can a plasterer reskim and do a decent job around pipes ect?

poppielia

Hi. really really sorry if this isnt in the right place but i hope it is.
I need some advice if anyone can help?
I want to know if when walls get reskimmed can a plasterer still do a good job around pipes and radiators ect without them being taken off the wall first? (if there are any plasterers out there your take on this would really help me out) I have used a lovely plasterer in the past to reskim some of the walls in my house who is very reasonable price wise but i found he left a bit of a mess when it came to reskimming around pipes and radiators. He said there wasnt anything he could really do to make it look any better as there isnt any tools he could use that could get into those tight little spots or behind raised pipes on the walls. Now is this true? as i am now looking at maybe using someone else to reskim my kitchen diner but i am so worried as there is a fair bit of raised pipework and a radiator that i cant take off the wall and i am really worried that the walls around these areas will look rubbish.
Do you plasterers out there have any little nifty tips for getting over these problems or am i doomed to have a rubbish job in these areas?
Thanks

viv0147

As an x plasterer there are areas where it is difficult to skim because the trowel cannot get to them, my dad who I learned my trade off would in those circumstances use a paint brush to put the plaster on and once it started to harden he would again use the paint brush to smooth the plaster, although using this method wont give you the finish of a trowel it is still a reasonable finish and all areas are covered hope this helps.

broxis11

They should be able to take the radiator off surely?

viv0147

dont call me shirley

justpaper

i dont think u'll have a rubbish job it just wouldnt be as smooth,. like viv0147 said,

and i dont see why ur not going to use this lovely plaster, its really hard not to make a mess when ur plastering and if the owner didnt want to take the pipe work or the rads off and still want a good job done then i would say thats a job i would pass on,.

nelly_2

Can you take a picture of it and post it on here??

Generally its really hard to do a you need to get your trowel in and at the correct angle and then be able to move it properly. If you cant do that then theres no point in doing it as you wont improve the wall.

HugoSP

Have you thought of having the pipes boxed in using plasterboard? This could then be skimmed at the same time as the rest of the plastering is done.

If so, the radiator could come off to allow for the plastering, using the valves to hold the water at bay.

ormus

normally you remove the rad for plastering work.
a large plasterers float should get behind most pipes fairly easy, maybe a bit of a mess near the pipe clips, but this can be smoothed out as the plaster dries.

cargo

This can be acheived as explained by many posts above "all good info"
Basically it all comes down to having the right guy doing the job that is prepared to take the time to slow down a touch and pay attention to the detail.

gobby_2

Most good plasterers will make a fair attempt at getting behind pipes but it's not going to look great. Time isnt something a plasterer has much to play with because plaster goes off fairly quickly and has a limited working time/life. Plasterers with more domestic than on-site experience are more flexible though. From a plasterers view removing a rad is too much risk (flood, pipe break etc) and also not their trade (especially if it went wrong, who pays!?!?). surface mount pipes are best concealed with taller/boxed skirtings anyway which is an option afterwards if it looks poor. If you cant remove the rad ask a plumber to do it, yes it costs more but it'll look better too.

littlemisscheap

Just wanted to add my tuppence worth - the answer is simple - it does wholly depend on the plasterer.

My sister and I had plastering done in both our houses at the same time but by different plasterers both had rads off - mine was the expensive legal one whereas her's was the dirt cheap off the boat one - guess who did the best job with the least damage and zero direction - yes the cheapo one and with all that extra money they saved - he tiled 2 bathrooms fully for them & a kitchen and still had money to spare compared to me. Needless to say I was gobsmacked.

The result:

1 splashed plaster all over the house, damp water everywhere in mine with cracks galore and pipework area not even attempted (not to mention delay whilst fixed as best as possible afterwards) plus plaster that doesn't even reach the skirting whereas hers was a perfect finish into every small detail and cornice edge including delicate design & shaped plaster - long live chinese plasterers! Tradesmen working legally but without offering any financial compensation in this country need a good kick up the...... if you ask me :T

Can't wait for the showdown once China sends more!