Working time / Suction control

[LarryTheDecorator]

okydoky will do!

I've got a whole room to skim over and 2 ceilings of artex, dreading it...

Second it with fresh stuff, you’ll notice the difference. Wait till it pulls in abit before second coat. Try it on your next wall and see how you find it.

 

[LarryTheDecorator]

I've got an MT 14" preworn trowel

You need to flatten in your first coat and put your second on quite tight so it looks pretty much like your last photo only flatter. It will take time to suss this out but it will make it much easier to trowel up. I think you give it a first trowel to quick you need to let it pick up and use pressure on the trowel if you need it, I suspect your trowel is no where near broken in, is it stainless steel? If so you may find it easier with a carbon steel trowel which I will probably get a s**t load of abuse from all the kids with their new dangled things

 

[LarryTheDecorator]

That's interesting, why is that? I can understand left/right, but the top?

Start at the top and work to your right if you are right handed and your left if left handed

 

[Mouldyoldspudgun]

I've got an MT 14" preworn trowel

Okay, shouldn’t be any problem, I use a normal carbon steel straight out of the box maybe you need more pressure don’t be worried about pushing on the stuff, if you stroke it gently it won’t purrr and you don’t really do anything

 

[Topspread16]

That's interesting, why is that? I can understand left/right, but the top?

So you don’t get blobs of s**t in the bottom and when your troweling up process. Stick to the same routine and you’ll become more efficient.

 

[Mouldyoldspudgun]

That's interesting, why is that? I can understand left/right, but the top?

If you start at the bottom you may drop stuff on your wall also when troweling up if you need to use water it will run down what you have already troweled

 

[LarryTheDecorator]

When I was learning that is something the teacher was telling me I need to do - not to be scared of showing it who's boss

But when I start to drag it as it stiffens I'm leaving really nasty marks behind real hard bits like orange peel

Okay, shouldn’t be any problem, I use a normal carbon steel straight out of the box maybe you need more pressure don’t be worried about pushing on the stuff, if you stroke it gently it won’t purrr and you don’t really do anything

 

[Topspread16]

okydoky will do!

I've got a whole room to skim over and 2 ceilings of artex, dreading it...

With your artex throw a few handfuls of bonding in your first coat.

 

[LarryTheDecorator]

Ah ok! Didn't know that - thankyou!

So you don’t get blobs of s**t in the bottom and when your troweling up process. Stick to the same routine and you’ll become more efficient.

 

[Topspread16]

Ah ok! Didn't know that - thankyou!

That’s what we’re here for, we don’t mind helping a good egg as @Marshy would put it.

 

[Mouldyoldspudgun]

When I was learning that is something the teacher was telling me I need to do - not to be scared of showing it who's boss

But when I start to drag it as it stiffens I'm leaving really nasty marks behind real hard bits like orange peel

Sounds like your gear is f**k*d before you start has it got lumps in it? If not maybe where the drags are, you have put it on too tight, don’t be afraid to fill with the stuff on your trowel on the first couple of trowels, it’s only when you get the fat on your trowel you shouldn’t use it, having said that most do but the fat doesn’t go off like the plaster, no guts in it you see

 

[LarryTheDecorator]

I actually did that on the bathroom ceiling, I found it was the equivalent of trying to drag sand across the surface, but it worked pretty well! I did have backache that day before starting

With your artex throw a few handfuls of bonding in your first coat.

 

[LarryTheDecorator]

When I'm mixing I'm throwing in a few handfuls at a time and mix reasonably slow, no hard bits or clumps in there

Sounds like your gear is f**k*d before you start has it got lumps in it? If not maybe where the drags are, you have put it on too tight, don’t be afraid to fill with the stuff on your trowel on the first couple of trowels, it’s only when you get the fat on your trowel you shouldn’t use it, having said that most do but the fat doesn’t go off like the plaster, no guts in it you see

 

[Topspread16]

I actually did that on the bathroom ceiling, I found it was the equivalent of trying to drag sand across the surface, but it worked pretty well! I did have backache that day before starting

Let that stuff pull right in and give it a good second coat.

 

[Mouldyoldspudgun]

I actually did that on the bathroom ceiling, I found it was the equivalent of trying to drag sand across the surface, but it worked pretty well! I did have backache that day before starting

Are you angling your trowel too sharp when you trowel up? Try closing the gap down between the edge that doesn’t touch the wall and the wall, see if it helps

 

[LarryTheDecorator]

Was taught to do it a finger's width as I'm throwing it on? The speedskim I'm trying to keep at the same angle but it's a little tricky as I'm walking across pulling it

I'm doing:

Clean up edges (left->right & right->left / up & down by a foot)
Working it left->right then up->down before it gets too hard to do anything with

Are you angling your trowel too sharp when you trowel up? Try closing the gap down between the edge that doesn’t touch the wall and the wall, see if it helps

 

[Mouldyoldspudgun]

Was taught to do it a finger's width as I'm throwing it on? The speedskim I'm trying to keep at the same angle but it's a little tricky as I'm walking across pulling it

I'm doing:

Clean up edges (left->right & right->left / up & down by a foot)
Working it left->right then up->down before it gets too hard to do anything with

You just have to trust your legs, watch the wall as you use the speed skim and use it as soon as you have second coated, Topspread is right, you need to let the first coat pick up before you second coat, looking at your second coat it seems you are scared of the stuff going off before you can get to it, you must remember you are in control and a better top coat makes it easier for you. I know it’s hard because the wall is small but don’t be tempted to run before you can walk.

 

[Deleted member 29624]

Come on Larry me old fruit you can do it

 

[LarryTheDecorator]

For me, it's always the dragging that puts me right off and I get incredibly frustrated as I'm a perfectionist, when I was learning it was snowing and freezing so the mix was easily workable even after 3/4 hour, coming into new 'environment' conditions throws out what timings I have, by the time I took the bucket upstairs the mix was already going pretty warm

You just have to trust your legs, watch the wall as you use the speed skim and use it as soon as you have second coated, Topspread is right, you need to let the first coat pick up before you second coat, looking at your second coat it seems you are scared of the stuff going off before you can get to it, you must remember you are in control and a better top coat makes it easier for you. I know it’s hard because the wall is small but don’t be tempted to run before you can walk.

 

[lurpak]

Where u from larry if local i will pop over and bang a wall on and show u

 

[LarryTheDecorator]

You've been looking at my peachy bottom again, it should be classified as an area of natural beauty

Come on Larry me old fruit you can do it

 

[Deleted member 29624]

When your skimming bare skim it always has an awkward stage where it drags, get it flat and lines out before that and then leave it alone in that stage and then trowel it once it's hardened a bit more

 

[LarryTheDecorator]

Ahhh I can't help myself in fiddling (with the wall) I've just gone to have a touch and it's looking very firm, I'll clean up the wall and take another photo (who wants another of the dog too?)

When your skimming bare skim it always has an awkward stage where it drags, get it flat and lines out before that and then leave it alone in that stage and then trowel it once it's hardened a bit more

 

[Mouldyoldspudgun]

For me, it's always the dragging that puts me right off and I get incredibly frustrated as I'm a perfectionist, when I was learning it was snowing and freezing so the mix was easily workable even after 3/4 hour, coming into new 'environment' conditions throws out what timings I have, by the time I took the bucket upstairs the mix was already going pretty warm

First thing Larry, knock up where you are working as carting stuff around just wears your body out, just cover the floor with anti Knox or something waterproof where you knock up, obviously cover the rest of the floor but make sure it’s safe as in no polythene on stairwells, it would be good if you had a board and stand but if you work out of the bucket, keep it clean, dirty buckets make your stuff go off. If your bucket has dried plaster on the sides at the end of the day fill it with water to where they stop and leave it over night, in the morning empty it out and run a brush over the shite and it should come off. If you are using one of those gorilla tubs try leaving it in a water butt over night

 

[Mouldyoldspudgun]

Where u from larry if local i will pop over and bang a wall on and show u

That’s really good of you it’s hard trying to tell someone on this thing

 

[Deleted member 29624]

Same here post where you are Larry and I'm sure someone will spare you morning

 

[LarryTheDecorator]

Ello all! Back again, someone came around offering her plumbs

I'm 5mins from Leighton Buzzard - off to Liverpool tonight to help the elderly inlaws for 10days (I do construction and painting - better than my plastering!!)

[edit] I can travel to have a look - will happily pay for lunch! (and biscuits)

 

[LarryTheDecorator]

Here is the wall, it's tightened in quite nicely, nothing a quick sand can't handle I think? It is the best one I've done since being home following your advice and am pretty happy with it considering

Until the missus looked and bellowed nien!!

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[ChrispyUK]

You'll get it Larry and I understand the temptation to keep messing with it, most people do to begin with.

Worst case, if you're not happy with the finish, just try and get it as flat as possible, then re-coat.

Im still learning this s**t and have on occasion 3 coated, because I wasn't happy, as will most on here at somepoint.

 

[paulf]

This is half way through - 8mins in and I'm sweating like a 'letterbox' person in the mid sun

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I like that it reminds me of a picasso.

 

[LarryTheDecorator]

I was trying to turn the mundane into the provocative

I like that it reminds me of a picasso.

 

[LarryTheDecorator]

That wall has had 3 coats on now lol

The thing is I know it's me, I don't know how I can work any faster to work with the mix while it's drying

You'll get it Larry and I understand the temptation to keep messing with it, most people do to begin with.

Worst case, if you're not happy with the finish, just try and get it as flat as possible, then re-coat.

Im still learning this s**t and have on occasion 3 coated, because I wasn't happy, as will most on here at somepoint.

 

[paulf]

That wall has had 3 coats on now lol

The thing is I know it's me, I don't know how I can work any faster to work with the mix while it's drying

Just a matter of repetition larry, lets put it this way your bound to make mistakes at this stage.

 

[ChrispyUK]

Its all the little things that add up.

Skim seems to smell fear, but the more you practice, the more time you have to flatten it.

Watch a good spread, and they're not rushing, they have good consistency, but that takes time.

 

[Danny]

Can I have a new t shirt @Danny I used the other to work in but it's officially disintegrated now....it's more hole than shirt

I need to get some more made