Skim Coat: Multi-finish or Easyfill for a beginner?

[DIY_Johnny]

Ok, I tried skim coating a small wall today and I royally messed it up.
Plastering really is a dark art !
I was using multifinish but for some reason it keep dragging off the wall and couldn't get a smooth finish for the life of me! The Tools were clean and new, clean water and PVAed the wall (3 parts water 1 part PVA). I didn't bother with a second coat as first one was a mess. I really want to try improve my plastering skills so will get it all off the wall tomorrow and have another go.

I am thinking that easy fill be easier to work with for a beginner?

Thoughts?

(PS: yes I know it would be more sensible to get a plastered but well .... it's a challenge that is bugging me )

[kevinsmbuk]

The chances are you had not positioned the trowel correctly against the wall. The leading edge should be 10-15mm away from the wall. If you deviate from this and go closer to the wall your trowel will stick to the wall. If you go further you will pull the plaster off.

Im no expert but I wouldn't use easyfill to plaster a whole wall.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

[London mike 61]

There are lots of videos and guides but I have found these two to be the best for me;

https://www.plasterersforum.com/threads ... ide.32076/

https://youtu.be/flUEmLj5454
https://youtu.be/rxRdMe5DFyA
https://youtu.be/aEIpKY6mhBw
https://youtu.be/FcXERdDJI54

Mike

[DIY_Johnny]

There are lots of videos and guides but I have found these two to be the best for me;

https://www.plasterersforum.com/threads ... ide.32076/

https://youtu.be/flUEmLj5454
https://youtu.be/rxRdMe5DFyA
https://youtu.be/aEIpKY6mhBw
https://youtu.be/FcXERdDJI54

Mike

thanks Mike， I watched them all. They are good.

I watched a lot before I tried it but seemed to ask go wrong when I tried it.
One more crack today before I through in the towel.

[DIY_Johnny]

The chances are you had not positioned the trowel correctly against the wall. The leading edge should be 10-15mm away from the wall. If you deviate from this and go closer to the wall your trowel will stick to the wall. If you go further you will pull the plaster off.

Im no expert but I wouldn't use easyfill to plaster a whole wall.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Hi Kevin,

its a bit confusing as some vids show that you have the trowel close to the wall (as i Mikes ones above). Researching a bit more it seems like one would not use easyfill to skim an entire wall, just for taping and jointing I might just finish off the joints and leave it at that for the PB part. Did it several times before and it has been fine every since

[London mike 61]

A couple of pointers to watch

1. Check the date on the bag of plaster, try and get the longest date possible
2. Once you have put the plaster on the wall, leave it for 10-15 minutes to firm up a little because unless you are using a speedskim rule to flatten ( NOT smooth out ) it will just push the plaster around.
3. If you find it hard going then google ' sponge float plastering ' which is basically rubbing up a wall with a sponge float and flattening with a normal trowel.
4. Join theplasterers forum and search for hints and tips from professionals ( although the banter is a bit lively!! )
5. Using a speedskim rule is easier to flatten a wall

Mike

[DIY_Johnny]

well, I spend the day at it and unfortunately I made total *** of it again. I reluctantly have to admit I was defeated so will get a proper spread. I love learning new skills and I'd rate myself as a very competent DIYer but plastering is a a step too far for me

Actually there was a improvement over yesterday and learnt a lot regarding timings, stop messing about with it etc, but realistically to have a half decent result I would need to mess up an entire house to get an sort of passable standard. The plaster from yesterday cracked but I thought I had prepared the wall properly.

Tired, and dejected. Time to open the whiskey....

Thanks for the advice chaps anyway. Maybe I will revisit it another day in the future.

[Cantseeitfrommyhouse]

Where do you live?

[DIY_Johnny]

Where do you live?

London

[wine~o]

Where do you live?

In a badly plastered house ?

[Cantseeitfrommyhouse]

Where do you live?

In a badly plastered house ?

You cruel cruel man

[DIY_Johnny]

Where do you live?

In a badly plastered house ?

haha, well the whole place is held together in layers of woodchip, cable and boxes surface mounted. I stripped the wood chip off one room to re skim and chased the cables, boxes

I should have just left well enough alone and closed the door