📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Fixing messed up wall after removing tiles? Skimming/plastering?

Options
Hi

I'm doing some DIY during lockdown. I've pulled off some tiles in my kitchen and hallway, and they have left a small area where it's full of holes and rough, whereas mostly it just went back to the plaster no issues. 

As I've never repaired anything like this, I'm wondering what the best thing to use is? As you can see from the photos it's a fairly small area, mostly around the window and this patch in the hall. 

Could anyone recommend me what material and technique to uses? I'd be tiling over it again in the kitchen, but in the hallway just want to paint it like a normal wall

Thanks



«134

Comments

  • flashg67
    flashg67 Posts: 4,128 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Where you're retiling, I wouldn't bother too much - the tile adhesive will fill it. Plastering is an art - worth watching a few videos first! Looks like you'll need a small bucket of skimming plaster making up and a suitable plasterer's float. I usually have a sander handy to finish off afterwards..!
  • FreeBear
    FreeBear Posts: 18,259 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Thistle Multifinish would be the usual go-to mix. You'll want to pop the architraves off from the door frames either side. Give the door frames a quick sand down to remove any snots of paint/glue - This will then be the surface to plaster out to.
    Plastering is all down to timing, and on a small area, patience. Don't try to fill the space in one go. Thin layers, and don't overwork the plaster.
    Her courage will change the world.

    Treasure the moments that you have. Savour them for as long as you can for they will never come back again.
  • Don't even think of trying to do your own plastering - everyone's rubbish when they do it the first time, and you don't want that first attempt to be in your own home.
    4.7kWp (12 * Hyundai S395VG) facing more or less S + 3.6kW Growatt inverter + 6.5kWh Growatt battery. SE London/Kent. Fitted 03/22 £1,025/kW + battery £2495

  • delmonta
    delmonta Posts: 502 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 100 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    FreeBear said:
    Thistle Multifinish would be the usual go-to mix. You'll want to pop the architraves off from the door frames either side. Give the door frames a quick sand down to remove any snots of paint/glue - This will then be the surface to plaster out to.
    Plastering is all down to timing, and on a small area, patience. Don't try to fill the space in one go. Thin layers, and don't overwork the plaster.
    Thanks, yes someone reccomended One Coat to me, which says its a primer and plaster, but I'll look at Thistle Multifinish too. 
    Do I need to use PVA or some sort of sealant on the surfaces in my photos? 
  • delmonta
    delmonta Posts: 502 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 100 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    FreeBear said:
    Thistle Multifinish would be the usual go-to mix. You'll want to pop the architraves off from the door frames either side. Give the door frames a quick sand down to remove any snots of paint/glue - This will then be the surface to plaster out to.
    Plastering is all down to timing, and on a small area, patience. Don't try to fill the space in one go. Thin layers, and don't overwork the plaster.
    Also, on the bit of wall in the photo, you see above where I've chipped it off, the textured wall, can I just skim over the top of this too? Or should I aim to chip this all off as well? thanks
  • delmonta
    delmonta Posts: 502 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 100 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    flashg67 said:
    Where you're retiling, I wouldn't bother too much - the tile adhesive will fill it. Plastering is an art - worth watching a few videos first! Looks like you'll need a small bucket of skimming plaster making up and a suitable plasterer's float. I usually have a sander handy to finish off afterwards..!
    Ok thanks, thats great if I dont have to do the window, as it will all be tiled most likely
  • searchlight123
    searchlight123 Posts: 1,152 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    delmonta said:
    FreeBear said:
    Thistle Multifinish would be the usual go-to mix. You'll want to pop the architraves off from the door frames either side. Give the door frames a quick sand down to remove any snots of paint/glue - This will then be the surface to plaster out to.
    Plastering is all down to timing, and on a small area, patience. Don't try to fill the space in one go. Thin layers, and don't overwork the plaster.
    Also, on the bit of wall in the photo, you see above where I've chipped it off, the textured wall, can I just skim over the top of this too? Or should I aim to chip this all off as well? thanks
    that looks like wood chip paper and if it is then that would need to be removed before plastering. 
  • As above the kitchen you should just be able to tile over it as the adhesive will take up quite a bit (albeit you then use a lot of adhesive and it takes longer to dry but in a small area should be fine.

    In the hall I would do as suggested above, remove the architraves and skirting and then plaster this, as it s only a small area a large straight edge would help get a good flat finish and then you can either just fill it and paint or lining paper it and then paint.

    I agree with the post above that plastering is an artform and I wouldn't attempt to do large areas myself but the bit you have there is relativly small and even if you have to do a lot of filling and sanding should still be achieveable.
  • FreeBear
    FreeBear Posts: 18,259 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    delmonta said: Do I need to use PVA or some sort of sealant on the surfaces in my photos? 
    PVA is usually used to reduce the suction of various surfaces - It wouldn't hurt.
    Use the kitchen as a practice area, and if you can get a finish you are happy with, then do the other section. If the kitchen ends up looking like a dog's dinner, the tiles will hide the mess and you know to call in a pro.
    A professional plasterer will charge an arm & leg (day rate) for even a small area. A general handyman might do it for £50 or so if you can find one that is any good at plastering.
    Her courage will change the world.

    Treasure the moments that you have. Savour them for as long as you can for they will never come back again.
  • delmonta
    delmonta Posts: 502 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 100 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    As above the kitchen you should just be able to tile over it as the adhesive will take up quite a bit (albeit you then use a lot of adhesive and it takes longer to dry but in a small area should be fine.

    In the hall I would do as suggested above, remove the architraves and skirting and then plaster this, as it s only a small area a large straight edge would help get a good flat finish and then you can either just fill it and paint or lining paper it and then paint.

    I agree with the post above that plastering is an artform and I wouldn't attempt to do large areas myself but the bit you have there is relativly small and even if you have to do a lot of filling and sanding should still be achieveable.
    Thanks, as you see in the hall, the bit Ive ripped off was tiled from an old bathroom. But above it seems to be this wood chip paper another poster described. I was hoping I could just skim over this, but it seems I'll have to pry it all off!

    The area I'm doing is very small and almost completely hidden, its in a weird tiny bit of hallway between three doors, so nobody would ever really see it. So it doesnt have to be perfect and makes a good practise area
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 351.1K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.6K Spending & Discounts
  • 244.1K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 599K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 177K Life & Family
  • 257.4K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.