hi all,

im gonna have a go a plastering my bathroom ceiling next week, and would just like some tips/advice please. its a plasterboard ceiling and has an old skim on it. i assume i need to pva first, if so what ratio should i do it at, and how long do i need to leave it before i can use the bath or shower again. if you have any other tips or advice please feel free to comment. many thanks in advance.

If you want to make it really easy, get Wickes Plaster Bonding Agent and paint it with that then plaster straight on.

Otherwise, 5:1 water to PVA. Two coats with a five minute break between them, then when it is tacky (ten minutes later approx) start covering the ceiling in even strokes.

The plaster should start like butter on a warm day, stands up on its own, but is soft.

Once the ceiling is covered, try going perpendicular to how you put it on to square it up a bit.

When you are trowelling, if the plaster isn't getting closer to the finished article it may be that it needs to be left for to go off (stiffen) for a while after which it will provide more resistance when you trowel it which should mean it is easier to get it to sit flat.

Once it is sitting pretty flat, usually half an hour or more after you started, apply a second coat more like thick cream than butter about a quarter of what you needed first time. Spread it all over and go and have a cuppa. Then when you come back, trowel it over and much of it will come off. Throw this away and wait another ten minutes before trowelling over the surface which should be smooth by now, then polish a couple more times between pauses flicking with water before you do to make it easier.

Make sure:-

You use Thistle Multifinish which is well within it's use by date.
Use a worn in trowel. Marshalltown do them, not sure who else.
Get it up on the ceiling quite fast so you have time to work it before it stiffens.
Mix it properly - no lumps or bits of grit - make sure all your tools and mixing gear are clean
remember to leave it if what you are doing is just moving the ridges etc around.
Use a second coat

Go on Youtube to see how it is done.

Thanks for all the advice jozeffo. i finally got around to doing it and other than a couple of small rough spots near the edges (which I was able to sort out with a bit of easy fill) its come up pretty well (I think!). Once again thanks for all the advice, I really appreciated it and it was a great help.

Thats impressive, being able to do that based on a few instructions

I have taught people before, but even after a few days, they haven't been able to achieve what you have.

Did you use PVA or the bonding agent?