the Lafarge site is fairly informative:

http://www.lafargeplasterboard.co.uk...ess/Literature

Personally, I reckon you can't beat Easifill for a quick job -
available at B&Q I think, but not seen it in Wickes.

BTW, whatever you want to do on top of the wall, bung some a couple of
coats of sealer on it (which I suspect may not be too different to
emulsion). If you're painting, it evens up the absorbancy of the board
and filler, and if you're papering, it claims to let you strip later -
not tried that...

Stephen wrote:

I have put up a plasterboard wall that is two sheets of plasterboard
wide. I am unsure what to do at the joins. I gather I am supposed to
put jointing compound or joint cement. I guess these are these two

You usually only joint like that when using taper edge plasterboard.
One starts by applying a mesh scrim tape, and then fills the full width
of the taper (approx 8" wide) with the jointing compound. Finally
sanding off. Square edge boards are normally scrim taped and then skim
plastered all over.

names for the same thing, or are they different? The only place I
could find selling jointing compound is Wickes and they sell it is big

Wickes also do it in bags of powder which you mix up as required.

tubs. I'm not going to need much since I only have one wall with one
joint, so it seems a waste to buy a big tub, use 5% and have 95% go
hard in the garage. Can I get a smaller tub anywhere?

You can get a small bag of dry mix - probably still way more than you
need, but it is cheap enough and keeps better.

Do I have to use jointing compound? How is jointing compound any
different to plaster or filler? Is it much stronger?

Its worth using the right stuff since it sands so nicely compared to
plaster or filler. Helps make the job look much nicer IME.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
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Phil L wrote:
Stephen wrote:
On Sun, 08 Feb 2009 17:08:52 GMT, Stuart Noble
wrote:

IME interior filler is pretty much the same thing.
Thanks for the fast reply. So any old polyfilla will do then? I have
got some of that glass fibre mesh tape to put along the joint, thought
I wonder if I should use paper joint tape instead? You see, I can't
plaster, so I was hoping to seal the plaster and paper on top. If the
mesh stands slightly proud that won't look good; I wonder whether
paper tape will fit more flush to the surface?

Thanks.

wallpapering over unplastered PB is false economy - you can't get the paper
off again and the wall will probably have to be demolished the next time you
want to decorate

No, you just skim over..

Stephen wrote:
On Sun, 08 Feb 2009 17:08:52 GMT, Stuart Noble
wrote:

IME interior filler is pretty much the same thing.

Thanks for the fast reply. So any old polyfilla will do then? I have
got some of that glass fibre mesh tape to put along the joint, thought
I wonder if I should use paper joint tape instead? You see, I can't
plaster, so I was hoping to seal the plaster and paper on top. If the
mesh stands slightly proud that won't look good; I wonder whether
paper tape will fit more flush to the surface?

Thanks.

I don't bother with tape. Just fill the gaps with Polyfilla or similar,
and lightly sand. After a coat of emulsion you can't see the join.
Subsequent movement of the joists isn't normally a problem unless
they're new.

"Stephen" wrote in message
news
Hello,

I have put up a plasterboard wall that is two sheets of plasterboard
wide. I am unsure what to do at the joins. I gather I am supposed to
put jointing compound or joint cement. I guess these are these two
names for the same thing, or are they different? The only place I
could find selling jointing compound is Wickes and they sell it is big
tubs. I'm not going to need much since I only have one wall with one
joint, so it seems a waste to buy a big tub, use 5% and have 95% go
hard in the garage. Can I get a smaller tub anywhere?

Do I have to use jointing compound? How is jointing compound any
different to plaster or filler? Is it much stronger?

I think you need to do it properly with tape and jointing compound or else
you will suffer cracks appearing.

When I drylined the cupboard under the stairs, made by opeing up the boxed
off area at bottom of the stairs, I ran out of proper dry jointing compound
(yes I know its only £2 for 5KG bag...) so I user polyfilla + paper tape on
one joint, plaster with PVA + paper tape and rather bodgingly decorators
caulk and no tape on another, just to see the differences (actually I ran
out of dot and daub so bodged using plaster with a generous portion of PVA,
which works fine).

Anyway the boards are still up 10 years later, however the pollyfilla one
cracked almost as soon as it was dry, I just filled the crack with excess
emulsion when painting. The plaster+PVA one is best, but was a bugger to
polish flat and sand afterwards and is still visible. The caulk hasn't
cracked but is very messy and clearly a bodge. Luckily all of these are not
really visible. Mt excuse is my wife wouldn't let me out of the cupboard to
by more jointing compound as she knows a little trip to B&Q, Wickes etc to
get just one item can take hours due to the distractions of non job in hand
related items etc power tools, plumbing tools etc etc

Anyway my advice is buy the proper jointing compound, goes on well, polishes
flat easily when damp, when dry sands easily and doesn't absorb paint
excessively when painted and doesn't crack. My preference is the British
Gypsum ready mixed stuff, about £11 for 5L, wonderful stuff to work with,
great also for filling dents/damage in plasterboard and treating like ready
mix pollyfilla and doesn't appear to "go off" like the dry jointing stuff
after a year or two. The dry mix stuff tends to age, so after a year or two
(being kept in a cool dry place) tends to set too fast to make jointing
large areas quite difficult.

On Mon, 9 Feb 2009 13:32:36 -0000, "Ian_m"
wrote:

I think you need to do it properly with tape and jointing compound or else
you will suffer cracks appearing.

Ok, so you've talked me into buying the proper stuff. I guess if it is
much easier to sand than alternatives, it's worth it just for that.
I've just had another look at my glass fibre tape and it is much
thinner than I remembered, so I am happy to use that after all.

I ran out of proper dry jointing compound (yes I know its only £2 for 5KG bag...)

[snip]

My preference is the British Gypsum ready mixed stuff, about £11 for 5L,

Where did you get these prices? Wickes is much dearer than that!

I had a look on the B&Q web site. it didn't find anything for
"jointing" but that's because they call it "joint filler". Since the
B&Q tubs are smaller, and that's all Ii need, I'll probably buy one of
those. I can't find any British Gypsum products though.

Thanks.

The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Phil L wrote:
Stephen wrote:
On Sun, 08 Feb 2009 17:08:52 GMT, Stuart Noble
wrote:

IME interior filler is pretty much the same thing.
Thanks for the fast reply. So any old polyfilla will do then? I have
got some of that glass fibre mesh tape to put along the joint,
thought I wonder if I should use paper joint tape instead? You see,
I can't plaster, so I was hoping to seal the plaster and paper on
top. If the mesh stands slightly proud that won't look good; I
wonder whether paper tape will fit more flush to the surface?

Thanks.

wallpapering over unplastered PB is false economy - you can't get
the paper off again and the wall will probably have to be demolished
the next time you want to decorate

No, you just skim over..

To skim over, you need a paper face, which is on the floor stuck to the back
of the wallpaper and all you are left with is a crumbling chalky substance
which can't be plastered over.

--
Phil L
RSRL Tipster Of The Year 2008