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Plastering walls requires skill and precision. Plastering walls will give them a durable, strong finish. Plastering your walls will not only make them look great, but it will also help you soundproof the room and keep them in good shape.
The plaster that you use and the route you choose to apply it will depend on the type of wall or surface you are plastering. Plastering on a new wall or plastering over plasterboard is different than plastering directly onto brickwork or an existing wall.
While you can do small plastering or ‘patching up,’ larger rooms and walls are best left to professionals. You can save money by prepping the area and cleaning out old brickwork.
This is what you should use, depending on whether you’re plastering walls during a renovation or self-build.
Plastering walls in a new build
A different approach is required when plastering walls in new houses or extensions. Plaster can be applied directly to plasterboard for new constructions.
How to apply plaster to a wall
First, countersink the plasterboard screw heads and tape the joint between boards.
To ensure crisp corners around exterior corners, use metal angle beads
Plaster – All blockwork walls that are to be plastered need one coat of cement render and sand, also known as a scratchcoat.
Allow this to dry completely. Next, scratch the top coat with a float that has nails in it. This will provide stability and a key to the next coat. It is applied while the first coat is still green, but before it has dried completely.
These two coats are used to fill in any indentations and undulations in your wall.
The plasterer will then check if the render is set enough and apply the topcoat plaster skim. It should be smooth and free from any trowel marks. This is the final surface of your walls and ceilings. It’s usually the internal walls or stud wall, but it can also be used to cover exterior walls.
The main reason is cost. Therefore, you don’t need to hire a plasterer. Instead, fill the holes with screw tape, cover the joints between boards with scrim, then apply a jointing compound. This is called tape and jointing.
Although this is cheaper than interior plastering Auckland, it’s important to remember that plasterboard can become weak if it gets too wet. If you don’t take care it can easily damage the plasterboard’s paper surface.
Plasterboard absorbs water so it needs to be sealed with a dilute PVA solution (opens in new tab), before you paint.
Plastering walls in your existing home or during a renovation project
Plastering walls during renovations can often require additional prep work to make sure the walls are ready for plaster.
Get the room ready
It’s a good idea to clear the room, cover the carpets, and cover any items that aren’t possible to be removed before your plasterer begins.
Access to water is essential for your plasterer. Make sure you have a way to get to it without having to walk through plaster all over the house.
It is easier to remove old skirting boards than plastering. Most plasterers will plaster to an inch or so above the floor. Although this can be time-consuming, most plasterers will be able skim the skirting boards if you wish to keep them in place.
Prepare your walls
Preparing your walls is necessary if you want your plasterer apply a new skim coat to your old plaster walls.
Before the brickwork underneath can be cleaned, any old plaster that is damaged or crumbling will have to be removed from the walls.
Remove any wallpaper remnants and apply adhesive such as a PVA diluted solution. Blue Grit (opens in new tab) is another option. This adhesive contains small, sand-like particles that stick to walls and makes a great base for a new plaster coating.
You can simply paint on walls with a plaster primer like Thistle Bond (opens in new tab). After the plasterer has dried, he can apply a skim coating directly to walls.
Is it possible to plaster directly onto a brick wall?
It is not common to plaster brickwork or blocks directly, but it is still possible. This is usually done to patch in small sections of plaster that have fallen off a wall.
It is important to assess the condition of these walls and make any necessary repairs. Old brickwork that has begun to crumble will not be able to take a new coat plaster. Before you can begin plastering, here are some things you should do:
You will need to brush the brickwork’s surface with a wire brush
To make it the same thickness as the plasterwork, add a layer or browning (or bonding), to it.
A plasterer can then skim the entire surface
Wet Plastering
Plastering was laborious and costly before plasterboard. Some still prefer plastering directly to brickwork or blocks. This is known as “wet plastering” and it provides superior soundproofing.
The cement render or gypsum backing, also known as a scratch coat, is first troweled onto the blockwork. After that, a thin skim coat is applied.
Wet plastering has some drawbacks. It takes longer to dry than plasterboard skim coats, and it is more susceptible to cracking.
Plastering over Plasterboard is a time- and money-saving method
Plastering plasterboard over brickwork is often easier than plastering bare brickwork. It only requires a skim coat and it is usually the most cost-effective option when renovating. Plasterboard can be attached to timber battens to attach insulation.
Plasterboard can also be “dabbed” to the wall. Small sheets of plasterboard are adhered to the wall with ‘dabs of adhesive.
You can save time and money by cutting plasterboard sheets to your specifications. You can do the job with a handsaw or jigsaw.
Plasterboard can be attached to walls by yourself. This is the easiest way to attach it to the ceilings and timber battens. Use plasterboard screws to secure the heads to the boards.
Before the plasterer can skim, the joints between boards should be covered with scrim or mesh tape.
What is the Cost of Plastering a Wall?
Plasterers’ rates can vary depending on where you live and who you talk to. However, you can expect to pay around PS135 per hour.
Plaster-ready walls will help you save money on your plasterer bill.
Although most plasterers will be happy to remove old plaster and to repair plasterboard, it will increase the amount of time spent on the job as well as their final bill.
You should find out the estimated time of plaster’s arrival on site and agree on a fixed price.
It costs between PS450 and PS800 to plaster a medium-sized space, including removing plasterboard if necessary, fixing plasterboard, skimming, and plasterboard.
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