I'm a big fan of work smarter not harder. It's good to see other spreads are starting to think more about longevity. I've just brought another lad in to help me because boarding big ceilings on your own with props is graft. Keep the videos coming
I’ve never used a speedskim for speed personally, I use it to get the wall or ceiling as flat as it’s possible to get it and after 24 years on the trowel there isn’t a spread alive going to convince me something 13 or 14 inch will leave an overall flatter surface than something 36 inch will! (I do think going bigger than 900/1200mm you start to lose the feel needed for a 2/3mm finish you get with multi though)The plastic blades just aren’t flexing like they imagine they are or at the very least no more so than the equivalent pressure and control we put through a steel trowel as we use feel and experience to try and get the surface flat! I get there’s some terrible jobs left by speedskims and flexible trowels but I’ll say it til I’m blue in the face, these are the finishes of rough or inexperienced plasterers and I guarantee these same guys leave a sub standard finish with an mt 14" steel all the way through too!
I use the speed skim all the time, total game changer and my finish is never substandard. I always finish with a trowel. Not sure what physics you are using to calculate a small blade will get it less flatter. I would never the speed skim to achieve the ultimate end finish. If. You haven't used one yet I would recommend you do, it might help save your joints and, keep you plastering a bit longer 😅
Spot on mate, no point in being fucked at fifty even if you were a bit quicker.. At 65 I'm a bit slower than I was twenty years ago but I just charge a bit more per day, If the customer doesn't like it, well fuck'em. Take care of yourself we only get one body. ATB from J & H Builders
I’ve been spreading for 12 years and I absolutely love these videos and you willing to evolve and try new things! I’m always open minded to try new ways and since I’ve done so it has really made a difference.💯
Mate, hats off to you, very good points made! I've been on the trowel 26yrs, and it's true, plasterers get stuck in their own styles, but when you get down what works for you the thought of trying something takes you out of your comfort zone, but it's also undeniable that the repetition of doing that will inevitably wear you out, or parts of you at least and we are but a sum of our pats, when the bit you use every day is f%@ked that's bad times :( I've just ordered a speedskim after watching this, never used one, I've always been derby and featheredge, got my style haha, but I'm keen to see what I can do with it, I can see how it works and it would make any low points really obvious for a touch up in no time! Never tried the stilts, but I'm 6ft 3" so there's not much I can't reach in a house off a crate haha Loaded my plasterboard lift in the van this evening, love that thing!! I also work on my own these days so it's literally an extra pair of hands and extra bonus with it is, it doesn't ask for subs, stink of weed or not be there in the morning when I need it!! Hail the plasterboard lift!! But my last point is actually why I'm commenting on your video, the best thing I've done to change my style since 2018, is to train myself to be ambidextrous and trust me, when you start to get it down it will put a massive smile on your face haha! I started doing it to even out everything physically and it's really working, I don't get a crick neck like I used to and when I sit I can feel my back is straighter, I'm 47 and I've never been fitter... well haha!! But it's a battle to start with and man do you ache, but that goes away, I stated taking saunas and that got me through it. The hawk is the hardest, I still drop gear, yeah, it's messy to start with, but baby steps and if you don't inexplicably shout c^*t every time you drop some that will really help your progress haha Big up from Bristol, I've liked and subscribed, keep on smoothing out the world one surface at a time 😋👍
Crusty old folk resist change no matter what walk of life, not sure why, I think they just like to suffer! I used a speed skim on a ceiling the other week for the first time and it was amazing!
The speedskim with handle keeps your arms lower which is less tiring. The stilts avoid hopping up and down. A thinner mix reduces strain on the joints. All these things reduce tiredness and when you are tired, that’s when you are more likely to have bad form or posture and also more likely to get an injury. Most of all, you’re less likely to make a mistake or a mess and less of that means you spend less time doing it. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.
I use SBR over anything else Blaine, tried every grit and pva going. If you’ve patch bonded a large area eg a blocked up doorway and are skimming the next day. SBRed and left overnight it absolutely kills the suction dead.
My builder just never came back one day and left a lifter behind. I have been using it, what a great tool! So much easier, although I didn't realise you are supposed to use the arms and load it flipped to the side. Hah what a Muppet. Thanks for all your videos they have been a great help to me
Love your vids been a plasterer over 30 years . Used a lifter first time last week god why did I not use one before .Would off saved my shoulders and used less bad language 😂
Good advice. I would add: Mix on some low platform like a hop-up or cable spool instead of lifting full buckets, saves you a lot of bending down and reaching. A folding scaffold/ladder (eg varitrex) gives a lot of range. Skimmers are your best friend IMO. “Traditionally” there is no “official procedure” for anything: the procedure is however you get the job done with the materials and tools on hand. There are a bunch of methods for each and every task, and you choose what works or come up with new tricks :) When getting my workplace safety certification, there was one important point: whatever you do, you want to do it in a way that is controlled, repeatable, safe, and without overextending anything. As a rule of thumb: if you could do the task for 5 days a week straight, you have organized your work perfectly. If you can barely reach, lift, or otherwise manage the task, rethink, and set things up to make your life easier.
I love my drywall lift , you can take as long as you want and it just holds it up for . And the older I get the more I look for the smarter and not harder ways to get the job done
tore my knee doing a ceiling getting up and down a hop up it is as you say a difficult job and using a board lifter is a game changer when your on your own for sure
Prefer the 900mm metal speed skim, draws the moisture to the surface can get on the 2nd coat after 5 minutes usually. Definitely the best flattening tools, doesn't replace the steel trowel with brush on 3rd trowel though for sure
When mixing that boding what's the dry time for it to go off & would you be able to do a video off covering over old tile adhesive on a splashback in a kitchen or what's the best way to tackle this job, great vid 👍
Yeah I've used that exact render mesh inside before too, you just have to be careful its flat, its thick so could show through the skim if you're not careful
I think resistance to change is the single biggest problem that trades face. You just have to read any of the comment sections of the efixx channel when they show a new tool or product. So many times as an electrician I’ve heard the phrase “We’ve always done it like that.” When really there are much better, newer ways of doing something. Don’t listen to all the “old blokes” with their tennis elbow and busted up knees. You’re clearly someone who cares about their trade and their quality of life.
Yes, I love my board lifter, I work on my own a lot and board big ceilings, the lift is a massive body saver. Also, i find SBR is much better for bonding, I have stopped using pva.
Board lifters are life and back savers no one gets every board perfect especially in crap old places and any little adjustment on the odd board you can do without taking the bloody thing back down again. Nice work , I’ve got loads of angled ceilings to do Blaine next week any tips please ? Sloped and angled over cellotex as well😱
Totally agree mate, they are life savers! Not any tips that would profoundly make the job easier ha! Just take your time and make sure your angles are bang on. This will make the Plastering 10x easier
Bought one of those lifters about 6 months ago from The Range 145 quid. The spring on the brake occasionally comes loose. Always look forward to your vids. Reckon you should send your vids to the tv people. You’re a natural on camera. Go for a full beard mate. 😊
Thank you matey, really appreciate that. I like UA-cam - it’s a nice platform. This is enough for me I think! And unfortunately I’m not capable of a full beard so this will have to do for now 😂
I found smaller boards and a single prop worked easier. Also plastering causes my r/h side to tense up and my posture leant to the l/h side. Now have pain on r/h back. Too repetitive plastering. I also drew plaster dust out with fan- to window.
Could you do a video on the angle the trowel needs to be for each step such as applying , flattening and so forth and also how to stop leaving the trail of the toe of trowel instead of the heal , as I end up keep going back on myself 🤣
Agree 1005 I have been at it 40 year got speedskim about 8 years ago o,great tool with pole for ceiling .Im still a shiteback with the stilts though .Still doing my knees with the hop up or Barrs crate 😀 .Your videos are first class BTW
Great vid mate. How much is the board lifter? Sbr is brilliant, only issue I’ve had with it is it can peel off. I took Kirk’s advice and used it neat and the suction control is amazing, but, like I say, if you dink a bit it can peel off. With the sockets you filled, typically i foam them and cut them back and put a bit of bonding on it. I render mesh all old properties anyway if there was any risk of cracking, which with foam there isn’t
It’s only £170 pal. Cheap for what it is and does save a lot of Labour time. Yeah…I’m in 2 mins with SBR for this very reason. I feel that it can cause more trouble than it’s worth but we’ll see… Worth testing!
It’s a 2 man job boarding a ceiling maybe if us trades were not trying to undercut each other at every opportunity. You could charge proper rates for a proper 2 man job crazy idea I know 🤷♂️
I just plastered a 20 sqm bathroom ceiling at 2.6 m high and I'm only 5"8, ,I had no stilts so screwed cos to the bottom of my hoppo to get me up there ,was a struggle
Sbr beats everything for suction control. Bonding is completely different to skim on. Heavy two coats the night before and there's barely any difference to the rest of the wall
Imo I'd just over board pal yeh cud probs get over it with thick batch but then if the dreaded polishing bit comes and artex peel/falls off nd ceiling comes down then you'd wish u just boarded it from start ha
Physical work is good for you , however plastering is ultimately a repetitive job and it will take its toll…. I’m all for making life easier rather than harder
I think there are genuinely alotnof tradesman who are undersigned yet demanding big rates when they can't do jog to a high standard. The top rated guys are too busy. Left with alot of cowboys.
@Geedles B never dries or clogs its supper neat and a dream to use and u can use what whatever dilution ratio you want So no splash back and less need of a labourer
I have been Plastering since I was 16 now 35 both private/builder and site work and the job absolutely ruins your body and if you think your going to get rich from it your joking your self sorry the negativity but it's shi*e
Hahaha snap I started at 17 mate 35 now lower bk is fucked like hand and elbow but I've not done to bad out ov it you can make good money if u put the graft in and along the way you learn alot I'm about to jack it in anytime soon and start flipping property hopefully
@@markrobson9894 yeah good stuff matey am going to give it until am 40 and maybe look for something easier haha Yeah you can earn OK money as a subby but you have to sacrifice your health unfortunately
@@PlasteringForBeginners getting better this.didn't even scrim the joints between ceiling and walls if you're not doing it in a one'r then do opposite sides to leave a hard angle unless your no good and need an angle trowel,and always do the ceiling first. And yes do use a shovel when you're knocking up browning in a bath. Guess your to used to dotting and dabbing eh rather than floating and skimming !! Ever heard of wall finish ? 👍
I'm a big fan of work smarter not harder. It's good to see other spreads are starting to think more about longevity. I've just brought another lad in to help me because boarding big ceilings on your own with props is graft. Keep the videos coming
I’ve never used a speedskim for speed personally, I use it to get the wall or ceiling as flat as it’s possible to get it and after 24 years on the trowel there isn’t a spread alive going to convince me something 13 or 14 inch will leave an overall flatter surface than something 36 inch will! (I do think going bigger than 900/1200mm you start to lose the feel needed for a 2/3mm finish you get with multi though)The plastic blades just aren’t flexing like they imagine they are or at the very least no more so than the equivalent pressure and control we put through a steel trowel as we use feel and experience to try and get the surface flat! I get there’s some terrible jobs left by speedskims and flexible trowels but I’ll say it til I’m blue in the face, these are the finishes of rough or inexperienced plasterers and I guarantee these same guys leave a sub standard finish with an mt 14" steel all the way through too!
I use the speed skim all the time, total game changer and my finish is never substandard. I always finish with a trowel. Not sure what physics you are using to calculate a small blade will get it less flatter. I would never the speed skim to achieve the ultimate end finish. If. You haven't used one yet I would recommend you do, it might help save your joints and, keep you plastering a bit longer 😅
@@michaeleardley3763 mate I can’t decipher that reply to be honest, I can’t work out if you’ve mis read my comment
Spot on mate, no point in being fucked at fifty even if you were a bit quicker.. At 65 I'm a bit slower than I was twenty years ago but I just charge a bit more per day, If the customer doesn't like it, well fuck'em. Take care of yourself we only get one body. ATB from J & H Builders
Fair play and well deserved in my opinion. Respect for your time served - you deserve every Penny pal 👍
I’ve been spreading for 12 years and I absolutely love these videos and you willing to evolve and try new things! I’m always open minded to try new ways and since I’ve done so it has really made a difference.💯
Awesome! Thank you - really appreciate that!
Mate, hats off to you, very good points made! I've been on the trowel 26yrs, and it's true, plasterers get stuck in their own styles, but when you get down what works for you the thought of trying something takes you out of your comfort zone, but it's also undeniable that the repetition of doing that will inevitably wear you out, or parts of you at least and we are but a sum of our pats, when the bit you use every day is f%@ked that's bad times :(
I've just ordered a speedskim after watching this, never used one, I've always been derby and featheredge, got my style haha, but I'm keen to see what I can do with it, I can see how it works and it would make any low points really obvious for a touch up in no time!
Never tried the stilts, but I'm 6ft 3" so there's not much I can't reach in a house off a crate haha
Loaded my plasterboard lift in the van this evening, love that thing!! I also work on my own these days so it's literally an extra pair of hands and extra bonus with it is, it doesn't ask for subs, stink of weed or not be there in the morning when I need it!! Hail the plasterboard lift!!
But my last point is actually why I'm commenting on your video, the best thing I've done to change my style since 2018, is to train myself to be ambidextrous and trust me, when you start to get it down it will put a massive smile on your face haha! I started doing it to even out everything physically and it's really working, I don't get a crick neck like I used to and when I sit I can feel my back is straighter, I'm 47 and I've never been fitter... well haha!! But it's a battle to start with and man do you ache, but that goes away, I stated taking saunas and that got me through it. The hawk is the hardest, I still drop gear, yeah, it's messy to start with, but baby steps and if you don't inexplicably shout c^*t every time you drop some that will really help your progress haha
Big up from Bristol, I've liked and subscribed, keep on smoothing out the world one surface at a time 😋👍
Crusty old folk resist change no matter what walk of life, not sure why, I think they just like to suffer! I used a speed skim on a ceiling the other week for the first time and it was amazing!
The speedskim with handle keeps your arms lower which is less tiring. The stilts avoid hopping up and down. A thinner mix reduces strain on the joints. All these things reduce tiredness and when you are tired, that’s when you are more likely to have bad form or posture and also more likely to get an injury. Most of all, you’re less likely to make a mistake or a mess and less of that means you spend less time doing it. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.
I use SBR over anything else Blaine, tried every grit and pva going. If you’ve patch bonded a large area eg a blocked up doorway and are skimming the next day. SBRed and left overnight it absolutely kills the suction dead.
My builder just never came back one day and left a lifter behind. I have been using it, what a great tool! So much easier, although I didn't realise you are supposed to use the arms and load it flipped to the side. Hah what a Muppet. Thanks for all your videos they have been a great help to me
Love your vids been a plasterer over 30 years . Used a lifter first time last week god why did I not use one before .Would off saved my shoulders and used less bad language 😂
Haha thank you! I thought the same thing when I used mine for the 1st time…
Why not sooner 😂
Good advice. I would add: Mix on some low platform like a hop-up or cable spool instead of lifting full buckets, saves you a lot of bending down and reaching. A folding scaffold/ladder (eg varitrex) gives a lot of range. Skimmers are your best friend IMO.
“Traditionally” there is no “official procedure” for anything: the procedure is however you get the job done with the materials and tools on hand. There are a bunch of methods for each and every task, and you choose what works or come up with new tricks :)
When getting my workplace safety certification, there was one important point: whatever you do, you want to do it in a way that is controlled, repeatable, safe, and without overextending anything. As a rule of thumb: if you could do the task for 5 days a week straight, you have organized your work perfectly. If you can barely reach, lift, or otherwise manage the task, rethink, and set things up to make your life easier.
Mate that’s the best way of doing that job by far.
that platform thing is a total bomb, wow, love it.
Great video as always, 35 yrs in the trade and most of my joints suffering now. Anything to make it easier I would say.
I love my drywall lift , you can take as long as you want and it just holds it up for . And the older I get the more I look for the smarter and not harder ways to get the job done
I love it mate! Gutted I haven't used it earlier
tore my knee doing a ceiling getting up and down a hop up it is as you say a difficult job and using a board lifter is a game changer when your on your own for sure
The benifit with sbr is when its set its set. pva when set, if you spit on it and rub it in it starts to re emulsify like it would in damp conditions
Prefer the 900mm metal speed skim, draws the moisture to the surface can get on the 2nd coat after 5 minutes usually. Definitely the best flattening tools, doesn't replace the steel trowel with brush on 3rd trowel though for sure
When mixing that boding what's the dry time for it to go off & would you be able to do a video off covering over old tile adhesive on a splashback in a kitchen or what's the best way to tackle this job, great vid 👍
Man oh man your talking my language..brilliant.
Yeah I've used that exact render mesh inside before too, you just have to be careful its flat, its thick so could show through the skim if you're not careful
I think resistance to change is the single biggest problem that trades face. You just have to read any of the comment sections of the efixx channel when they show a new tool or product. So many times as an electrician I’ve heard the phrase “We’ve always done it like that.” When really there are much better, newer ways of doing something. Don’t listen to all the “old blokes” with their tennis elbow and busted up knees. You’re clearly someone who cares about their trade and their quality of life.
Yes, I love my board lifter, I work on my own a lot and board big ceilings, the lift is a massive body saver.
Also, i find SBR is much better for bonding, I have stopped using pva.
100% right years ago we used to use hand drills and brace and bits then the battery drill came along ( Marita 9.6 v if I remember right) enough said
That's the one!
Verrrrry well said Dave 🙂
Board lifters are life and back savers no one gets every board perfect especially in crap old places and any little adjustment on the odd board you can do without taking the bloody thing back down again. Nice work , I’ve got loads of angled ceilings to do Blaine next week any tips please ? Sloped and angled over cellotex as well😱
Totally agree mate, they are life savers! Not any tips that would profoundly make the job easier ha! Just take your time and make sure your angles are bang on. This will make the Plastering 10x easier
I couldn’t get used to the stilts, especially in a room with dust sheets , forever tripping up.
Bought one of those lifters about 6 months ago from The Range 145 quid. The spring on the brake occasionally comes loose. Always look forward to your vids. Reckon you should send your vids to the tv people. You’re a natural on camera. Go for a full beard mate. 😊
noo.. full beard looks like fashion victim!
Thank you matey, really appreciate that. I like UA-cam - it’s a nice platform. This is enough for me I think!
And unfortunately I’m not capable of a full beard so this will have to do for now 😂
I found smaller boards and a single prop worked easier. Also plastering causes my r/h side to tense up and my posture leant to the l/h side. Now have pain on r/h back. Too repetitive plastering. I also drew plaster dust out with fan- to window.
Could you do a video on the angle the trowel needs to be for each step such as applying , flattening and so forth and also how to stop leaving the trail of the toe of trowel instead of the heal , as I end up keep going back on myself 🤣
Agree 1005 I have been at it 40 year got speedskim about 8 years ago o,great tool with pole for ceiling .Im still a shiteback with the stilts though .Still doing my knees with the hop up or Barrs crate 😀 .Your videos are first class BTW
Great vid mate. Would you plaster a ceiling before cutting spotlight holes or after the the holes are cut?
Need to stagger them boards better they will crack to long off a joint
Great vid mate. How much is the board lifter? Sbr is brilliant, only issue I’ve had with it is it can peel off. I took Kirk’s advice and used it neat and the suction control is amazing, but, like I say, if you dink a bit it can peel off. With the sockets you filled, typically i foam them and cut them back and put a bit of bonding on it. I render mesh all old properties anyway if there was any risk of cracking, which with foam there isn’t
It’s only £170 pal. Cheap for what it is and does save a lot of Labour time. Yeah…I’m in 2 mins with SBR for this very reason. I feel that it can cause more trouble than it’s worth but we’ll see…
Worth testing!
It’s a 2 man job boarding a ceiling maybe if us trades were not trying to undercut each other at every opportunity. You could charge proper rates for a proper 2 man job crazy idea I know 🤷♂️
Very true!
I just plastered a 20 sqm bathroom ceiling at 2.6 m high and I'm only 5"8, ,I had no stilts so screwed cos to the bottom of my hoppo to get me up there ,was a struggle
Sbr beats everything for suction control. Bonding is completely different to skim on. Heavy two coats the night before and there's barely any difference to the rest of the wall
Best thing I ever bought.!! ( board lifter).
Used to use one of these lifter in NZ doing commercial dry lining, very fast paced 🥵
That's the one!
Might be short term speed gain mate, but long term when your body is fcuked you'll be slower. You've got exactly the right idea.
I've got some bedrooms with 80s artex is it worth bonding over first or board over and skim? Great video.
Depends how thick the artex is can usually get away with a magic mix
Imo I'd just over board pal yeh cud probs get over it with thick batch but then if the dreaded polishing bit comes and artex peel/falls off nd ceiling comes down then you'd wish u just boarded it from start ha
@@markrobson9894 yerrr probably a good idea I might even take the ceiling down and put new boards up rather than have all that extra weight up there.
Board lifters Blaine you got it good
Physical work is good for you , however plastering is ultimately a repetitive job and it will take its toll….
I’m all for making life easier rather than harder
Agreed. Anything with repetition will hurt us eventually.
I used a speed skim only a small one but its brill. The lifter is amazing need one as i end up dropping props
👍👍
very good video blaine !
Can u adjust stilts to any height
Yeah pal 👍
Nope,always ceilings first,
Fair play
Try telling the feminists sitting in the local garden centre cafe running us down whilst we are skimming a ceiling.
I think there are genuinely alotnof tradesman who are undersigned yet demanding big rates when they can't do jog to a high standard. The top rated guys are too busy. Left with alot of cowboys.
I haven't used pva in over 10 years
Sbr in a pump spray and you'll never look back
I’ve never used it in a pump spay. Is it a bugger to keep the pump clean so it doesn’t clog up ?
@Geedles B never dries or clogs its supper neat and a dream to use and u can use what whatever dilution ratio you want
So no splash back and less need of a labourer
Thank you 👍
Looks good. I would’ve foamed the board above door instead of dab to get it skimmed same day though 👍🏻
Not a bad idea
@@PlasteringForBeginners I take your advice in videos normally 🤣 great work though as usual
next u do a string line do one on the wall
I mark the walls 👍
👍👍
45 years in and I'm still on the hunt for easier methods.....
no brainer at 61...... you are not immortal.
I noticed u got stilts there not as easy as it looks
Its horrible when you drop something on floor when on stilts 😂.you cover some area considering you work alone m8
You’ll be joining the circus next, lol.
😂😂
Not using knee pads will kill your knees for sure.
can i just say
Hi!
Use the board lifter👍 or end up disabled like me😀
In 80,s it was called double plating what is over boarding 😂
I not fixed u got stilts not as easy as I though t
Tanks
👍👍
I have been Plastering since I was 16 now 35 both private/builder and site work and the job absolutely ruins your body and if you think your going to get rich from it your joking your self sorry the negativity but it's shi*e
Hahaha snap I started at 17 mate 35 now lower bk is fucked like hand and elbow but I've not done to bad out ov it you can make good money if u put the graft in and along the way you learn alot I'm about to jack it in anytime soon and start flipping property hopefully
@@markrobson9894 yeah good stuff matey am going to give it until am 40 and maybe look for something easier haha Yeah you can earn OK money as a subby but you have to sacrifice your health unfortunately
😂😂😂😂
Is this a joke 🤔 not a clue 🤣🤣🤣 the traditional trade is absolutely dying !!!
So I’m guessing you’re still knocking up plaster with a shovel and using Lath and plaster rather than Board?? That’s the traditional way isn’t it??
@@PlasteringForBeginners getting better this.didn't even scrim the joints between ceiling and walls if you're not doing it in a one'r then do opposite sides to leave a hard angle unless your no good and need an angle trowel,and always do the ceiling first. And yes do use a shovel when you're knocking up browning in a bath. Guess your to used to dotting and dabbing eh rather than floating and skimming !! Ever heard of wall finish ? 👍
my old man always told me " dont work hard, work smart "
That’s the one!
They make a screw gun for drywall with a clutch that works a lot better than that thing you're using.