Hardwall questions

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jgw1

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Hi all,

The plasterer is coming on Monday to reskim a room. When he came to quote I said I was happy (if he was happy) to fill in some of the patch coat that had come away during the work and the chases for the electrics.

Last night I mixed my first batch of hardwall and in the shallow areas filled level with the wall and then roughed the surface.

In the deep chases (25-50mm) I added in the first of what I thought was many layers with the aim of building them up.

I have two problems...

1. I noticed that the areas that I made level with the wall cracked ~20min after filling. I have inserted a pic. I understand that this is likely to be due to the suction - although I did wet the area thoroughly. Is what I have shown in the photo OK or do I have to take it out and start again?

2. The areas in the chases aren't very hard. I don't know how hard harwall should dry but it is quite easy to push in my filler knife break off a bit. Does this sound right or does it hint at a problem? It was quite fluffy, like the inside of a milky way when I mixed it - but this is my first time doing plastering (have done a fair amount of diy before though) - and don't kniow what's right.

Any help gratefully received. IMG_0874.jpg
 
Did you pva the holes/chases before you filled them cos it looks like too much suction had made them crack
 
No, there are no instructions to apply pva to the brick work ain the chases or the missing patch plaster. Only dampen the area first. I confirmed the dampening with the plasterer.
 
You did everything right but you need to mix a weak solution of pva to seal the old plaster.

Water alone will not be enough.
 
You need to order a skip and take off all the remaining plaster from all the walls because you have compromised the integrity of the walls by doing it yourself.( Honest!)
 
jamesthefirst said:
You need to order a skip and take off all the remaining plaster from all the walls because you have compromised the integrity of the walls by doing it yourself.( Honest!)
Click to expand...
Don't talk Shiite sire!!!!............... It won't need a full skip! Mabye a mini skip or bag it an take it down the local coup:RpS_laugh:
 
To be honest you did the 1st bit right, you hired a experienced plasterer.The instructions on a bag of plaster are general.The rest of what to do in different circumstances is the what your payin the plasterer for.Basically yu just need to dampen down the chases, and the thicknes of the hardwall will help control the suction, hence when you put in on thin it cracked.You needed pva there first, if it was not being skimmed straight away.
 
Right I've hired you the skip and arranged for the invoice to be sent to you.

I called the plasterer as that seemed the best idea, he said like some of you that the cracking won't be a problem as it won't come through. He said that the hardwall should be firm but isn't solid.

Actually I did the second layer in the chases today and I made the mix less stiff and used more water when dampening down and there was no cracking.

So seems that I have a better finish now. Just got huge amounts of work to do before Monday when the trowel turns up.
 
Plasterers only drink Earl grey....don't they?:RpS_blushing:the plasterer should have done it himself anyway the lazy git.
 
He wont accept anything, we had bacon, soup, pizza on demand. Tea and coffee on tap. Nada.

He said that the plasters the guv'ner and he needs to work solid once he mixes a batch. He starts at 7:45am and finished at 3:45pm. Awesome.
 
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