Went to see another job today but how are you supposed to !!!

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Went to have a look at a job , real grand designs type place . I can deal with the 60 square meter lids that are 18ft up in the air with walls to match .But how the bu**er are you supposed to skim walls that are
-~- shape . Theres a large twelve foot diameter hand made oak circular staircase that runs right up the middle of the property and then rolls round into a dome skylight at the top , all the walls in the various rooms are S shaped as they run into it. Never been asked to do anything like this before so searching for abit of advice.

I know we dont discuss money on the forum and i understand the principle of number of days x day rate. But i dont know how many days , just having a scratch the head moment , combined with an inferiority complex . Am i up to this ?
 
sounds like the sort of job id love to do i love doin all those curvey bits, ive got a flexible trowel for these types of things not a refina one its much more flexible than that:RpS_wink:
 
Skimming is easy regardless of the curvature of the walls, you need to know that you can do a perfect finish, for pricing , on jobs like this I would estimate how long I would do it in, bearing in mind great care taken to make it perfect so you will be slower than in a normal flat walled 2.4m high flat , you need a decent mate and a labourer..
 
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The best finish is with a coat of bonding and two coats of finish later but will they want to pay for this...
 
that will finish lovley with just multi, just be patient and let the trowel do the work, remember its all in the wrist:RpS_thumbup:
 
It looks like a fantastic job to work on. Use a nice thin trowel (3"-4" wide) to prevent catching the curve as you go along and then leave it to pull in before shaping. It might also need three coats: the first to create the curve between the two edges of board :)
 
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We finished some funky flatd before christmas and each one had s shape walls in its great to skim something different if the boarding is good and there are no flat spots in the curves just skim as normal looks good the studwork does as the timbers seem quite close so there shouldnt be to many but as john said bond up to get some shape then skim if there are flat spots

Double check the boards for good screwing and flex as i bet there using 6mm to get the shape and these seem to move abit.

We double boarded staggering on the overboard giving strength.
 
Why would you bond that before skimming? 2 coats of finish will be fine. I may think about using the excalibur to help with the shape but even then could do it with just a trowel if need be
 
i was goin to say use the speedskim to help, but a trowel will be fine ive done a few of these types and just used a trowel
 
Bonding first will strengthen it and as the op isn't used to working curves it will give him a practice run for the skimming coats :RpS_thumbup:
 
if you are not used to working curves, it may be best to sleep with your arm around a piss pot for a few nights so as to get the correct swing with your arm!
 
Thanks for all the replies fella's , a couple of things , the boards on the curves are 12.5 mm . Builder has been cutting them into strips and leaving them against the wall soacked with a little water and they seem to lie fairly well , very few flat spots and yes i would bond them out first .
Do have a speed skim and use it fairly regular and also have no oubt that it would help to get round the curves , also have a little semi circular rubber paddle that i use to scale off ceilings / walls . Might see if i can make myself a similar thing with a profile matching the radius , need a lump of rubber, any ideas ?
Have run many miles of curves in my time but only scales round /ceilings but is'nt quite the same is it ?
Ive got to put a price in so might not get the job yet. BUt really i would love to do it. Just vaguely worked out a starting figure based on a rough meterage and a mental counting of days. Not even thought about the premium rates for the height and circles and its already hhhooowwww much ? God i hope they've got some money.
 
Why would you bond that before skimming? 2 coats of finish will be fine. I may think about using the excalibur to help with the shape but even then could do it with just a trowel if need be
You dont have to Beddy ,but it makes it a better job in my opinion,if I was actually there I could decide whether to or not, years ago we bonded lots of board work and finished with carlite finish, beautiful finish, skimming on its own can give rise more to cracks..
 
Thanks for all the replies fella's , a couple of things , the boards on the curves are 12.5 mm . Builder has been cutting them into strips and leaving them against the wall soacked with a little water and they seem to lie fairly well , very few flat spots and yes i would bond them out first .
Do have a speed skim and use it fairly regular and also have no oubt that it would help to get round the curves , also have a little semi circular rubber paddle that i use to scale off ceilings / walls . Might see if i can make myself a similar thing with a profile matching the radius , need a lump of rubber, any ideas ?
Have run many miles of curves in my time but only scales round /ceilings but is'nt quite the same is it ?
Ive got to put a price in so might not get the job yet. BUt really i would love to do it. Just vaguely worked out a starting figure based on a rough meterage and a mental counting of days. Not even thought about the premium rates for the height and circles and its already hhhooowwww much ? God i hope they've got some money.

If you've got nowt else on this would be a gr8 learning curve ( no pun intended) work out a normal price per metreage or however you work out and add say half again. By the looks of the woodwork etc the customer will pay a decent wack BUT for a excellent finish. I've worked this way when customers have asked for oddments in bathrooms and kitchens etc, i get paid to learn a bit more ;).
 
Thanks for all the replies fella's , a couple of things , the boards on the curves are 12.5 mm . Builder has been cutting them into strips and leaving them against the wall soacked with a little water and they seem to lie fairly well , very few flat spots and yes i would bond them out first .
Do have a speed skim and use it fairly regular and also have no oubt that it would help to get round the curves , also have a little semi circular rubber paddle that i use to scale off ceilings / walls . Might see if i can make myself a similar thing with a profile matching the radius , need a lump of rubber, any ideas ?
Have run many miles of curves in my time but only scales round /ceilings but is'nt quite the same is it ?
Ive got to put a price in so might not get the job yet. BUt really i would love to do it. Just vaguely worked out a starting figure based on a rough meterage and a mental counting of days. Not even thought about the premium rates for the height and circles and its already hhhooowwww much ? God i hope they've got some money.
Nice job to get mate ,for the right price ,or you could be pulling you hair out you got the job ,best of luck with it hope you get it
 
Has the dome already been skimmed?

the dome has had a coat of bonding on it which the builders did probably because they couldn't bend the plasterboard round in such an arc.
Suspect it was at this point , they said f*ck this and told the client that they would have to get a spread in
 
Thanks for all the replies fella's , a couple of things , the boards on the curves are 12.5 mm . Builder has been cutting them into strips and leaving them against the wall soacked with a little water and they seem to lie fairly well , very few flat spots and yes i would bond them out first .
Do have a speed skim and use it fairly regular and also have no oubt that it would help to get round the curves , also have a little semi circular rubber paddle that i use to scale off ceilings / walls . Might see if i can make myself a similar thing with a profile matching the radius , need a lump of rubber, any ideas ?
Have run many miles of curves in my time but only scales round /ceilings but is'nt quite the same is it ?
Ive got to put a price in so might not get the job yet. BUt really i would love to do it. Just vaguely worked out a starting figure based on a rough meterage and a mental counting of days. Not even thought about the premium rates for the height and circles and its already hhhooowwww much ? God i hope they've got some money.
we dun sumet similar in guernsey doubled boards with 6 mil multy board gets a nicer curv than half inch board. Than we bonded to loose N e joints a flatend off with the spat . Skimmed up lovely . Every step u take to help with he shape will make skimming and finishing it that much easier. Remember failure to prepare , prepare to fail. Good luck pal
 
the dome has had a coat of bonding on it which the builders did probably because they couldn't bend the plasterboard round in such an arc.
Suspect it was at this point , they said f*ck this and told the client that they would have to get a spread in

Ahh looked like skim in the photo.

Is the bonding fit for skimming or will you need to re-do it?
 
the dome has had a coat of bonding on it which the builders did probably because they couldn't bend the plasterboard round in such an arc.
Suspect it was at this point , they said f*ck this and told the client that they would have to get a spread in

Oh......................
 
the dome is nearly there need to have a closer look but it would probably come with 3 coats of multi.

already pulled them up on the noggins not a problem apparently !
 
No but look like the thing to use on the tight internal stuff.

Only thing is it won't be broken in.
 
No but look like the thing to use on the tight internal stuff.

Only thing is it won't be broken in.

Will it need to be?? Just grind the corners down a little see what it feels like, will be interesting to know what it would be like running cove in as I always struggle to get it looking bang on...

Anyone?
 
ive used the fat end of a glass milk bottle to run a tight cove spanky worked a treat
 
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