So i passed my level 1 and 2 plastering diploma at college a couple of monthes ago so not at all experienced outside that enviroment yet. During that time ive plastered every ceiling in my house with the results getting better with each attempt. My last 2 attempts ive got to say was nearly imperfection free that even the misses gave me the nod of approval rather than the here we go again look.. So last week along comes the sister asking if i could skim her hallway and landing. Full of confidence im yea no problem sis it will look the dogs xxxxxxxx when ive finished. Start with the ceiling at the top of the stairs. Not a massive area but lots of internals, attic hatch, light ,fire alarm, ladders over the drop etc. Let the master loose i was thinking to myself. Somewhere somehow i lose my very first ever set and i lose the ceiling before i get chance to finish it. Spending too much time on the internals and around objects. Confidence smashed to smitherines. Sat down and had a cup of tea telling the sister ive been on holiday and aint picked a trowel up for six weeks which is the truth as my excuse for meesing up. Moved on to smaller ceiling at the bottom of the stairway and picked myself up by staying ahead of the plaster and pulled off a decent finish. In two and a half years of learning though the feeling of losing that very first set really came as a suprise. Just thought id share my out of college experience.
Lost my first set ever on ceiling since i started.
- Thread starter johnr
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Garethharrison80
Active Member
Just pva it + skim it again
essexplasterer
Member
I've just started too. Finding it hard to find work any tips?
Marshy
Private Member
It would have been the easiest job in the world to throw the towel in and give up but you haven't so fair play to you. As one of the lads said pva it and re do the ceiling. From what I read you at least know where you went wrong spending too much time on the fiddly bits. Be sure to post how you get on. I reckon you will nail it this time pal 
scottie5
Private Member
I share your pain, I rember falling asleep in the sunshine after 3 pints of stella one lunchtime,
after having just laid in a fairly decent sized lounge.
It hadn't dried straight when I woke up about 4.30 so i had to reskim it the next day.
Chin up its all part of the game.
after having just laid in a fairly decent sized lounge.
It hadn't dried straight when I woke up about 4.30 so i had to reskim it the next day.
Chin up its all part of the game.
kgreigh
Well-Known Member
With experience you will learn to lay on neat even on the fiddly bits as it means you have less to do later on but when you first start,mucking about with the gear when wet is a lost cause,all your doing is moving it from one place to another,just get it on to start with especially on the fiddly bits and when the whole ceiling is on go back and flatten them in it'll be much easyer by this time when the gear has firmed up a bit.keep at it you'll be fine.
A.plasterer
Private Member
If its not so bad dare i say it, get yerself a bag of easifill and flush it out.
Until you understand the gear and your limitations always go like stink get it on and in time you"ll be often be sitting waiting on it going off. We have all had fuk ups and close misses even years down the road, so many factors can leave you sweating like fuk trying to rescue yer work its unforgiving. Good luck
Until you understand the gear and your limitations always go like stink get it on and in time you"ll be often be sitting waiting on it going off. We have all had fuk ups and close misses even years down the road, so many factors can leave you sweating like fuk trying to rescue yer work its unforgiving. Good luck
jeanclaudevangyproc
Well-Known Member
Drop the light fitting , take the smoke alert off if battery one or drop it if it's wired in and take architrave off less in your way then mate[emoji106] better finish aswell
thebigfella
Active Member
And plenty of pva will give you a bit more time when you re skim
JackPlas91
Member
Thick pva and give the pva time to dry properly. Drop any fittings If u can. Good luck.
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Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
I did drop all the fittings lads for a better finish. Usually i just get it on and then go back and flatten it with both coats. I tried to take the next step though and keep it tidy as i went along. Thats where i lost my precious time i think. I reckon i needed more pva on as well but the suction didnt seem so great at the time i was applying it.
A.plasterer
Private Member
Above all.
D
Deleted member 23452
Guest
All good advice above, and the only thing I'd add (as a non-plasterer) is that it may be the first time a jobs gone tits up, but it won't be the last. Doesn't matter what trade you're in things will go sideways every once in a while, and learning to sort things out when it does is an important part of work.
If you just treat it as another ceiling to over-skim it doesn't seem so bad, and that's all it is.
No one died or got hurt, you won't go bankrupt or loose your house because of it, and the world will carry on turning. 
D
Deleted member 23452
Guest
That's true, or when you have to sort out someone else's balls up. I don't know why that's such a pain, because work's work, but it really makes my sh1t itch when I have to sort out a job that's been done badly/wrong.
A.plasterer
Private Member
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