How to finish off this stair winder?

Larchne

New Member
i have a stair winder that was plastered pretty badly, it was sagging and dipping in all the wrong places and just looked a mess. I started out by using easifill to neaten up the part closest to the vertical timber of the bannisters, and then chiselled off the high points, amd filled the dipped parts with bonding. The shape is more or less how I want it, but the surface is a mixture of bonding, easifill, and painted skim. I’ve scored and PVA’d most of it and it seems solid. I don’t have any experience of using skim. What would be the best was to get a smooth finish? I don’t know if its possible to skim over easifill? Could I easifill the whole thing? Or is this a job for a plasterer
 

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I don't know if I explained properly but when I moved in the winder was in really poor shape, sagging and dipping. I've added bonding and chiselled bits off myself as well as using a bit of easifill. It is now a nice curved shape, but the surface is rough as you can see in the pics. I don't need to use metal lathe from scratch or bond the whole thing, I just need to finish it off, with skim or easifill and I'm not sure what's best or how to proceed, because there is a mix of different areas of bonding, easifill and skim to cover up
 
i have a stair winder that was plastered pretty badly, it was sagging and dipping in all the wrong places and just looked a mess. I started out by using easifill to neaten up the part closest to the vertical timber of the bannisters, and then chiselled off the high points, amd filled the dipped parts with bonding. The shape is more or less how I want it, but the surface is a mixture of bonding, easifill, and painted skim. I’ve scored and PVA’d most of it and it seems solid. I don’t have any experience of using skim. What would be the best was to get a smooth finish? I don’t know if its possible to skim over easifill? Could I easifill the whole thing? Or is this a job for a plasterer
Ray Liotta Lol GIF
 
I don’t know what I’m looking at tbf...just a random mess!
I know it looks messy, but the shape before was all over the place. The shape now is about right, you can see easier in the video. I just need help to finish it off!
Use a strong pva skim it when it's tacky
So is it OK to PVA the whole thing including the easifill? Like is it ok to skim over the easifill too?
 
I know it looks messy, but the shape before was all over the place. The shape now is about right, you can see easier in the video. I just need help to finish it off!

So is it OK to PVA the whole thing including the easifill? Like is it ok to skim over the easifill too?
Yes
 
I do a lot of them, batten (loads of it) mesh, bonding (don't go to crazy with 1st coat) then skim away using mostly front end of Mt, finish off with dry or little bit damp sponge (just brush it gently)
 

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I do a lot of them, batten (loads of it) mesh, bonding (don't go to crazy with 1st coat) then skim away using mostly front end of Mt, finish off with dry or little bit damp sponge (just brush it gently)
Its already been meshed and bonded, and PVA'd. I just need to know if I can finish this as a DIY job with easifill, or whether I need to get a plasterer to skim it. I'm assuming its not a good idea to skim a winder if I've never skimmed before!
 
Its already been meshed and bonded, and PVA'd. I just need to know if I can finish this as a DIY job with easifill, or whether I need to get a plasterer to skim it. I'm assuming its not a good idea to skim a winder if I've never skimmed before!
You'll definitely need a plasterer for this kind of job, it looks easy but it's not and it a unusual feature in your house, if you get that wrong it'll really stand out
 
You'll definitely need a plasterer for this kind of job, it looks easy but it's not and it a unusual feature in your house, if you get that wrong it'll really stand out
It was wrong to start with, new build wrongness! Honestly the curve of it is way better now. What do you think about finishing this off myself with easifill?
 
It was wrong to start with, new build wrongness! Honestly the curve of it is way better now. What do you think about finishing this off myself with easifill?
Mt stands for marshalltown trowel, as per finishing it with easyfill, you'll be using bags of it and it'll get messy each time you apply a coat (there'll be a lot if them) and because I've never heard of anyone doing it that way, may still look crap. Your best bet is to look for someone to do it for you, the job is complete in 70% so it won't cost you much but it'll make difference
 
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