Used the sponge float for the first time?

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oldschool

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Must say ive never used one before. ive heard on this forum that spunky uses the system so was compelled to have a go and was happy with the finish ,it took me and my mate to do a gauge in just under a hour , could'nt fault the finish . yes when the money's right i would use a 2 coat system but why when you can do it another way.xxx
 
If the finish was so good that you could not fault it and you found the sponge quicker why then say that you would do a two coat if the price allowed it why not use a sponge all the time it its so good ?.
 
2 coat when the moneys right, because its respect for the customer. Correct money = 2 coats of finish.
 
But that still does not explain why if a one coat sponge finish is faultless and a spot on job why you would not do it this way every time. If you would then revert back to a two coat trowel finish when the money is right i can only conclude that the two coat way is the correct and proper way to skim .
 
Got to agree beader.

If the finish was flawless, then you would just do it...and the 'good' money would be 'EVEN BETTER' money....
 
Because you get a little feeling of guilt because you feel like it's cheating.......as long as you lay it on thick enough no probs and like old school says you can get quicker sets in, as soon as its on the wall that's when you're drying time starts
 
Must say I was pushed for time patching round some velux windows on friday so tried it over some VERY rough boardwork the roofers had done....

Turned out ace! :RpS_thumbsup:
 
I haven't one coat sponged for over a year purely for the guilt thing, the first time you do it on a job it's horrible every f**k**s looking at you and you now there thinking........he doesn't now what he's doing lol
 
I know what you mean. Had a mate helping spread, and I told him don't worry just get the fcuker on and I'll finish it....he just couldn't grasp what I was doing.

I don't think it's right for every situation but definitely another string in my bow.
 
I still get a good laugh at reading some of these posts on the forum, the old trowel finish v sponge finish, I find it hard to believe there are still some plasterers out there that dont like the sponge or wont use it, but I know plenty of very good spreads that wont use it, the sponge wins almost every time for me, the only time it dosent win for me is when its used on knauf skimming, or in very small areas, pipes plugs where you cannot get the sponge in

For people that want to get into using a sponge dont forget there are generally 2 kinds of sponges, 1 rough and 1smooth I use them in different ways

when working alone I would knock one bag to one and half bag mix of multi on a re skim, this for me is usually comfortable,I would 2 coat and use the smooth sponge, the difference is the smooth or finishing sponge, tightens the skimming in better,but it takes longer to rub up,and this sets it faster, and in my case I can get away with 1 less trowel if I wanted to

now for the rough sponge, I use this when putting a bigger batch on, that is one and a half to a two bag mix of multi,this is my max, still like to 2 coat, get two thirds on on as quick as possible then rough sponge, then get the other third on, it can be sponged very quick using the rough sponge, and this seems to hold the skimming back giving me plenty of time to get over the bigger batch, it works fine for me

as for the better job, if your a good plasterer there should be no difference, trowel finish or sponge finish, 1 coat or 2 makes no difference the 1 or 2 coat in my case is only down to setting times its just I prefer to 2 coat, well really its just one coat and a lay in 80% of the time to make life a little easier nowadays, 10 years ago it would have been 1 coat 80% of the time

it comes down to, for me, the sponge can knock 1 hour off a 6 or 7 hour room, less stress on the elbow, and just makes skimming that little bit easier
 
I haven't sponged for a while but when I do guaranteed I'm saying to myself I hate 2 coating
1 1/2 bags will do 20 metres easy and you're done in an hour and a half, mix once etc it's mint
 
The thread is 2 year old ............do a search there is loads of threads on it....................Welcome to the forum by the way
 
I have worked with scourers in the past and to be fair they left a superb finish. Not powdery because they did not trowel the fat. It takes a bit of practice to get right like most things
 
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