Skim coat plaster vs. tape and mud
dana100
4 years ago
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Should I skim coat the old plaster or put on new drywall?
Comments (40)"I don't think you can get a nice finish coat directly on top of the bonding agent. At least I had a difficult time, although perhaps a pro would know how. For me, everything slid around too much while you were trying to work it smooth." Sounds like you are not leaving enough material on the wall, possibly using too much water in the mix, and did not allow the bonding agent to dry enough. The layer is about 1/16 to 1.8 inch thick. The mix for skim coating should be about like peanut butter in consistency. This allows it to be pushed out easily but has enough body to be workable. Bonding agents need to set up to tacky before applying the plaster. The water in the plaster will help it soften again and grab. Use of drywall knives also makes covering large areas even more of a chore than it needs to be. A plasterer's trowel makes short work of covering large areas and produces a smooth finish. It takes some practice to barealy raise the leading edge to obtain a good finish. The trowels with the tiny (3/4 inch diameter) handle are not as good as ones with a decent (~1.5 inch) grip diameter....See MoreHow to Skim Coat Drywall?
Comments (14)"Skim coating with drywall knives is a nighmare." Yes, we learned this the hard way. A trowel would be easier, although it takes some time to get used to using it. "3. has anyone tried this "Dustless Drywall Hand Sanding System" (see link below) from Home Depot? It attaches to a shop vac and uses a 5 gal tank of water to trap the plastet dust." We rented this machine from HD. We were pleased with the results. It sanded large surfaces smooth with very little effort and kept dust to a minimum as long as the bag is not full and the hose attachments are properly connected. If we should tackle this project again in another room we will use the trowel method or perhaps slightly thinning the compound and rolling it on with a paint roller....See MoreHiring a plasterer to skim coat a concrete ceiling?
Comments (3)"The ratio of plaster (a lime based compound that hardens by chemical reaction) to gypsum (a 'mud' made of gypsum and water which dries by evaporation) determines the time one can apply and finish the mix before it chemically hardens." Setting type joint compound hardens by chemical reaction (the same as plaster) and not by drying. There would be no reason to add plaster to a setting type compound. Gauging plaster is mixed with retarders or lime putty to slow the setting time, snce it is very short (less than 10 minutes) and not workable for finishing without being slowed down. The combination of lime putty (weeks to months to fully sure) with plaster produces a reasonable setting time....See MoreAmateur needs some tips on skim coat plastering
Comments (7)Shimming is very slow and a real PITA. You can get a faster result by using 2x2s (I use ripped down 2x4s) and attaching them to the edge of the present studs protruding far enough to create a new flat plane for the drywall. Find the highest spot on the existing studs and make the entire wall match that. Either screws or a nail gun make quick work of attaching the new strips to the sides. Hammering nails allows the new studs to move around too much (and old wood can be very hard). If the area is large enough a laser level projecting a plumb line and a wooden gauge can be used to quickly align the front edge of the new sisters as you move across the wall. Attach new wood to every stud so the screw spacing will be uniform. Some painters tape and a marker allow for transferring the stud locations to the floor for weasier wall fastening if there is any irregularity in the studs. Skim cioating for smaller areas isfaster with a plasterer's trowel (instead of a srywall knife) and use Easysand or Durabond. 120 minute if you are a little slow, 90 if you are faster. If you mix these compounds about as thick as peanut butter (smooth with no lumps please) there wil be very little shrinkage as they harden. Unlike pre-mix that hardens by evaporation, Easysand and Durabind harden by chemical reaction....See More
dana100
4 years agodana100
4 years ago
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