whats the big deal bout starting top left corner ?

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rated_2000

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is it some sort of written rule from the bible that plasters must start top left all the time?

few weeks bk i started a wall not in the top left corner but about 3 quarters up the wall on the left and the gaffer had a fit when he saw it! it was like i had insulted his family ;D

whats the big deal, ive heard others moan about not starting top left as well

does it really matter ?

what r ya thoughts ? :-?
 
Re: whats the big deal bout starting top left corn

if your right handed you will always start from the left but i always start from bottom left with big stokes leaving only a small gap between the ceiling i dont get spreads who start fro the top but its always what works best for you but i do agree why start in the middle of the wall ??????
 
Re: whats the big deal bout starting top left corn

if your right handed you will always start from the left but i always start from bottom left with big stokes leaving only a small gap between the ceiling i dont get spreads who start fro the top but its always what works best for you but i do agree why start in the middle of the wall ??????
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well my first strokes where half -3 quarters up heading towards top left but not starting top left! i dont see the big deal myself, who cares ? long as it looks good ?

i like the idea of starting from the bottom left :) nice big up strokes but i know the gaffer will probably slit my throat if i did it :mad:
 
Re: whats the big deal bout starting top left corn

am left handed so a start from the bottom right your supposed to start from the top cause apparently if you start from the bottom you make a mess of it when layin the top on but if your a decent enough plasterer you shouldnt be droppin plaster allover the place anyway
 
Re: whats the big deal bout starting top left corn

am left handed so a start from the  bottom right your supposed to start from the top cause apparently if you start from the bottom you make a mess of it when layin the top on but if your a decent enough plasterer you shouldnt be droppin plaster allover the place anyway
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thats so true :) i think it wouldbe quicker from the bottom!
 
Re: whats the big deal bout starting top left corn

a dont know why but a find it more comfortable startin from the bottom lay it on as high up as a can get it then just fill the rest of the space at the top
 
Re: whats the big deal bout starting top left corn

a dont know why but a find it more comfortable startin from the bottom lay it on as high up as a can get it then just fill the rest of the space at the top
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i was taught the type writer method, so when i get to the bottom section i like the upstrokes from the bottom so i think u may as well just do the whole lot from the blommin bottom, and thats crap about dropping it cause like u say anyone half decent drop much on walls :'(
 
Re: whats the big deal bout starting top left corn

skimmin i always start top left, cos im right handed and im spreading away from myself, not layin too much on. i fill my bottom in last cos i like to start on bare wall, not where ive already skimmed, keeps it even and flat..
rendering i start top right, cos im right handed and im spreading the mix into itself....as above for bottom...
 
Re: whats the big deal bout starting top left corn

skimmin i always start top left, cos im right handed and im spreading away from myself, not layin too much on. i fill my bottom in last cos i like to start on bare wall, not where ive already skimmed, keeps it even and flat..
rendering i start top right, cos im right handed and im spreading the mix into itself....as above for bottom...
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when u start top left do u do the top edge and left corner first then big strokes from the half way up the left area up wards to fill in ?
 
Re: whats the big deal bout starting top left corn

i fill the left edge from knee to ceiling with the toe of the trowel, trowel horizontal, then i create a leading edge running to the right of me along the ceiling line with the toe, trowel vertical...
then i fill in from knee height curving the trowel into the leading edge to the right, flip the angle and back down over the same area spreading to almost nothing...repeat till right side always keeping the ceiling line edge in front..
i used to do a vertical sweep straight to ceiling and flip the trowel bang on the ceiling line and back down but i found laying an edge on with the toe keeps the edge neater and easier to tidy up when i flatten it
thats for a decent wall anyway...
for a little alcove side of chimney breast i just drag it from one side to the other and reverse it, bearing in mind i like to flatten the opposite way i lay on so i pull the top and the sides in with the edge of the trowel, not the toe and then basically walk the wall left to right/right to left till i end up running 'diddy man' along the bottom.. :p
 
Re: whats the big deal bout starting top left corn

i fill the left edge from knee to ceiling with the toe of the trowel, trowel horizontal, then i create a leading edge running to the right of me along the ceiling line with the toe, trowel vertical...
then i fill in from knee height curving the trowel into the leading edge to the right, flip the angle and back down over the same area spreading to almost nothing...repeat till right side always keeping the ceiling line edge in front..
i used to do a vertical sweep straight to ceiling and flip the trowel bang on the ceiling line and back down but i found laying an edge on with the toe keeps the edge neater and easier to tidy up when i flatten it
thats for a decent wall anyway...
for a little alcove side of chimney breast i just drag it from one side to the other and reverse it, bearing in mind i like to flatten the opposite way i lay on so i pull the top and the sides in with the edge of the trowel, not the toe and then basically walk the wall left to right/right to left till i end up running 'diddy man' along the bottom.. :p
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when u do your top edge do u do small strokes down or long across and how wide is your top edge ? before u fill
 
Re: whats the big deal bout starting top left corn

when i lay on its 4" deep - about a toefull ::), the trowel is almost vertical moving to the right, arms length
when i flatten off its 18" strokes down from the ceiling line just so i can reach comfortably stood on the floor to cross trowel..
tell u what though, everyones got theyre own little idiosyncrasies regarding this but i dont know anyone who lays on in a different pattern..
i always teach this way to new labourers cos it works for me...
i seen a lot of lads just using the straight up/tip trowel/straight down method though, with practice you can get a near enough perfect ceiling line, i just find if im knackered or rushin a bit i get a bit messy this way so i create my line first, really helps skimming up to coving my way, keeps it real clean..in fact i think christ posted a pic of a room he did, coved and artexed ceiling, very neat coving line, see what he does?
 
Re: whats the big deal bout starting top left corn

when i lay on its 4" deep - about a toefull  ::), the trowel is almost vertical moving to the right, arms length
when i flatten off its 18" strokes down from the ceiling line just so i can reach comfortably stood on the floor to cross trowel..
tell u what though, everyones got theyre own little idiosyncrasies regarding this but i dont know anyone who lays on in a different pattern..
i always teach this way to new labourers cos it works for me...
i seen a lot of lads just using the straight up/tip trowel/straight down method though, with practice you can get a near enough perfect ceiling line, i just find if im knackered or rushin a bit i get a bit messy this way so i create my line first, really helps skimming up to coving my way, keeps it real clean..in fact i think christ posted a pic of a room he did, coved and artexed ceiling, very neat coving line, see what he does?
Click to expand...


can u jus explain the whole toe thing to me plz

this was covered on on the plastering course i done bk in the day but i day dreaming when he was tlkn bout toes so i never really got what he meant properly :-?
 
Re: whats the big deal bout starting top left corn

the 'toe' is the top/front edge of your trowel, the narrow end..
i find if you spread 'from' an edge you get a build up of plaster which is a pain to get out, its natural cos your trowel has to be pretty flat wheras start from where you can get some angle on and it goes on flat
so i find its better to lay on 'along' an edge which is where the toe comes in...
just tip the toe upside down under your mix and take a 1/3 of a trowelful
spread it along the edge (up wall or along ceiling), keep your 'leading corner' tipped slightly away from the edge and the 'trailing' corner tight on the edge or it goes '\ \ \ \ \\ \' down the wall...
just watch you dont bury the scrim in the corner if theres a gap....
flatten it off by using the long edge of the trowel in the corner and pull away, again, be careful..
or use a 'darby' another post - see 'straight edge with multi'
time spent in corners is worth a whole wall, think nicksey said 'look after the corners and the wall will look after itself'

suppose the other way is flatten it with the toe and lay on with an edge but i find i get more pressure with the edge than with the toe...more torque...i used to get fat lines an inch in from the edge but less now..
 
Re: whats the big deal bout starting top left corn

Thats why you go left to right, you apply more pressure on the heel, than the toe. your next stroke should take the line out left with the heel on the previous stroke.
 
Re: whats the big deal bout starting top left corn

And thats why you should work right to left (if your right handed) for rendering or floating walls to compact the material on to the background.

Top to bottom with skimming - If you drop any its not going on to work you've just done, and yes we all drop some.

Bottom to top for floating - scaffold up as you go.
 
Re: whats the big deal bout starting top left corn

It's back to that cat!
If it's skinned who cares if you go top bottom left right diagonal horizontal or round and round in bloody circles.

End of the day the cats dead and ain't got no fur.

Did I mention I hate cats?
;D
 
Re: whats the big deal bout starting top left corn

i do top left..all the way accros the top then all down the left side..then from bottom to top all the way till i fill the right side in ....
 
Re: whats the big deal bout starting top left corn

TOP LEFT EVERY TIME, ACROSS THE TOP THEN BK 2 THE BOTTOM LEFT AND WHACK REST ON. ITS THE BEST AND MOST OBVIOUS WAY INIT!!!!!!
 
Re: whats the big deal bout starting top left corn

What ever works. However so you tell me where do you start when the landing is silly meters plus high. Bottom left I think not. I have been working onsite for 6 months solid now all the spreads which includes very experienced spreads all start top left for right hander and right for the other. There's a rule of thumb, if your own method works for you so be it, but it's about the laying on and drying process. That's my thought guys.
 
Re: whats the big deal bout starting top left corn

i always start from the top right corner, im left handed though. reason i start from top is purely because thats how i was taught.

aj.
 
Re: whats the big deal bout starting top left corn

your gaffers always right , would it be wise to ask him the reason why he wants you to do it that way, your most likely to find out the reason why.are you just starting out in this big wide world.
 
Re: whats the big deal bout starting top left corn

i take it your the gaffer andy... :cool:
 
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