Floating methods

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Dr pepper

Active Member
Afternoon all,
Have been floating some walls recently and playing around with different methods just wondered what you're ways and preferences were? Have tried loading wall on and free ruling but struggled on bigger areas ( flank walls/ over 3meter high). Was taught box screed method but have over time just put vertical screed either end of wall and worked top to bottom ruling off in 6-800mm band's, which works fine on wall with out sockets at either or one end as cables get in way of screed, recently just tried putting band across top 600mm ruling horizontal and repeating till hit floor then ruling vertically across? Is there a right and wrong way of floating or as long as you get it straight flat and level does it really matter?

Apologies for long winded post!
Cheers
 
Suns out @algeeman

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Dr pepper said:
Afternoon all,
Have been floating some walls recently and playing around with different methods just wondered what you're ways and preferences were? Have tried loading wall on and free ruling but struggled on bigger areas ( flank walls/ over 3meter high). Was taught box screed method but have over time just put vertical screed either end of wall and worked top to bottom ruling off in 6-800mm band's, which works fine on wall with out sockets at either or one end as cables get in way of screed, recently just tried putting band across top 600mm ruling horizontal and repeating till hit floor then ruling vertically across? Is there a right and wrong way of floating or as long as you get it straight flat and level does it really matter?

Apologies for long winded post!
Cheers
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I just lob it all on rule off and level up would be a lot easier if @celmo gave me his machine.
 
choppa said:
I

I just lob it all on rule off and level up would be a lot easier if @celmo gave me his machine.
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I suppose not to bad if new block work as half straight to start with would you use same method on older walls eg old Victorian house where it's all over the show? Do you put on tight coat to kill suction then lay on wall and rule? Or just wack on and rule off?
 
it all depends on the suction from the blocks, and what is going to be fitted to the wall.
we lay the whole wall on, then give it a second coat. first coat kills the suction, second coat rules off then rule in nicely.
i may rule it in screeds or i may rule freehand, it depends on the situation.
 
Dr pepper said:
I suppose not to bad if new block work as half straight to start with would you use same method on older walls eg old Victorian house where it's all over the show? Do you put on tight coat to kill suction then lay on wall and rule? Or just wack on and rule off?
Click to expand...
I do what @malc just said. I was taught the picture frame method as well but I would only use this on internal rendering older properties. I always use 2 coats to kill suction.
 
Dr pepper said:
Afternoon all,
Have been floating some walls recently and playing around with different methods just wondered what you're ways and preferences were? Have tried loading wall on and free ruling but struggled on bigger areas ( flank walls/ over 3meter high). Was taught box screed method but have over time just put vertical screed either end of wall and worked top to bottom ruling off in 6-800mm band's, which works fine on wall with out sockets at either or one end as cables get in way of screed, recently just tried putting band across top 600mm ruling horizontal and repeating till hit floor then ruling vertically across? Is there a right and wrong way of floating or as long as you get it straight flat and level does it really matter?

Apologies for long winded post!
Cheers
Click to expand...
Box screed if they’re to big, always
 
choppa said:
I do what @malc just said. I was taught the picture frame method as well but I would only use this on internal rendering older properties. I always use 2 coats to kill suction.
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I was taught the goal post method I'm sure my old man made stuff up lol! Works for me though :ROFLMAO:
 
Getting a tight first coat makes life easier, normally just free rule but have dabbled with vertical screeds dot and screed and even stuck a bit of plasterboard on before to rule off (shame on me) reason being there was a shadow gap along skirting level and was very heavy and needed to be bang on for tiles, it was an effective method took no time to rip a bit of board down and bed it in at the right depth. It’s not cool to admit it, but I really don’t like floating, I’m more comfortable and better with dabbing but I guess that’s a sign of my generation and how most builds are now.
 
Cornelius said:
Getting a tight first coat makes life easier, normally just free rule but have dabbled with vertical screeds dot and screed and even stuck a bit of plasterboard on before to rule off (shame on me) reason being there was a shadow gap along skirting level and was very heavy and needed to be bang on for tiles, it was an effective method took no time to rip a bit of board down and bed it in at the right depth. It’s not cool to admit it, but I really don’t like floating, I’m more comfortable and better with dabbing but I guess that’s a sign of my generation and how most builds are now.
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Horses for course's mate given the choice would float all day long, obviously dabbing has its advantages but personally I can't stand it plus I'm no good at it! To heavy handed with it!
 
Danny said:
I box screed and set my corners then fill the middle in...

I was never happy with my results when lashing the whole wall on
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Same putting whole wall on then rule struggle abit unless is small ( side of chimney breast, cupboard etc) was have have been putting vertical screeds either end and ruling off of them but recently tried horizontal bands start at top to bottom then ruling across vertically was to bad, but like the reference point a screed gives you
 
Dr pepper said:
Same putting whole wall on then rule struggle abit unless is small ( side of chimney breast, cupboard etc) was have have been putting vertical screeds either end and ruling off of them but recently tried horizontal bands start at top to bottom then ruling across vertically was to bad, but like the reference point a screed gives you
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You need to dot it because you cant rule a screed freehand wont be flat
 
Dr pepper said:
Same putting whole wall on then rule struggle abit unless is small ( side of chimney breast, cupboard etc) was have have been putting vertical screeds either end and ruling off of them but recently tried horizontal bands start at top to bottom then ruling across vertically was to bad, but like the reference point a screed gives you
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The horizontal screeds need to be roughly at eye level ( depends on height of wall obviously) and at skirting level
 
malc said:
a lightweight featheredge is a must one that you can really twirl around. do not use one of the heavy weight ones.
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Defo have got a 6 ft one pop the ends when first as they always come off an fill with expanding foam, see and use ones before like dumbbells as the ends have filled up with sand cement hardwall etc!
 
Gibbo said:
You need to dot it because you cant rule a screed freehand wont be flat
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I was taught that if there was no physical level then dot it to the depth required. Then set your vertical screed and after that its a straightforward box screed ruled and floated.
 
Think goner stick with screed either end of wall then rule off them, playing about this morning with wall that was in and out tried bands again but started becoming more agg, scrapped off and screeded just give you something to work from, again not right or wrong what ever works for you, thanks for responses gents
 
Dr pepper said:
Think goner stick with screed either end of wall then rule off them, playing about this morning with wall that was in and out tried bands again but started becoming more agg, scrapped off and screeded just give you something to work from, again not right or wrong what ever works for you, thanks for responses gents
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You can’t do that if the wall is 20 ft long, unless u have a 20 ft straight edge :coffe:
 
A wall has to be really small for me to free rule it. Personally I drop screeds both ends of the wall and then come down the wall 300-500mm at a time depending on length of wall and suction from the blocks.
I will only use a good quality stiff featheredge on anything over 1.2m
 
essexandy said:
A wall has to be really small for me to free rule it. Personally I drop screeds both ends of the wall and then come down the wall 300-500mm at a time depending on length of wall and suction from the blocks.
I will only use a good quality stiff featheredge on anything over 1.2m
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Exactly me as well
 
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