Plastering directly onto the metal surround of an electric fireplace.

Johnnyyy

New Member
Looking for some advice as I'm stuck between two workmen confidently telling me opposite things.

I'm have an in-the-wall electric fire installed in the chimney breast. I have my own guy that is going to board and skim the whole chimney breast once it's in situ. The shop-supplied fitters have knocked out the hole and wired the fire in, and they've left instructions for the plasterer to board up to the edge of the fire (line A on the attached photo) and then apply skim directly to the metal up to the window (line B). The fitters will then return to fit granite slips around the fire.

The plasterer, who is very good at his job, has point blank refused for the following reasons:

1 - plaster won't key to metal
2 - the water in the plaster will eventually rust the metal.
3 - with a poor fix between the plaster and the metal, the granite slips will eventually fail
4 - to get the perfectly flat finish the fitters have requester, the plasterer will have to apply pressure which will push wet plaster in between gaps in the metal panels of the fire directly into the electricals
5 - as the metal is an electric fire, the constant expansion and contraction will inevitably cause cracking down the road.


The fitters, meanwhile, work on behalf of a reputable small company with many good reviews. They assure me that this is the way they do things and they never have any problems.

My concern is that if I ask the plasterer to do what they ask, against his better judgement, and six months down the line the wall cracks/fails, the fitters will say it's the plasterers fault, and vice versa.

Thoughts?
 

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I think that both the fire fitter and the plasterer are talking about cross purposes.
The fire fitter wants the whole chimney breast stuck with plasterboard down to line B and skimmed.
The plasterer is talking about re skimming the original chimney breast which as he correct it will fail.
I would carry out the fire fitters instruction.
 
I think that both the fire fitter and the plasterer are talking about cross purposes.
The fire fitter wants the whole chimney breast stuck with plasterboard down to line B and skimmed.
The plasterer is talking about re skimming the original chimney breast which as he correct it will fail.
I would carry out the fire fitters instruction.
They both want to board, but the fitters only want him to board down to line A, flush with the front of the fire, and then bridge the gap and cover the distance to line B with the skim. I think it makes more sense to board down to B so the gaps are covered but the fitters are adament their way is best.
 
They both want to board, but the fitters only want him to board down to line A, flush with the front of the fire, and then bridge the gap and cover the distance to line B with the skim. I think it makes more sense to board down to B so the gaps are covered but the fitters are adament their way is best.
You must be confused you can’t skim over the end of a board
 
You must be confused you can’t skim over the end of a board
That's exactly what the fitters are asking the plasterer to do. Board to the edge of the fire, bridge the gap with scrim tape and skim the lot, board, scrim and metal, in one fell swoop. This is why the plasterer isn't happy.
 
dot / dab all front wall of fireplace to line B...... no adhesive on the metal is needed, if you dab all around the fire the 12.5mm p/board will carry without dab on the frame.........then skim it ...
if thats not good enough then the fire fittters arent getting there leg over because as a plasterer what more can we do...
 
Do as the fire fitters say they are the experts in this situation. It is not much different to skimming over a stop bead.
Couldn't disagree more with what you said a plasterer definitely knows more about plastering than a fire fitter and he's right you shouldn't skim over a smooth metal strip it's nothing like skimming over a stop bead they are designed to skim over
The plasterer is right to not want to skim onto smooth metal it a no in the plastering world
 
Looking for some advice as I'm stuck between two workmen confidently telling me opposite things.

I'm have an in-the-wall electric fire installed in the chimney breast. I have my own guy that is going to board and skim the whole chimney breast once it's in situ. The shop-supplied fitters have knocked out the hole and wired the fire in, and they've left instructions for the plasterer to board up to the edge of the fire (line A on the attached photo) and then apply skim directly to the metal up to the window (line B). The fitters will then return to fit granite slips around the fire.

The plasterer, who is very good at his job, has point blank refused for the following reasons:

1 - plaster won't key to metal
2 - the water in the plaster will eventually rust the metal.
3 - with a poor fix between the plaster and the metal, the granite slips will eventually fail
4 - to get the perfectly flat finish the fitters have requester, the plasterer will have to apply pressure which will push wet plaster in between gaps in the metal panels of the fire directly into the electricals
5 - as the metal is an electric fire, the constant expansion and contraction will inevitably cause cracking down the road.


The fitters, meanwhile, work on behalf of a reputable small company with many good reviews. They assure me that this is the way they do things and they never have any problems.

My concern is that if I ask the plasterer to do what they ask, against his better judgement, and six months down the line the wall cracks/fails, the fitters will say it's the plasterers fault, and vice versa.

Thoughts?
I wouldn't do it either why does the board need to stop at line A
 
I see now that it sticks out of the wall a bit so I'm guessing the board will finish flush with the edge of the fire the plasterer could run a scrim over the joint and skim to it but he's still right ask the fire fitters to stick to the metal and if they say it won't stick they're in the same boat as the plasterer it's their problem not his
 
Uh, Huh, Elite has spotted it, for some reason the fitters have not put the fire in deep enough, and are hoping the plaster can pull off hiding the fact that it's proud. A) They do not understand about plastering onto metal is a no no,
B) if they were honest and told him the problem, he might be able to hide it by dabbing all the boards out a bit further c) they can also cheat a bit with the tile addy thickness, unless there is a decorative frame with a fixed frame depth to go on over the tile edge.
 
Hi Johnny — I’m a bit late to this one. We have a similar situation, considering partially plastering a metal fireplace surround , what did you end up doing?
 
A lot of you know that I’m improving my space this month (primer is going on the walls!!!). I’d like to add an electric fireplace - do you think that would be a draw for guests? The space will use electric space heaters through the winter anyway. If so, do you think in the kitchen/living area, or in the smaller bedroom where (usually) the parents sleep? I love looking at any kind of fire!!
" I'm improving my space" come on !!! Your going to fit a lecky fire ! I'll go no further on this one. Cheers though ! :endesacuerdo:
 
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