How to smoothen wavy walls?

UrWntr

Hi All,

Just bought a house but a lot of the walls are wavy and not flush.

I had a plasterer come over to give me a quote for fixing it but he's concerned that because the walls are quite old (1930s) that it will just happen again.

This doesn't make much sense to me so I'm looking for your thoughts.

Is it possible to sand down the high points and then replaster or reskim? What's the best way to make these walls flush?

Let me know if you need more info.

Cheers.

DVardysShadow

Why is it wavy in the first place? And imagining you had a perfectly flat surface on those wall, how far does the actual plaster deviate from the ideal?

UrWntr

DVardysShadow wrote: »

Why is it wavy in the first place? And imagining you had a perfectly flat surface on those wall, how far does the actual plaster deviate from the ideal?

I assumed it was because the previous owner did a bodge on the plastering. He has done a lot of DIY bodges to the house. But I'm not 100% sure.

I'm not really sure how to answer your second question. I actually don't know anything about plastering. All I know is when I slide my hand down the walls it feels very uneven in waves, and its quite noticeable when the light catches it.

DVardysShadow

UrWntr wrote: »

... I'm not really sure how to answer your second question.

Put a straight edge between 2 high spots and measure the gap to a low spot.

Reading between the lines, the plasterer was probably telling you that you were being too fussy - and even if he could do better, he felt he would be on a collision course with you.

If the walls are painted with anything other than a flat matt, unevenness my be noticeable.

Brighton_belle

Our hall wall sounds like yours. When I asked a decoator for a quote on wallpapering it, he said he wouldn't without putting some sort of skim plaster job with a particular product,on it first (at a cost of £1000). It wasn't that it couldn't be papered, just aesthetically he couldn't believe we were happy with it as it was and he couldn't do a job that wouldn't meet his standards.
I didn't go ahead, as I am not bothered by it: adds to the house character:D. But, my point is, there did seem to be some product out there that could skim and and level an uneven wall. Maybe try another plasterer for another quote?

Leif

UrWntr wrote: »

I assumed it was because the previous owner did a bodge on the plastering. He has done a lot of DIY bodges to the house. But I'm not 100% sure.

I'm not really sure how to answer your second question. I actually don't know anything about plastering. All I know is when I slide my hand down the walls it feels very uneven in waves, and its quite noticeable when the light catches it.

My house is the same, in some rooms the waviness of the walls is quite noticeable, and the screed floors too in places. I painted the walls with matt paint and it is not noticeable. I assume it is the 'fault' of the original plasterer. The plasterer who skimmed some walls recently did much better work than the original chap, and whoever subsequently skimmed a couple of walls. It might be that few could improve on what you have got. Some modern houses have plasterboard walls, hence very flat.