First attempts at skimming !

Members online

Total: 581 (members: 7, guests: 574)

Share this page

Status
Not open for further replies.
I

Ibanezman

New Member
I decided to try skimming a few walls the other day, you can't tell much from the pictures I guess, but I can tell you what went well\badly. Any advice would be great, cheers

Wall 1 - Bit of a nightmare. I think I mixed it a little thick, and spent way too much time putting it on and messing about with it. Total guesswork really, so my timing was probably miles out for the stages :( A few rough patches, but generally pretty smooth and even

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/Ibanezman/Plastering/07052010383.jpg

Ceiling 1 - Only a tiny ceiling, but was fairly tough for me, as I had no idea whether it was going alright or not. I've left a few rough spots where i've tried to touch it up a bit on 2nd coat I think. Maybe it was too thin

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/Ibanezman/Plastering/07052010389.jpg

Wall 2 - First effort around a window. This one went much better, got it on in half the time of the others. However, I don't think I went thick enough because where the skim beads are, it slopes out slightly away from the wall, if that makes sense. Can this just be overskimmed, or would you leave it ?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/Ibanezman/Plastering/08052010391.jpg

I feel a bit clueless about timing for polishing etc. My process was generally, first coat, then wait like 20 mins. Then second coat, flattening as it went on. Then wait 30-40 mins, and attempt to polish. I think i'm one of those who tries to get all the trowel marks out as I go, so the polishing seems pointless. I've got to say, none of the walls feel 100% level, but to the eye they look fine

I'm probably doing many r******d things, but i'm pretty happy considering I am a complete novice first timer. Sorry about the long post, thanks for reading :)

The drying walls so far :

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/Ibanezman/Plastering/10052010393.jpg
 
hello mate not bad first ttempt, i been plastering 6 years and still fuckup. first coat , wait 15/ 20 mins flattenin best you can, second coat a bit thinner , wait 20 mins flatten in. first wet trowel 30 / 40 min later then second dry trowel 10 min later , then final dry buff straight after
 
From the photos that does not look tooo bad

Well done

All the telling is in the painting though

Danny
 
Tile it!! :D :D Only joking, it looks ok in the photos. if after the mis coat it looks a bit ropey, fill and sand, it may take a bit of time but you've saved yourself a few quid doing it yourself. well done mate.
 
Looks ok but Photos always look better than seeing in the flesh. As Danny says mate, youl know when its painted and for your first job, TOP MARKS! Who did the drylining?
 
i wouldn't want it in my house but u got the right idea keep practicing on other peoples and get paid for it ;)
 
Cheers for the replies !

Yes it is my own house, and I did the dot and dab myself, which was also a first. I just seem to be not timing stuff great, maybe it's because it's onto plasterboard and i'm not leaving it long enough. Also skimming upto corner beads is causing me a few headaches, getting it smooth

I have to say though, although i'm a bit gash, it is great fun and as you guys say, a bit of sanding and filling here and there it should be ok I hope :)

I'll keep adding pics as I go, although i'm shitting myself for doing the main ceiling. Fortune favours the brave I heard
 
Thanks guys, any encouragement is good, was losing the will to live earlier hehe. Very kind Bruce, but you haven't seen how long it takes me :D

Latest wall done. Made a silly error and just ran scrim between plasterboard and another old plastered edge. But I think it wasn't as level as I thought, so doesn't look amazing... maybe I should have bonded it a little, not sure :(

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v719/Ibanezman/Plastering/10052010394.jpg

The right edge that's dodgy, i'll post something clearer when it's drying.... steep learning curve this ! I also can't seem to get on with skimming over the beads, takes a lot of messing around with.... also mixed too thin, amateur
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top