DIY-plastering cracked wall:help please!!!!!

u_r

Hi all

recently i posted for help on painting and decorating.It started of well.Now in another room, there was a big crack ceiling to floor.the plaster has been removed and now we can see some sort of board. That has been placed instead of bricks when the chimney breats were removed by ppl before us!

since it is not a big enough job(apart from full length the maximum width would be around a foot), plasterers are hesitant in coming to have a look!

So I decided that I can have a go at it myself!!!!!!!have looked at some youtube videos, read about tools and materials needed.I need to buy the trowel.

can someone please help me with the material please???That is the only thing I am less confident about.had a look at Wickes site. is any stuff from the following page good enough for the job in hand??

http://www.wickes.co.uk/plastering/bagged-plaster/icat/plastbagged/

Or I was drawn to this one?

http://www.wickes.co.uk/ready-mixed-patching-plaster/invt/221666/

I dont need loads as it is not a massive job.If you could advise on the above material or direct me to a site/store more suitable for the job, I would be much grateful!!!!!!!!

I have thougt long and hard about it!!!!!!!The wall is bare of plster now and if i have a go at it myself, the most that can happen is that it will go wrong and the finish may not be off good quality.But we have been laivng with th cracked wall for many years, surely my attempt cant be any bad than that(or can it!!!!!!!!!!!!!):o

Thanks in advance

bradleigh1977

Whats the backing? Bricks or plasterboard, or when you say some sort of board, do you mean hardboard?

evilgoose

I'm not a plasterer - I'm renovating the house and decided to do an evening course on plastering in college. Any plasterers feel free to correct me!!

How deep does the repair need to be to make good?

I've tried the ready mixed patching stuff - didn't like the finish and it's pretty pricey!

I've used the one coat, mainly for small areas, such as cable chases and where I blocked up a bedroom fireplace.

Where I've plastered a whole wall - from the brick - I used the thistle Hardwall as an undercoat and then skimmed with finishing plaster ontop. I was pretty pleased with the results.

Remember to get some PVA for the wall.

I bought a large plasterers trowel now, but I'd bought some trowels from either aldi or lidl. They're not stainless steel, but they're not to bad.

u_r

thanks bradliegh and evil goose!
bradleigh- i dont quite now wat type of board it is-dont now what plasterboard or hardboard is!!!!!!

evilgoose-what is the differnce between thistle bonding and thistle hardwall plaster????if I were to go for that which one would I buy????

plus seeing the quanity as in size of the bags i think they may be quite surplus for my use..can i get small bags from somewhere???

I swa a site wich was selling trowel for under £4.but I will visit local Lidl or other stores and seeif thay have it!!

Thank u both for replying!

bradleigh1977

hardboard is wood--light brown, plasterboard is paper, with white gypsum in between papers. DONT buy cheap trowels, they snap. IF you do, buy an AGNI or ANNI? form b and q, they are the best cheap trowels. dont buy a 4 quid one, itll snap while you are using it, because of the pressure you need to use.

Or buy a marshall town, and keep it for ever.

As for hardwall and bonding-- bonding shrinks and is a backing plaster, but you could us it as a finish if you like ( not perfect but keep it wet and youll get quite an ok finish ) Hardwall for all tense and purposes is waterproof, and doesnt shrink. For you, buy a bag of bonding, water down some PVA so its like runny yoghurt. stick it on the surface you are going to plaster, let it dry, and then slap it in an on. Every now and then work it, flick a bit of water on it. after an hour or so itll be drying well, wet it a bit, keep troweling.

At the end if its rubbish, by a bag of EASI FILL, and rub down the bonding. then fill will the easi, and that will sand down perfect.

u_r

bradleigh1977 wrote: »

hardboard is wood--light brown, plasterboard is paper, with white gypsum in between papers. DONT buy cheap trowels, they snap. IF you do, buy an AGNI or ANNI? form b and q, they are the best cheap trowels. dont buy a 4 quid one, itll snap while you are using it, because of the pressure you need to use.

Or buy a marshall town, and keep it for ever.

As for hardwall and bonding-- bonding shrinks and is a backing plaster, but you could us it as a finish if you like ( not perfect but keep it wet and youll get quite an ok finish ) Hardwall for all tense and purposes is waterproof, and doesnt shrink. For you, buy a bag of bonding, water down some PVA so its like runny yoghurt. stick it on the surface you are going to plaster, let it dry, and then slap it in an on. Every now and then work it, flick a bit of water on it. after an hour or so itll be drying well, wet it a bit, keep troweling.

At the end if its rubbish, by a bag of EASI FILL, and rub down the bonding. then fill will the easi, and that will sand down perfect.

thnk u bradley( i keep wanting to spell it llike dat!!!!!!!sorry) i will look athe board later nad then post..it is obvioisly still on/in the wall so will see what i can note down and tell you!(if i dont know th basics, could run into trouble with DIY!!!)

i saw trowels by marsahll town on net, they are pricey..but guess will come in handy in future. thank u for spelling the amount and the exact stuff i need to buy for the job!!!!

thnks again

evilgoose

BnQ do smaller bags, and I would imagine that Wickes would as well. I bought a marshalltown trowel from bnq - with my mums OAP discount it was still over £40. Check out screwfix for some plasterers tools, though I do agree with bradleigh about quality tools, my aldi's trowel has lasted the abuse of a learner! if you're going to be doing other plastering then you'll get some ROI on expensive tools, otherwise I'd question spending a fortune on a trowel you'll only use once.

Remember to check the best before dates on any bags of plaster you buy. - I used to think that it was irrelevent - but it really does make a difference. buy within the date, or it goes off VERY quickly, as I found out when the bucket I'd mixed had gone hard by the time I'd walked upstairs!

If you havent got a helper - buy some cheap buckets, because while your plastering you need someone to wash them for you!

As for the difference between the two - I'll leave someone with more knowledge than me answer that! - I just went along with what the tutor said about the hardwall - "..it sticks like S$^t to a blanket!..." :-D
Which one to use depends on the surface you're plastering onto, so I think you'd need the bonding as your backing is board.

asbokid

it's difficult to visualise what you mean. is the boarded area coming further out? do you need some angle bead? why not take a photo and upload it to http://www.imageshack.us