Refina sponge float

PlasteRightUK

PlasteRightUK

Active Member
Does anyone on here use a sponge float?

Was just curious as I seem to hear about it more and more and people saying the finish is better?

And I've alsoheard people say that it's easier on the elbow and not leaving water marks also?

What's your thoughts on it?
 
Not learnt how to do it myself but I've actually just ordered a couple to try it out, if it's crap I'll use them for patching in.
 
Cornelius said:
Not learnt how to do it myself but I've actually just ordered a couple to try it out, if it's crap I'll use them for patching in.
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I'm going to grab a couple this weekend to have a try, just wanted to know people's thoughts. If I don't get on with it I'll just go back to the my normal method. Got to be work a try :fuckyou:
 
PlasteRightUK said:
Does anyone on here use a sponge float?

Was just curious as I seem to hear about it more and more and people saying the finish is better?

And I've alsoheard people say that it's easier on the elbow and not leaving water marks also?

What's your thoughts on it?
Click to expand...


Why don't you do a demo video for us and let us know how you get on
 
PlasteRightUK said:
Does anyone on here use a sponge float?

Was just curious as I seem to hear about it more and more and people saying the finish is better?

And I've alsoheard people say that it's easier on the elbow and not leaving water marks also?

What's your thoughts on it?
Click to expand...
.


Only time ive used a sponge float is when ive been struggling with my hit. Other than that, I don't need it.
 
Tried out the sponge float today, not sure if I like it or not, I can't say the finish was much better than normal but it wasn't bad. I can see it would be useful if I was losing a set and perhaps with a bit of practice it would be possible to get bigger sets on and achieve bit more meterage knowing that I wouldn't lose the set, but I wasn't overwhelmed. There was a thread a while ago about the best way to clean them in soap powder @zombie was that you? I'll try and find the thread because I've already got small lumps of plaster within the sponge.
 
Cornelius said:
Tried out the sponge float today, not sure if I like it or not, I can't say the finish was much better than normal but it wasn't bad. I can see it would be useful if I was losing a set and perhaps with a bit of practice it would be possible to get bigger sets on and achieve bit more meterage knowing that I wouldn't lose the set, but I wasn't overwhelmed. There was a thread a while ago about the best way to clean them in soap powder @zombie was that you? I'll try and find the thread because I've already got small lumps of plaster within the sponge.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the update mate, yeah heard that a lot about a set going of a bit fast and then it would be used. I know some people who swear by it and use it all the time and others who have never used it or have and didn't bother again.
 
I have worked with lads who use it religiously but they were never taught the proper way to skim, it has its benefits skim going off patching in ect, but it also holds the skim back and draws the grit to the surface and doesn't give as good a finish so I wouldn't use it. And it makes a mess of the place
 
Hawk&Trowel said:
I have worked with lads who use it religiously but they were never taught the proper way to skim, it has its benefits skim going off patching in ect, but it also holds the skim back and draws the grit to the surface and doesn't give as good a finish so I wouldn't use it. And it makes a mess of the place
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It was a little bit messy (spraying water and wet skim), but I didn't have any problem with grit coming through.
 
Each to their own but i'ts not for me.First coat,flatten.Tight second coat,first trowel with no water,second trowel with water,third trowel with a little water,and a dry trowel if needed.
 
Nicm said:
Each to their own but i'ts not for me.First coat,flatten.Tight second coat,first trowel with no water,second trowel with water,third trowel with a little water,and a dry trowel if needed.
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Something similar here. throw on first coat, flaten, second tight coat then flaten. first trowel no water, secon trowel with water, 4th with trowel with water then a dry trowel . HAte doing domestics thou because somehow, i get water every fuckinh where like yesterday doing a kitchen ceiling(2bags) and had water all over the kitchen cupboards, walls. No matter how many times one dries it, the f**k**g thing always appears!!
 
Buy one of these excellent for skimming, saves flicking water all over the gaff and skim water all over the curtains :)
 

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hail hail said:
Something similar here. throw on first coat, flaten, second tight coat then flaten. first trowel no water, secon trowel with water, 4th with trowel with water then a dry trowel . HAte doing domestics thou because somehow, i get water every fuckinh where like yesterday doing a kitchen ceiling(2bags) and had water all over the kitchen cupboards, walls. No matter how many times one dries it, the f**k**g thing always appears!!
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You've answered your own question from the other thread. Failing to prepare and all that


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Topspread16 said:
You've answered your own question from the other thread. Failing to prepare and all that


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Was waiting for someone to pull me on that. Theres prepping and theres creating a crime scene for finding ones dna. Its somewhere inbetween lol
 
hail hail said:
Was waiting for someone to pull me on that. Theres prepping and theres creating a crime scene for finding ones dna. Its somewhere inbetween lol
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Cost me £8 half a roll of TPS 1 roll of 2 inch masking. Phone keeps ring money keeps rolling. Hate cleaning wrap it all up and go, bosh it in a contractors skip.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Hawk&Trowel said:
I have worked with lads who use it religiously but they were never taught the proper way to skim, it has its benefits skim going off patching in ect, but it also holds the skim back and draws the grit to the surface and doesn't give as good a finish so I wouldn't use it. And it makes a mess of the place
Click to expand...

love your logo by the way :D
 
Topspread16 said:
Cost me £8 half a roll of TPS 1 roll of 2 inch masking. Phone keeps ring money keeps rolling. Hate cleaning wrap it all up and go, bosh it in a contractors skip.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Totally agree here. I'd much rather mask a job off really well then have to deal with cleaning plaster off windows/doors, etc. So much cleaner and better results for a few extra bucks and the GC or homeowner always loves it.

It seems like you guys trowel down your walls much more than we do. (or me rather since I can't speak for the entire US) Maybe its just the difference in product but when I do smooth coat I lay on, double back on it right away. Wait till just before it starts to get stiff and do a first trowel. This one gets rid of any 'cat faces' in the plaster and eliminates any lines that may have been left. 2nd trowel as it gets stiff. This one gets rid of the lap lines from the strokes of the trowel if there were any still visible. Then 1 more pass with a wet mop after it's pretty much set for a nice buttery finish. If you want it to shine you can do another quick pass with the mop but it's really not necessary. I like to use lime/gauging over green base coat when I can, but if price is a factor I'll do it using Diamond veneer finish or Xkal which goes right over blueboard. (I assume you guys have a special board for plaster right? Ours are color coded and blueboard is for plaster. I really have no clue what materials are available over there or how they compare. :estudioso:)

I am curious about sponging and I've looked into it but Refina isn't available here in the US. The closest thing I can find is a sponge float for stucco but I'm not sure that would do the trick. What is the consistency of the sponge like? It looks like a typical open cell cellouse sponge but hard to tell just from pictures.
 
Topspread16 said:
Cost me £8 half a roll of TPS 1 roll of 2 inch masking. Phone keeps ring money keeps rolling. Hate cleaning wrap it all up and go, bosh it in a contractors skip.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Totally agree I was in a kitchen yesterday and tape and plastic all round the kitchen cupboards taped at the top and dropped down over the worktop and bottom cupboards. Saves so much time cleaning and never looks good scraping and sponging the kitchen units down. As you said wrap it all up and walk out Job Done :bailando:
 
Topspread16 said:
Cost me £8 half a roll of TPS 1 roll of 2 inch masking. Phone keeps ring money keeps rolling. Hate cleaning wrap it all up and go, bosh it in a contractors skip.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Totally agree I was in a kitchen yesterday and tape and plastic all round the kitchen cupboards taped at the top and dropped down over the worktop and bottom cupboards. Saves so much time cleaning and never looks good scraping and sponging the kitchen units down. As you said wrap it all up and walk out Job Done :bailando:
 
Heritage Plasters said:
Totally agree here. I'd much rather mask a job off really well then have to deal with cleaning plaster off windows/doors, etc. So much cleaner and better results for a few extra bucks and the GC or homeowner always loves it.

It seems like you guys trowel down your walls much more than we do. (or me rather since I can't speak for the entire US) Maybe its just the difference in product but when I do smooth coat I lay on, double back on it right away. Wait till just before it starts to get stiff and do a first trowel. This one gets rid of any 'cat faces' in the plaster and eliminates any lines that may have been left. 2nd trowel as it gets stiff. This one gets rid of the lap lines from the strokes of the trowel if there were any still visible. Then 1 more pass with a wet mop after it's pretty much set for a nice buttery finish. If you want it to shine you can do another quick pass with the mop but it's really not necessary. I like to use lime/gauging over green base coat when I can, but if price is a factor I'll do it using Diamond veneer finish or Xkal which goes right over blueboard. (I assume you guys have a special board for plaster right? Ours are color coded and blueboard is for plaster. I really have no clue what materials are available over there or how they compare. :estudioso:)

I am curious about sponging and I've looked into it but Refina isn't available here in the US. The closest thing I can find is a sponge float for stucco but I'm not sure that would do the trick. What is the consistency of the sponge like? It looks like a typical open cell cellouse sponge but hard to tell just from pictures.
Click to expand...

What a difference.

The general range of products can be found in the 'white book' found on British gypsums website, you can download it for free. You'll see all the plasters and the range of boards etc if your that interested in it.
 
As for sponge float etc, not a million miles from a render/stucco sponge, there is a range of them from render (stiff - closed pores) to fine small pores, to softer ones with open pores coarse.

Would refina not ship to the us?
Surely someone who sells their stuff would.
 
bobski said:
As for sponge float etc, not a million miles from a render/stucco sponge, there is a range of them from render (stiff - closed pores) to fine small pores, to softer ones with open pores coarse.

Would refina not ship to the us?
Surely someone who sells their stuff would.
Click to expand...

I'll check out the white book. Thanks!

Its not that its impossible to get one but the cost seems prohibitive. From what I've been able to find I could get a sponge for around $75 including shipping but that seems kind of excessive for a sponge unless it is laced with gold. :envidioso
 
Sod that.


I'd just make one if $75 was what it was costing.

Fibreglass float - decent polyurethane glue - some foam that you reckon would work.

Got to be $50 up :D
 
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