Out of date gypsum

-sean-

Member
Hi all, hope you’re keeping well. I have a small (less than 1m2) back to brick to patch but run out of hardwall. Checked wickes website Monday and thought supply was back to normal but oh no it’s all gone now. So question is is it worth a punt with some out of date stuff I have or do bad things happen? I have open bags of hardwall dated 19/12/2019 and a vintage 6/4/2018. And an unopened 19/03/2020 multifinish. All bags still soft and powdery, been outside but undercover and off the ground. Tiny area so can get it on quick but any thoughts on if it’ll go rock hard and wreck my tools or not set n stick, or worse?
 
Hi all, hope you’re keeping well. I have a small (less than 1m2) back to brick to patch but run out of hardwall. Checked wickes website Monday and thought supply was back to normal but oh no it’s all gone now. So question is is it worth a punt with some out of date stuff I have or do bad things happen? I have open bags of hardwall dated 19/12/2019 and a vintage 6/4/2018. And an unopened 19/03/2020 multifinish. All bags still soft and powdery, been outside but undercover and off the ground. Tiny area so can get it on quick but any thoughts on if it’ll go rock hard and wreck my tools or not set n stick, or worse?
There's hardwall and bonding in every Wickes and merchants I've been in
 
Queued for B&Q today as showing stock of hardwall online, arrive to find it's all past date, some by 2 weeks, some by 2 months! All on the same pallet so probably been hanging around and restacked. No plastering sand either. Better luck next time I guess.
 
Hi all, hope you’re keeping well. I have a small (less than 1m2) back to brick to patch but run out of hardwall. Checked wickes website Monday and thought supply was back to normal but oh no it’s all gone now. So question is is it worth a punt with some out of date stuff I have or do bad things happen? I have open bags of hardwall dated 19/12/2019 and a vintage 6/4/2018. And an unopened 19/03/2020 multifinish. All bags still soft and powdery, been outside but undercover and off the ground. Tiny area so can get it on quick but any thoughts on if it’ll go rock hard and wreck my tools or not set n stick, or worse?

Just mix a bit up in a gorilla tub and see if it flash sets. Its only a piddly area anyway, so even if it is going off a bit quicker you can use it to your advantage. Just wet the wall down really well first.
 
Queued for B&Q today as showing stock of hardwall online, arrive to find it's all past date, some by 2 weeks, some by 2 months! All on the same pallet so probably been hanging around and restacked. No plastering sand either. Better luck next time I guess.
B&Q plastering sand is shite anyway mate. Lol
 
So, in the end I grabbed a bag from B&Q two weeks past date and got a discount, thought better than the months old stuff I had. Working time in the bucket seemed reasonable but even with a spray down first doing a small patch on a south facing wall on a sunny bank holiday weekend was a challenge for a novice like me, the bricks were very thirsty.

I now have a chase to fill with fresh galvanised capping with a smooth finish, looks like no bonding in stock at the moment so will it work with hardwall instead? Was thinking I could try to PVA some scrim tape along the capping (or maybe Tapit tape??) for mechanical key. AlternativeIy could try sand and cement but only have building sand not plastering sand unfortunately. Or is it just best to wait for bonding to come back in stock?
 
So, in the end I grabbed a bag from B&Q two weeks past date and got a discount, thought better than the months old stuff I had. Working time in the bucket seemed reasonable but even with a spray down first doing a small patch on a south facing wall on a sunny bank holiday weekend was a challenge for a novice like me, the bricks were very thirsty.

I now have a chase to fill with fresh galvanised capping with a smooth finish, looks like no bonding in stock at the moment so will it work with hardwall instead? Was thinking I could try to PVA some scrim tape along the capping (or maybe Tapit tape??) for mechanical key. AlternativeIy could try sand and cement but only have building sand not plastering sand unfortunately. Or is it just best to wait for bonding to come back in stock?
Fresh galvanized capping? How much did they do the Hardwall for...hopefully 50p? :)
 
FGC, got it now...a blond moment. Hardwall it, no PVA, no scrim, splash of water if bricks are thirsty, and DEFINATELY none of that shite tape :)
 
So, in the end I grabbed a bag from B&Q two weeks past date and got a discount, thought better than the months old stuff I had. Working time in the bucket seemed reasonable but even with a spray down first doing a small patch on a south facing wall on a sunny bank holiday weekend was a challenge for a novice like me, the bricks were very thirsty.

I now have a chase to fill with fresh galvanised capping with a smooth finish, looks like no bonding in stock at the moment so will it work with hardwall instead? Was thinking I could try to PVA some scrim tape along the capping (or maybe Tapit tape??) for mechanical key. AlternativeIy could try sand and cement but only have building sand not plastering sand unfortunately. Or is it just best to wait for bonding to come back in stock?
Would have done the job mate but it's harder to get than multi. 20200528_092449.jpg
 
Finally got hold of some plastering sand and tried a S+C backing yesterday, good experience but I'll admit it's a whole different animal and I struggled with getting on the wall, no problems getting it on the floor though.

Can I skim it today or is it better to allow it to dry out fully incase it shrinks?
 
Finally got hold of some plastering sand and tried a S+C backing yesterday, good experience but I'll admit it's a whole different animal and I struggled with getting on the wall, no problems getting it on the floor though.

Can I skim it today or is it better to allow it to dry out fully incase it shrinks?
Loads skim it the next day , some purists will say wait 5-7 days , some even skim it the same day ,
 
Finally got round to topcoat this week but sadly got a few star shaped cracks appear at the top of the wall. It’s next to a boiler I switched off and left off but may have still been warm I guess. Going over a thin S+C backing on red brick. I gave it several weak coats of PVA the night before and a strong PVA just before starting to mix up. 1st coat of multi did seem a bit too dry at the top when I went over it second time. I guess the star cracks are second coat coming away from first because it was too dry?
 

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Hi all, hope you’re keeping well. I have a small (less than 1m2) back to brick to patch but run out of hardwall. Checked wickes website Monday and thought supply was back to normal but oh no it’s all gone now. So question is is it worth a punt with some out of date stuff I have or do bad things happen? I have open bags of hardwall dated 19/12/2019 and a vintage 6/4/2018. And an unopened 19/03/2020 multifinish. All bags still soft and powdery, been outside but undercover and off the ground. Tiny area so can get it on quick but any thoughts on if it’ll go rock hard and wreck my tools or not set n stick, or worse?
Try Tarmac OCR . and skim with multi .
 
Finally got round to topcoat this week but sadly got a few star shaped cracks appear at the top of the wall. It’s next to a boiler I switched off and left off but may have still been warm I guess. Going over a thin S+C backing on red brick. I gave it several weak coats of PVA the night before and a strong PVA just before starting to mix up. 1st coat of multi did seem a bit too dry at the top when I went over it second time. I guess the star cracks are second coat coming away from first because it was too dry?

Fill it, paint it and forget about it and move on to next job.
 
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