Help! ~ teach me to plaster!

[Ogmios]

How it got to this point is a long story. All i can say is Mrs Og has been VERY patient.
ANYhow,
here's the thing - i thought when we got the house that i could sort this. (We moved in ... many years ago ).
I'm semi skilled in most building trades and can do most jobs around the house adequately.
I thought i could plaster! WRONG.
All i'd done up til now was small patching jobs, i.e; smaller than the trowel i was using.
Found out on a different job that i cant do anything that requires 'free hand' work.
Now i've gone and taken off the beauty board (what a lie that title is ) i see a job that i dont have the skill to fix - but fix i must.

~ I know i could batten around and nail up / dab and push/'glue' on plaster board - but that still leaves the edges / corners to sort (how?!).
~ The solid walls are a c*nt to nail/screw into and it would make the small kitchen even smaller.
~ a better job would be a layer of bonding and a skim?

The house is a 1950s Dublin Corporation (council) house. cast 'cinder block' (?) walls - fucking hard to drill into, very little actual plaster on the walls. Biggest worry is that previous owners covered a multitude of bodges with this shit beauty board - so as i go around the walls - there could be anything underneath. Or just as likely the board covers neffing great holes as i have found already. So far i've found beauty board plastered to solid wall. Plaster to non structural dividing walls alongside solid walls - but not all the way up/down/sideways. When you take the wall paper off - you can find anything under it!

So,
how do i go about this?
I'll start beside the door and work to my right. Get the bit from door to corner done first. Might be lucky (but doubt it) and find more solid flat finish as i go.
See pics for detail. Ask any questions.
Thanks guys for any help you can give (If not for me - for Linda!) - i am at wits end... and i aint got much to begin with


Right of door - start point. note no 'corner', bare concrete and a wall was roughly removed here.

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/5P7kkJTB-1PEsImIs_WinIj3uTPhwjIPdh2lRHabpj0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-FLL6Z8lN31w/U7w58e4XeEI/AAAAAAAACs0/qkBrAl5sSRU/s640/DSCF1073.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/110392685136049648662/OddsAndSods?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">odds and sods</a></td></tr></table>

close up shows the 'corner', that needs rebuilding and the layers of concrete and plaster.

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/eSoW1FYxHC1zluQM3f4wRIj3uTPhwjIPdh2lRHabpj0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Xa6l13Y5rfw/U7w6R0nM1BI/AAAAAAAACtA/QNXPVU1_yZo/s640/DSCF1074.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/110392685136049648662/OddsAndSods?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">odds and sods</a></td></tr></table>

To the left of the door - 'here be dragons' feck knows whats under there - though its last on the job - i need to know now how to deal with it.
<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Em5lDhR0f070Btu7OIKfZIj3uTPhwjIPdh2lRHabpj0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GN7GHmjIZow/U7w6SNum4AI/AAAAAAAACtY/VOr6FgUZQdY/s640/DSCF1076.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/110392685136049648662/OddsAndSods?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">odds and sods</a></td></tr></table>

Above the window should be easy.

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Eutdo1vpcPHymBIFV9wzL4j3uTPhwjIPdh2lRHabpj0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-neDTGraARdI/U7w6XTrg-xI/AAAAAAAACtM/p3pmrSEhwfI/s640/DSCF1077.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/110392685136049648662/OddsAndSods?authuser=0&feat=embedwebsite">odds and sods</a></td></tr></table>

A vid - the bit i need to work on 1st is from 45 seconds to 55 seconds

<iframe width="640" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/7bfr6tagaX0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[JJH]

8 by 4 plaster board le farge system you use plaster to stick the pre cut board to the wall then patch around use the mesh edging for edges. Worth a try but you might end up with a trades man in the end. Plastering is a art. JJH

 

[DavidHale]

Sometimes.... just sometimes.... you need to swallow a little pride and call in a proper trades...

Plastering is an art form, especially where you're dealing with a number of differing surfaces/holes/corners/unknowns. Someone that knows what they're doing will have it done in a day or so; you'll still be buggering about with it at Christmas!

 

[Ogmios]

Sometimes.... just sometimes.... you need to swallow a little pride and call in a proper trades...

Plastering is an art form, especially where you're dealing with a number of differing surfaces/holes/corners/unknowns. Someone that knows what they're doing will have it done in a day or so; you'll still be buggering about with it at Christmas!

David - it's sat looking like this for ... we've forgotten just how many years - while i've stood looking at it, scratching my feckin head

 

[JJH]

A job for Paddy the plasterer JJH

 

[Ogmios]

Who he?

A job for Paddy the plasterer JJH

... and does he need Advanced rider training - coz that's all i got to negotiate with

 

[Kamikaze]

He's been known to give a dig out in the past.

 

[Popell]

I manage to brick lay, do electrickery, plumbing, joinery, welding, decorating.....



But I call someone in to plaster -I have tried in the past but have now realise that

A man's got to know his limitations

 

[JJH]

He's a good hand at the horses. I don't think advanced rider training would help him over the jumps JJH

 

[DavidHale]

Ok, what would I do if I was doing it myself? Bearing in mind I'm NOT a plasterer but I have had to prep a few walls for them.

1. Strip EVERYTHING off of the walls you want to do. Tiles, nails, loose masonry, dog ends, cookers, cats, etc. Anything that's "live" or loose needs to come off. Tap it with a screwdriver - if it moves it comes off.

2. Fill the big holes/dips with bonding. That looks like a missing block to the left of the door? Fill it with some bits of thermalite block, roughly in line with the wall.

3. Fix 9mm plasterboard to the walls using dot'n'dab fixer - big dollops on 4-6" centers, push onto wall then smack the plasterboard with the belly of a length of 4x2 (no, not Proff) until it's flat, true and plumb.

4. Finish the corners with skim beads (ally mesh in a right-angle) and tape all the joints.

5. Skim coat of plaster over the whole lot - 1/8" thick or so.

You WILL make a lot of mess and dust, so cover anything delicate or precious like Mrs Ogmios with dust sheets.

Like I say, I'm not a plasterer but doing the above should look better than what's there at the moment.

 

[Ogmios]

Ooh i dunno ...

He's a good hand at the horses. I don't think advanced rider training would help him over the jumps JJH

Information.
Position.
Speed.
Gear.
Acceleration

 

[Mike L]

Do it yourself! Start on a small bit and work your way up to a big bit......... (Hint....Do it in bare feet and boxers until you get the knack!) I skimmed and plastered our last house in total a few years back. As a broke mature student employing someone wasn't an option. You'll be surprised how good you get with practice. Just make sure you get the mixture right and keep the plaster wetted as you smooth it out.

I found ceilings easier than walls as there's a lot less bending down involved.

Good luck

 

[flatdog]

As a plasterer meself...thats not going to cost much to get sorted by a professional.
1 easy days work.
Don't piss about trying to do it yourself, it WILL look worse when you give up.
Factor your time/frustration/ then realising the finish is shite and no end of filler and paint will hide.

= £150.00 - £200.00 to your local plasterer. 5 hours work, wait for 1 week then paint.

I'd be more than happy to do it if i was local to you.....however.

 

[DrFarkoff]

Ask "Kev and Mide" Kev!

I'll go drop a line on Bake book

 

[Ogmios]

David,
Thank you. A Lot.
Two questions;
1./ Though i've seen / removed 'dot and dab' plasterboard - on a really awful, damp wall - and it held well, i cannot believe it's that easy - seems like a bodge - and it WILL stay there! Really?
I think i can do that. Phew.
2./

Skim coat of plaster over the whole lot - 1/8" thick or so.

Ah, now ...you make that sound soooo easy. I know it's not. Though i'm a fairly good panel beater (thank you Vauxhall cars ) so i'm used to applying / working a 'filler' coat - it's never had to be flat and level across a large area. THIS alone is my big worry.
I've considered
~ laying thin battens vertically along the wall - 1/2" narrower than my widest rowel, thus creating a 'trough' to fill in and two good edges to work to. Then removing (?) the battens after its dried and filling the slots left behind. There's so much that can go wrong with this idea and it's surely way overly complicated.
~ even considered adding a handle to my metre long steel rule and using THAT to level the finish!
... jeez! - that's enough for one night.
Thanks for the replies folks. It is Much Appreciated.
~~~
Marc
EDIT: Wow! - just seeing more replies - got more to think about. Ta again!

 

[Beamer]

Sorry mark, only just seen this and I'm in the airport. I'll pop round and show you what to do when I get home if you can wait another 6 weeks?

 

[Ogmios]

Sorry mark, only just seen this and I'm in the airport. I'll pop round and show you what to do when I get home if you can wait another 6 weeks?

Wow.
Jaysus - you're literally enroute! Thanks for replying Kev,
I'll happily wait - you know your stuff. Thank You very much.

Linda's Pleased too. "Given how many ****ing years I've been waiting ... "

Much Appreciated.
~~~
Marc

 

[Deleted account 200502001]

laying thin battens vertically along the wall - 1/2" narrower than my widest rowel, thus creating a 'trough' to fill in and two good edges to work to. Then removing (?) the battens after its dried and filling the slots left behind.

This is what Ive often considered, though id never actually attempt it, but surely it could work?

 

[flatdog]

This is what Ive often considered, though id never actually attempt it, but surely it could work?

It would work if you rendering the wall with a view to skimming it to a smooth finish.
Just pva the wall with 2 coats, give it a scratch coat of around 10mm and fit any angle beads, fix some 25mm batons vertically (not horizontally) as the render is easier to get on that way.
Before its dried, remove batons, fill the voids and flatten the whole wall with a float and sponge when nearly dry. Then its ready for skimming.
Downside to using batons is they tend to follow imperfections in the wall and you duplicate them hence why you must use a float to flatten the surface.

 

[plumber02]

mushroom on or if the walls are bad dab on (but the walls look ok) half inch foil back slabs all over, if you have to dab then on double up the slabs just for strenght , i'd go as far as taking out the sink and slab out the whole room if ya have the coin dryline the outer walls its the best way and well worth it ,you could tape n joint it but is is better to get a plasterer in , just make sure you use foil back slabs especially on reveals , dont do it yourself and dont forget you cant make chicken soup outa chicken shit,