Re skim over day old plaster?

[burts]

Hello spreads
had my first proper go at plastering today (have done repairs and bits and pieces before)
it’s come out smooth and good enough but there are some low spots where the trowel has depressed in and out when troweling
My question is, can I just plaster straight on to it in the morning whilst it’s still drying out or will it need to fully dry and seal?
Thanks

 

[ree]

OP,
Leave it to fully dry out, and then go at the spots with, say, two coats of 50:50 Pva.

But there are one or two buts:
1. how significant are the "low spots" - have you had a straight edge across each one?
2. are there lots of low spots?
3. Given that you are new to plastering you might find it difficult to skim the low spots flat with the wall surface and trowelled to nothing at the edges?
4. a 12" or 14" trowel is best for you doing skimming.
5. Well done for having a go! Keep practicing, plastering is mostly experience.

 

[burts]

OP,
Leave it to fully dry out, and then go at the spots with, say, two coats of 50:50 Pva.

But there are one or two buts:
1. how significant are the "low spots" - have you had a straight edge across each one?
2. are there lots of low spots?
3. Given that you are new to plastering you might find it difficult to skim the low spots flat with the wall surface and trowelled to nothing at the edges?
4. a 12" or 14" trowel is best for you doing skimming.
5. Well done for having a go! Keep practicing, plastering is mostly experience.

So I only started with the reveals on a walk way to get a feel for drying times etc. so it’s between to corner beads and the discrepancies might actually come where the beads are slightly flex here and there.
Probably better off leaving it I reckon and just easifilling after a mist coat.
If I could have gone straight over it then I would have…. And before anyone says anything about the tape under the bead I just personally thought this may prevent cracking and I’m aware it’s probably doing nothing

 

[ree]

OP,
No problemas, your work so far looks great.
Do you intend to go at the ceiling?
Now I've got to get working.

 

[burts]

OP,
No problemas, your work so far looks great.
Do you intend to go at the ceiling?
Now I've got to get working.

I will do the entire room and I knew typically you would do a ceiling first but I’m going to do one wall so I know I can do a larger area

 

[ree]

Fair enough.
Maybe do a whole room of walls before attempting a ceiling?

My method for the inside corner at the wall to ceiling abutment is to fold a length of paper tape and press it into the prepared corner - prep by running 50mm of skim each full length side of the abutment.

I dont use mesh tape at abutments - only paper tape as above..

I notice that you've got new gear - keep a wash bucket handy, and constantly clean everything - tools, hawk, boards & buckets - to keep it newish.

 

[burts]

Fair enough.
Maybe do a whole room of walls before attempting a ceiling?

My method for the inside corner at the wall to ceiling abutment is to fold a length of paper tape and press it into the prepared corner - prep by running 50mm of skim each full length side of the abutment.

I dont use mesh tape at abutments - only paper tape as above..

I notice that you've got new gear - keep a wash bucket handy, and constantly clean everything - tools, hawk, boards & buckets - to keep it newish.

I got some done today but where I came unstuck was it setting so quick. I will use that stuff that slows the set time down for a while.
My trowels are old, I just brought a new plastic trowel and some speed skims to assist.
I tile so I’m no stranger to cleaning buckets and trowels sadly. I wish they cleaned themsleves

 

[ree]

Why not buy a small amount of set Retarder & see how it goes?
Are you brushing on ample clean water for suction?
Today wasn't that hot - how long did you take to skim a first coat over one wall?

I use a 14" steel trowel for most everything.

 

[burts]

20 minutes I reckon.
Retarder, that’s what I needed.
I was spraying water on in between trowels, after the second coat.
I reckon maybe it was just cos it was my first big wall

 

[burts]

20 minutes I reckon.
Retarder, that’s what I needed.
I was spraying water on in between trowels, after the second coat.
I reckon maybe it was just cos it was my first big wall

 

[burts]

Why not buy a small amount of set Retarder & see how it goes?
Are you brushing on ample clean water for suction?
Today wasn't that hot - how long did you take to skim a first coat over one wall?

I use a 14" steel trowel for most everything.

I attached a photo to one of my messages. It’s quite smooth, possibly a light sand but when I put a level vertically and horizontally it’s not dead flat (ie. Small gaps in the level, slight bumps) it’s the same on a wall I had a professional plasterer do so I guess there will be some discrepancies, but if I want it dead flat and level what methods can I use? Or is it just practice ?

 

[ree]

Yes, your dead right, its experience, experience, experience, & practice, practice, practice. Your doing great for a first timer - forget about the bumps and dips - when your troweling improves you'll do flat and plumb without thinking about it.

You've done good doing it in 20 mins.
.
Dont start trying to hack or scrape off skim - unless its still wet.
Only do one wall at a time.

As I suggested - stay with your steel trowel, its too early for Speedskims or Darby's.
Be very spare with water, most water is used for suction - when skimming the coats simply brush wet your trowel, and a light spray on the finish if you reckon its needed.

I think you've used a bit too much water because, unless its the photo, the finish looks grainy but the point is that you got it on the wall and you got a finish - no small thing when starting.
Leave it alone now, let it dry. Check it out tomorrow.

I think that ceiling will be too big for you working alone - if a ceiling goes bad you might have to replace plaster boards.
Would you be working off a Hop-up or scaff boards? With a Hop-up, hope I'm wrong, but i dont think you'd have much chance.

 

[Notch7]

My question is, can I just plaster straight on to it in the morning

No

When I was practicing I made a right mess and the following day painted on a coat of neat SBR, works a treat

if you leave a day before putting on another coat, the multifinish will be high suction so def seal it properly

 

[burts]

Yes, your dead right, its experience, experience, experience, & practice, practice, practice. Your doing great for a first timer - forget about the bumps and dips - when your troweling improves you'll do flat and plumb without thinking about it.

You've done good doing it in 20 mins.
.
Dont start trying to hack or scrape off skim - unless its still wet.
Only do one wall at a time.

As I suggested - stay with your steel trowel, its too early for Speedskims or Darby's.
Be very spare with water, most water is used for suction - when skimming the coats simply brush wet your trowel, and a light spray on the finish if you reckon its needed.

I think you've used a bit too much water because, unless its the photo, the finish looks grainy but the point is that you got it on the wall and you got a finish - no small thing when starting.
Leave it alone now, let it dry. Check it out tomorrow.

I think that ceiling will be too big for you working alone - if a ceiling goes bad you might have to replace plaster boards.
Would you be working off a Hop-up or scaff boards? With a Hop-up, hope I'm wrong, but i dont think you'd have much chance.

The ceiling is low, I can reach it.
I didn’t get my timings right and is room for improvements but honestly I’ve had worse “professional” plasterers

I’m not totally new to it, I’m pretty much a multi trader. I knew I could get it on the wall. Few months practicing and hopefully I will improve considerably

I found the speed skim (actually got a refina x slim) saved me by flattening it in large sections when I was struggling on second coat

 

[23vc]

Couple of tips if it helps, when you lay it on, aim to get it on at a rate of say 1sqm per minute, not hard to do if you get into the zone. You’ll then cover the whole wall with loads of time to spare. Lay it on in fairly straight long strokes up/down, rather than going all over the place with random directions. Try to keep it relatively tidy as you lay on - smaller lines are fine, massive thick bead lines not so good - smooth ‘em off as you go.
As Soon as first coat on, wash tools, relax, and flatten it in straightish strokes which should be very quick to do. Quick run round with Water brush around the edges to stop them getting crusty and keep them clean.
Whole thing should then feel fairly “under control”, and personally I’d then hold fire until it feels like it’s really firming up before repeating the whole thing with a second coat. More likely to lose things like visible board joints that way.

Speed skims/spats etc are good, and I love mine, but you shouldn’t really need one for areas that size and it’s much better to Iearn how to get it right using just the trowel first.

Edit: just noticed I’m 2 weeks too late. But I’ll leave this here incase it helps anyone else.