I've plasterd for about 20 years and I love it when a builder has a go at plastering and finds what works for them. Think outside the box. Great video great work. Keep it up boys.
Few benefits of taping and jointing is use easyfill 20 3 x finish in a day, gyproc fibatape ultrafine 30% thinner for flat joints, dust free sanding systems most guys tend to use now. In smaller jobs joiner can get skirtings on same or next day paint even same or next day and jobs complete. Plaster be 4/5 days drying can hold jobs up crucial stages. Finally timber frame kit manufacturers recommend tape and fill finish as plaster intoduces too much water into the property. Great job of that skimming though!
I mix my plaster skimming product with cement some cement so it cures extremely quickly in a couple of hours. That way we can tape, skim and paint in the same day. Perfect finish with no cracking or shrinkage.
As a Brit now in Canada but not a tradesman in the construction trade, I’ve had the opportunity to experience both systems in many DIY situations, and still at it with major renos in my own home 🙄. My biased opinion for what it’s worth is mud and tape is quicker and a superior finish. Like I said I’m not a tradesman plasterer but I’m still fairly good at it. Having to put a browning coat on then come back and then final skim coat which needs polishing, I can mud and tape and be on to something else whilst the plaster method keeps me focused on that one job until it’s done. If your good at mud and tape there should be very little sanding to do. But I have to admit there’s something beautiful to watch a true plaster working his trade. Keep up the vids love them. Cheers 🍻
Impressive! One advantage of skimming over taping is that the resultant surface is harder; this means that it will withstand many cycles of wallpapering / stripping, whereas taped plasterboard tends to get damaged during stripping of old wallpaper.
I wouldn't put wallpaper directly on drywall unless it were intended to be a permanent "paintable" covering. But I've taken down modern, strip-able wallpaper that was put up on painted drywall a number of times and it has always come of in one piece with just a pull. The real all-paper stuff they made in the 1950s was a lot harder to get off in one piece, especially on unprimed drywall; better to just tape and mud any obvious seams and paint it.
As someone who built and renovated house all my life, I still find plastering to be the one skill that got away, it is the black arts as far as I am concerned. Luckily, my best friend was a supreme plaster who could do an entire room faster than I could mix the plaster for him. I am seventy years old not and still cannot get it right.
You need to be doing it regularly. During the 80's, my mate and I - short of work at the time, took on renovations which required plastering. To be honest, the first few we did weren't the best (and much of it was hardwall plastering, with damp -proofed sand and cement as the base coat - not just skimming boards.) Eventually, we ended up taking on plastering jobs when we were asked to, to the point at which it made up about half of our work, and the quality was spot on. Then I went back to my own trade (joinery) for about 20 years. Working with a guy I'd met at Persimmons, he asked if I could plaster because he had a partition to build, board and skim. I took it on. Whilst I hadn't completely lost it, I struggled to get the finish I'd always done before.
I don't know a thing about building but out of desperation gave it (skimming) a go over lockdown. UA-cam and Sponge float plastering is what got me there :)
Totally agree with James. Skimming is faster, when done well a better finish to! Also skim gives a hard shell over the soft plaster board. Skimming also gets over some imperfections in the boarding which often show through joint fillers/compounds. Also agree that dot and dab over block work is the way to go. To get a good finish with tape and joint is a lot more effort then plastering, and plastering stands the rest of time. Lost count of how many tape and jointed houses I’ve seen with cracked joints, joints shower and corner taped blown 🤢
After earning a living for a while as a plasterer I decided to do a t&J job on my own place as an experiment. It would have been quicker to skim tbh. If you have two plasterers and a guy knocking up, then they would be quicker thean the alternative on most jobs. Skim work doesn't take that long to dry out.
You can cover up anything with either with enough persistence, but the case for plaster gets stronger the more imperfections there are. Taping is a breeze over metal studs, but over warped wood, it's harder to confine the work to the joints themselves. I've heard stories from just after WWII here in the USA, in which builders had to make due with whatever scraps of lumber they could get and the only way to make a level surface was with thicker plaster.
Plastering these days has definitely gained a following of trying to make it technical. I used to work with a bloke who would use nothing more than a 9" trowel, no fancy stuff, 1 coat, finish as good as, if not better than todays. 90 minutes, 3 trowels and a hard one, and that was it. It's the skill that counts in my opinion.
It tends to be the product being used that demands the "technicalities" not the plasterer trying to make their job more technical. If you 1 coat, 1 trowel multi-finish it will be complaints you'll have at the end not a well plastered wall
It's not at all technical, but it's like learning to play a musical instrument, you can read up on the theory all you like, but the first time you try to actually do it as a novice, the results will be awful. You then need to be hyper critical of your own work, learn from your mistakes and try again, the second time you try it will be oh so slightly less awful than the first time, if you persevere you will improve as you learn how the material you're working with behaves. Eventually you will be able to do an acceptable job, but you have to "pay your dues" if you want to become a reasonable plasterer. Anyone can do it, but it takes lots of practice to become proficient, just like learning to play that musical instrument.
@@andypdq Not so sure about that...or maybe I was just a natural. I fancied doing it so I said to my brother, let me re-plaster your kitchen and pay me what you think it's worth. That was in late 2003. By 2005, i was earning my living as a plasterer after only a handful of small jobs in 2004.
I don't agree that applying a second coat from the same mix is the same as putting on a single thick coat. Separate mixes is always preferable, but two coats from the same mix still flattens the wall much better than a single thicker coat could, in my experience. But no two plasterers will ever agree on everything.
Thanks Rob! Edinburgh is a place that is special to me as it’s where my wife and I got together whilst visiting a friend that was getting married there. We stayed at someone’s flat in a place called Niddrie? Anyway we had such a good time there and have always wanted to go back.
For those from Europe asking about the color of the gypsum plaster, it depends on the purity of the source and what quarry it came from in the UK. White gypsum is usually the highest quality.
Are you sure that's right? Because I've seen polish builders load up vans full of mutifinish to take back home ranting about how it's the only good thing in the UK.
Taping and jointing if it’s a small area and your doing it yourself, as for a larger area or ceiling skimming is best and that’s a pro job worth paying for
Taping and jointing works on sites where they want units knocked out. Skimming for smaller areas. Personally, I'd rather skim but a good taper and jointer will leave just as good a job.
in the US we say tape, bed & texture (not to say we're right or better) this process developed itself through mass producing homes & and apartments which after ww2 the whole civilized world was doing (mass production). I do believe for custom homes, plaster (because of new & improved ingredients) is the better way to go.
Im an OK plasterer and and OK Taper, both have their ideal situations. In a small simple room plastering is definitely better. In a more complex room, with odd shapes and angles, perhaps cathedral ceilings, taping is better partly because you can take your time and get it perfect which is difficult with plastering. Regarding the hardwearing quality of taping, obviously plastering is better but for most situations if when you paint you start with 2 coats of zinnser gardz this will harden up the surface and stop the paper absorping paint which if you are using an expensive quality paint is important. With taping always use paper tape. Mesh will crack over time.
Here in New England, there are still a number of skilled renovation contractors who would rather use veneer plaster on blueboard than mess with 3 coats of joint filler. But for most new construction, tapers can go around from house to house, without waiting for any one application to dry, and if they are good, no one will see the difference. I've noticed that the further south or west I travel in the U.S., the less real plastering takes place, though you see a lot of buildings with texture finishes even on the walls, which looks like something from a laundry room to my eyes. I've skimmed walls to cover up rough textures, but if putting up new drywall, I'd rather just tape it and avoid the mess of plastering. Taped drywall is also less prone to cracks than plaster, in my experience.
That’s interesting, my brother lives in Arkansas and he called me a few weeks ago asking about plastering walls as his all have a textured finish that he doesn’t like. Do you know of a product in the U.S that he might be able to get hold of to skim over the textured finish to make it smooth?
@@jimichip Sorry for the delayed reply; I just saw your comment. There are coatings that are said to bond traditional finish-coat plaster to any dimensionally stable surface, though I've never tried them. Another alternative you'll see in a lot of English plastering videos is to coat the surface with PVA (similar to Elmer's glue, or yellow wood glue) and first apply the plaster when the second coat is tacky. And, if the texture is really rough, it may well key to the plaster without any treatment. But if your brother is not comfortable working traditional plaster, drywall filler, which easily bonds to almost anything, will work just fine, and there are plenty of American videos on using it to smooth textured walls. It does typically require more sanding, but it's easier to sand, and if the coats are put up carefully, sponging can take the place of a lot of the sanding that would normally be needed.
I'm not a proffesional at any of this tryed plastering and it was terrible. Decided to try my hand at a tray ceiling with recessed led lighting it turned out perfect you cant tell it is taped and jointed no shadows or anything after painting. Only needed to sand on 3rd coat and was only a very light sand but plastering is a definitive no for me. 👍👍👍
I plaster, and tape and joint - and can get indistinguishable results with either . Both are good processes - but obv it depends on what you face, as to which you pick. The key I think is - to have a method that works. The notion that “it’s an art” is cobblers . Like most processes-if the results are iffy it means the process was wrong, be it tape and jointing or plastering. Also it is worth always looking to iterate and improve your method. Whenever you find a slight improvement - pivot to it. Over the years You will get better and better results as those micro improvements become cumulative. There is a common thread to good plastering and good tape and jointing - you always want to be using the largest trowel that is wieldable in the space available - and work off whatever references you’ve got (eg corner beads … edge of the board of filling a taped feather edged joint which must be set carefully and precisely). Why the largest trowel ? Because the size of trowel dictates the distance between the “ripples “ in the finished work - due to it spanning the crests (think of hover craft - length is critical to span successive wave tops). So - the longer the trowel the better the finish, as the longer distance between the inevitable “micro ripples” in the final surface. Plastering done with a 10 or 11 inch trowel will never be as good as that finished with a 24 inch, but at the same time you can’t wield a 24 inch where a “small tool” or a midget trowel is all you can get in there … From what I’ve seen most plasterers I used (years ago before I learnt to do it myself) seemed too lazy / cheapskate to have a suitable collection of a few dozen different trowels, and indeed a proper collection of feather edges of differing lengths by the same token) for setting screeds with maximum precision - (eg my longest feather edge is 5 meters …) obv there are good plasterers - but I never seemed to happen across them) Another random thought is - why don’t marshal town etc sell “burnt in” trowels ? Instead they all come with sharp right angle corners which screw your work up till you’ve taken a grinder to them and softened the corners … Re dry wall - I’ve found 2 coats are necessary or you’ll always get a little divot somewhere - (just like plaster!) and one of those rotary sanders on a long pole with (10 or 12 inch?) sanding discs works a treat - and get a better result than using a hand sander.l which initially I do don’t believe till i experimented (and no I don’t lard the wall with filler - - but it Improves the quality flattening, referencing what is around … )
Great plasterwork and I’m a decorator with over 30 years trade experience and you are right totally. There are so many bodger plasterers out there that leaves appalling work and snots everywhere and not level and it’s damn well frustrating for any skilled decorator to have to deal with,easy fill and sort out any blemishes etc, which we shouldn’t need to do,But if the plasterer is great like this guy, then us painters love it and makes everyone job look good and with a professional finish, especially if your doing any vinyl silk work after the mist coat, otherwise silk will just look horrendous and show the poor plaster work, l know Matt finish in new builds tend to be tape and joint and paint. Great work guys 🙏👍 But tape and joint 3 coat filling process is a long process and there is always the 20 min easy fill is what l have been doing and me personally use a Mirka dust extractor so no mess and
For a builder you do a decent job , But got to disagree with the comment the other spread made ,I a m plastering over 40 years now and i always mix enough to first and second coat in one mix and decorators say my work is the dogs , Keep up the good work
As a retired Chippie, now in Australia, I have never liked taping the joints, I have never seen skim coat over here, I'm sure it does happen. I put an extension on a house and part of this was a large ensuite.. The owner got the board Taped & when I returned to pick up some gear he had painted the walls Black, yes Black. The plaster Bands stood out like you know what. I wished I had taken some photos of this.
With the right techniques, taping shouldn't require more than a tiny bit of sanding, but there are certainly a lot of tapers who rely on excessive sanding to cover their tracks.
When ive confronted aircrete blocks that people insist having solid plaster backgrounds on as opposed to dot & dab I start with a very SBR rich slurry mix more or less brushed or thrown onto the wall with a harling trowel to somewhat seal and create a key for the devil float coat, its a messy job and still a bit of a b*stard compared to dry lining but needs must
Thing is that aircrete blocks are a modern material, designed to accept modern finishes, like dot and dab. It's a puzzle why they are used so widely, the blocks cost more than the equivalent dense concrete version, and bricklayers charge the same for laying? The U and R values are not really worth the extra expense. On top of that you can't fix a curtain rail securely. The only people who actually benefit are the bricklayers, even electricians cable clips don't hold, so don't even think about an Ikea floating shelf!
I really want to have a crack at this in our new downstairs toilet, just for the sake of saying I did one room myself... Though i'm also terrified of the bodge job it'll look like. Maybe i'll just stock up on sand paper first.... Also it's so great seeing the care and attention James puts into doing a great job. What a good lad. Watching him work has even made me consider a career change.
Roll Corruption. Grab a bit of plasterboard and mix up some plaster and try it. The secret is in not trying to smooth it out until it is firm enough. If it does go off a bit too much get a spray bottle and a sponge and you can bring it back to life and then smooth it off. Modern plaster is formulated to give you more time to work. Always use clean water and clean tools to stop it setting too fast.
We have just done a house where we have taped and jointed all the plaster. I can't believe we haven't done it before as the finish is perfect. There are no trowel ripples, no dampness on site warping wood - all plastering will usually need a bit of filling and sanding in places anyway to get a perfect finish. don't buy the argument that there is no dust - the dust just from mixing a bag of multifinish is pretty bad. It is a huge amount of gypsum so environmentally quite bad and your site ends up looking like Glastonbury after a downpour. Also any areas where it's difficult to get a trowel in are going to end up a little rough. 100% in favour of taping and skimming providing the boarding has been done to a decent standard.
Really enjoyed watching my favourite builder :) There’s still something that puzzles me. I’m dutch and one this side of the sea a white plaster is used. We never do a second coat, apart from filling large holes. The technique, material and tools differ so much. Not saying one is better, just so much nice videos and I have the feeling it doesn’t apply here.
Great Vid, tks. question is it difficult to see where you are going with the second coat, would it not be better to apply a second coat with a touch of colouring to make a bit of a contrast in colour between the two coats ?.
I have tried skimming before and it's just not for me.. everything else DIY i have done, but skimming is a no no. James makes it look so easy..Good luck!
I make my living as a builder, I'm not a trained plasterer, but I do a fair bit of plastering. I do lots of dot and dab for my customers, who are, understandably, price conscious but in my own 1930s house renovation, I knocked off all the loose old plaster, then float and set the kitchen and bathroom with Hardwall (not Bonding coat ) then skim, much better job, say no more...
Hi as a spread speaking now you need to speed up alot and go over all your tapes first and beads so they get 3 coats and 2 coat everything else shhhh that's the secret 😉sponge float and speed skim are very useful as well with flexi trowels I've said too much...
Exactly how I was taught too .30 years on and still do the same👍 just started using speed skim and flexi trowel in the last couple of years and they are good😁👍
Taped & filled joints is more so for achieving a fire rating to stud walls & ceilings. Is there really a need to use AIRCRETE blocks these days when the thermal values of PIR insulation boards are so high ?
I do maintenance, so "jack of all", rather than master of one. Walls might be different, but ceiling joints are more prone to movement. I have yet to see a plasterboard joint left with an airgap between boards that didn't crack. Whenever I do these repairs, I always completely fill the gap with something soft like Easi-Fill, and tape over the joint. I can't tell you how many times a chippy has put up a fresh wall, the plasterer has done his bit, and when it comes to painting, I've had to do a repair on an even fresher hairline crack in the new stud wall. Wood isn't as stable as concrete or brick, so it can vibrate. Vibration produces movement. If there's room for movement in a joint, it will fail. Artexed and woodchip ceilings would not exist if joints were made without gaps that vibration allows to produce cracks. I've used this method and avoided re-cracking for over 10 years.
Ive started to tape and joint ceilings unless they have harsh direct light. As long as you paint the ceiling then sand it you get a consistent texture. I only started because of the plaster shortage But no more on to new pastures green
1 thick coat vs 2 I guess there is less chance of delamination and it's quicker get the first coat on then fill out that's how my mate does it and he has been doing it 40 years he's spot on and I've never know it to fall off.
I think there’s a case for both tbh. Having in the main plastered over the years I was asked to tape and joint a full house boarded on metal furring systems. To be fair I found it quite easy and wasn’t as tired as when I plaster as the sanding is minimal. I then Spray Painted 2 coats of emulsion (without a sealing primer) and the finish was excellent. Each to their own I guess
Hello James, I wondered if you was going to do a second coat. I know a plaster who does a single coat and gets away with it. But a proper spread taught me 2 coats and I have always done it that way. Can't beat a good plaster finish. Not a tape and joint fan.
Take my word for it as a 35 year plastering veteran taping is easier. The goal is to leave an eggshell finish which taping does and is ridiculously easy on the body as apposed to skimming which leaves its mark. We used to mix bin fulls of skimming which was 3 old bags which is the same as 6 of todays bags and add carlite finish to hold it back but hard way to make a living.you could skim a Bellway 3 bedroom upstairs in one hit and be away for 3 for a quick one on the way home.Think I'm missing the old days !
Taping & Jointing or Skimming. Which is Best? I'd say either. Whatever you like the look of. Taping and jointing can look just as decent as plastering.
I was going to have a crack at taping and jointing myself, but this has talked me out of it :D I've got a decent local plasterer and it's money well spent.
I've never seen a taped joint on a ceiling crack, mesh under skim cracks for fun. I think horses for courses, sometimes tape and join is more appropriate. Taping and one coat of jointing compound before skimming is well worth it on a ceiling, especially if the boarding out is well wonky, paper tape beats scrim for stopping cracks.
They do sat that paper tape is stronger than glassfibre mesh which makes me wonder why the paper is not used instead of scrim on plaster skimming. There must be a good reason.
@@SkillBuilder It adds another process, takes more time but if it was my own house, especially on a ceiling, well worth the extra time taken IMO. You only have to look to the States, they have the mesh but only use it for small patches. I wouldn't use it everywhere but big ceiling, new extension with skylights for example.
I tape and joint all my work I find it quicker and cleaner and can stop or start it anywhere I've seen some horrific skim finishes that I have ended up going over with joint filler
Plus nowdays you find quite easily wall plugs that are even 5cm long so no problems in gripping on the behind wall...I will try just skimming like you do with a fibrereinforced plaster skim on a drywall I am doing right now glued directly on the back brick walls. Using a fiber reinforced because I live in siesmic area.
Nothing beats a freshly plastered finish. No sanding, no dust, uniform texture to the finished surface. I can't see how anybody could convince me otherwise but i'm open to being educated. maybe it just suits people who don't have the skills to plaster
Hi Nick, I do have a couple of spreads there was a video of them plastering this extension a few weeks ago. This wall was left because the window hadn’t been fitted as it is currently the only access in and out of the building but now most of the big stuff is out I can finish it off.
Comment overload……But you lads are great. I pride myself in being a good electrician, but I recognise quality. Fair play to you both. I’ve only ever criticised Roger when he speaks electrics……but i am allowed too. I’m a big headed sparky! 🤣
Hi Michael, probably around 20 minutes but it depends on the temperature and atmosphere. It’s not necessarily timed, it’s just one of those things you learn from experience.
Thistle board finish pink the best crème de board finish 👍 but would still like to see proper old school jute scrim bandage used on all joints & a good thick 2 coat polished finish . That squeegee type tool is what the yanks use to mud a dry wall joins ,when papering directly on non plastered dry walls when skimping on job .
I've plasterd for about 20 years and I love it when a builder has a go at plastering and finds what works for them. Think outside the box. Great video great work. Keep it up boys.
James..."I’m not a plasterer"....proceeds to do a superb plastering job 🙌🏼
No any harder than buttering toast,
Nae offence to any tapers out there but its no joinery 🤣
is there no end to this mans talent
I tried giving one of my boys a haircut during lockdown; it went horribly wrong.
I was thinking that same thing, such a modest guy aswell.
Few benefits of taping and jointing is use easyfill 20 3 x finish in a day, gyproc fibatape ultrafine 30% thinner for flat joints, dust free sanding systems most guys tend to use now. In smaller jobs joiner can get skirtings on same or next day paint even same or next day and jobs complete. Plaster be 4/5 days drying can hold jobs up crucial stages.
Finally timber frame kit manufacturers recommend tape and fill finish as plaster intoduces too much water into the property.
Great job of that skimming though!
Hi mate.interesting point we regularly have nightmares with cheap fire door casings when we've plastered upto them
I mix my plaster skimming product with cement some cement so it cures extremely quickly in a couple of hours. That way we can tape, skim and paint in the same day. Perfect finish with no cracking or shrinkage.
Agree...totally.
Everything James does is to perfection and such a nice chilled guy, just don’t mention Dulux…..
james you win the award for the tidiest plasterer , ive not seen one bit fall down on the floor man that’s awesome, very skillfull💪⭐️⭐️ well done mate
Sometimes focusing on being clean and mess up technique and quality. Better to drop it, very easy to scrape off the floor after
thats more skill then cleanliness i guess haha
As a Brit now in Canada but not a tradesman in the construction trade, I’ve had the opportunity to experience both systems in many DIY situations, and still at it with major renos in my own home 🙄. My biased opinion for what it’s worth is mud and tape is quicker and a superior finish. Like I said I’m not a tradesman plasterer but I’m still fairly good at it. Having to put a browning coat on then come back and then final skim coat which needs polishing, I can mud and tape and be on to something else whilst the plaster method keeps me focused on that one job until it’s done. If your good at mud and tape there should be very little sanding to do. But I have to admit there’s something beautiful to watch a true plaster working his trade. Keep up the vids love them. Cheers 🍻
In Australia they mud and tape, but to get a "level 5 finish" you have to then skim the entire wall. Most houses are done to a level 4 finish.
As a multi skill handyman but with limited plastering skills, I'm in agreement with your approach.
Impressive!
One advantage of skimming over taping is that the resultant surface is harder; this means that it will withstand many cycles of wallpapering / stripping, whereas taped plasterboard tends to get damaged during stripping of old wallpaper.
Incorrect, many times I've removed wallpaper only to find much of the plaster comes with it, so a reskim is required.
@@gavincollins9376 I can imagine that happening when it's been skimmed over after it's had several coats of paint.
if you use a sealer after taping you can put wall paper many times I have done it in my house 11 times
I wouldn't put wallpaper directly on drywall unless it were intended to be a permanent "paintable" covering. But I've taken down modern, strip-able wallpaper that was put up on painted drywall a number of times and it has always come of in one piece with just a pull. The real all-paper stuff they made in the 1950s was a lot harder to get off in one piece, especially on unprimed drywall; better to just tape and mud any obvious seams and paint it.
Also finished in one hit,no waiting to dry for sanding and another pass
As someone who built and renovated house all my life, I still find plastering to be the one skill that got away, it is the black arts as far as I am concerned. Luckily, my best friend was a supreme plaster who could do an entire room faster than I could mix the plaster for him. I am seventy years old not and still cannot get it right.
You need to be doing it regularly. During the 80's, my mate and I - short of work at the time, took on renovations which required plastering. To be honest, the first few we did weren't the best (and much of it was hardwall plastering, with damp -proofed sand and cement as the base coat - not just skimming boards.) Eventually, we ended up taking on plastering jobs when we were asked to, to the point at which it made up about half of our work, and the quality was spot on. Then I went back to my own trade (joinery) for about 20 years. Working with a guy I'd met at Persimmons, he asked if I could plaster because he had a partition to build, board and skim. I took it on. Whilst I hadn't completely lost it, I struggled to get the finish I'd always done before.
I'm 33, have been a builder since I was 14.
I always tell the customer I can do everything myself except electrics, gas work and plastering.
I don't know a thing about building but out of desperation gave it (skimming) a go over lockdown. UA-cam and Sponge float plastering is what got me there :)
Totally agree with James. Skimming is faster, when done well a better finish to!
Also skim gives a hard shell over the soft plaster board.
Skimming also gets over some imperfections in the boarding which often show through joint fillers/compounds.
Also agree that dot and dab over block work is the way to go.
To get a good finish with tape and joint is a lot more effort then plastering, and plastering stands the rest of time. Lost count of how many tape and jointed houses I’ve seen with cracked joints, joints shower and corner taped blown 🤢
After earning a living for a while as a plasterer I decided to do a t&J job on my own place as an experiment. It would have been quicker to skim tbh. If you have two plasterers and a guy knocking up, then they would be quicker thean the alternative on most jobs. Skim work doesn't take that long to dry out.
You can cover up anything with either with enough persistence, but the case for plaster gets stronger the more imperfections there are. Taping is a breeze over metal studs, but over warped wood, it's harder to confine the work to the joints themselves. I've heard stories from just after WWII here in the USA, in which builders had to make due with whatever scraps of lumber they could get and the only way to make a level surface was with thicker plaster.
Plastering these days has definitely gained a following of trying to make it technical. I used to work with a bloke who would use nothing more than a 9" trowel, no fancy stuff, 1 coat, finish as good as, if not better than todays. 90 minutes, 3 trowels and a hard one, and that was it. It's the skill that counts in my opinion.
It tends to be the product being used that demands the "technicalities" not the plasterer trying to make their job more technical. If you 1 coat, 1 trowel multi-finish it will be complaints you'll have at the end not a well plastered wall
It's not at all technical, but it's like learning to play a musical instrument, you can read up on the theory all you like, but the first time you try to actually do it as a novice, the results will be awful. You then need to be hyper critical of your own work, learn from your mistakes and try again, the second time you try it will be oh so slightly less awful than the first time, if you persevere you will improve as you learn how the material you're working with behaves. Eventually you will be able to do an acceptable job, but you have to "pay your dues" if you want to become a reasonable plasterer. Anyone can do it, but it takes lots of practice to become proficient, just like learning to play that musical instrument.
@@andypdq Not so sure about that...or maybe I was just a natural. I fancied doing it so I said to my brother, let me re-plaster your kitchen and pay me what you think it's worth. That was in late 2003. By 2005, i was earning my living as a plasterer after only a handful of small jobs in 2004.
@@The_Cheques_Offender yeah we call that a one hit willy and it looks terrible!
I don't agree that applying a second coat from the same mix is the same as putting on a single thick coat. Separate mixes is always preferable, but two coats from the same mix still flattens the wall much better than a single thicker coat could, in my experience. But no two plasterers will ever agree on everything.
As a DIYer, I can get quite a good finish with tape and filling, it just takes forever. If I had forever and a day, I'd still be rubbish at skimming!
What a guy James king is. Never mind Essex get yourself up to Edinburgh James! Seriously, never fail to impress. Keep up the great work. 👌🏼🏴👍🏼
Thanks Rob! Edinburgh is a place that is special to me as it’s where my wife and I got together whilst visiting a friend that was getting married there. We stayed at someone’s flat in a place called Niddrie? Anyway we had such a good time there and have always wanted to go back.
For those from Europe asking about the color of the gypsum plaster, it depends on the purity of the source and what quarry it came from in the UK.
White gypsum is usually the highest quality.
No synthetic gypsum in Britain? Half the gypsum in the US is synthetic.
Are you sure that's right? Because I've seen polish builders load up vans full of mutifinish to take back home ranting about how it's the only good thing in the UK.
“It’s all about the finish” Nailed it 👏👏👍😀
Taping and jointing if it’s a small area and your doing it yourself, as for a larger area or ceiling skimming is best and that’s a pro job worth paying for
Lovely job. Must be a joy to have that confidence in your mix.
I could watch him all day. Great video, thanks both 👍🏻
Yet another excellent video, thank you. ‘Not a plasterer’ does a pretty good looking job! 👍👏
As a decorator, I have never seen plastering this clean. I have always been left with a mess.
Its only a window wall onto plasterboard if your a good spread this should be standard
Taping and jointing works on sites where they want units knocked out. Skimming for smaller areas. Personally, I'd rather skim but a good taper and jointer will leave just as good a job.
in the US we say tape, bed & texture (not to say we're right or better) this process developed itself through mass producing homes & and apartments which after ww2 the whole civilized world was doing (mass production). I do believe for custom homes, plaster (because of new & improved ingredients) is the better way to go.
Im an OK plasterer and and OK Taper, both have their ideal situations. In a small simple room plastering is definitely better. In a more complex room, with odd shapes and angles, perhaps cathedral ceilings, taping is better partly because you can take your time and get it perfect which is difficult with plastering. Regarding the hardwearing quality of taping, obviously plastering is better but for most situations if when you paint you start with 2 coats of zinnser gardz this will harden up the surface and stop the paper absorping paint which if you are using an expensive quality paint is important. With taping always use paper tape. Mesh will crack over time.
Here in New England, there are still a number of skilled renovation contractors who would rather use veneer plaster on blueboard than mess with 3 coats of joint filler. But for most new construction, tapers can go around from house to house, without waiting for any one application to dry, and if they are good, no one will see the difference. I've noticed that the further south or west I travel in the U.S., the less real plastering takes place, though you see a lot of buildings with texture finishes even on the walls, which looks like something from a laundry room to my eyes. I've skimmed walls to cover up rough textures, but if putting up new drywall, I'd rather just tape it and avoid the mess of plastering. Taped drywall is also less prone to cracks than plaster, in my experience.
That’s interesting, my brother lives in Arkansas and he called me a few weeks ago asking about plastering walls as his all have a textured finish that he doesn’t like. Do you know of a product in the U.S that he might be able to get hold of to skim over the textured finish to make it smooth?
@@jimichip Sorry for the delayed reply; I just saw your comment. There are coatings that are said to bond traditional finish-coat plaster to any dimensionally stable surface, though I've never tried them. Another alternative you'll see in a lot of English plastering videos is to coat the surface with PVA (similar to Elmer's glue, or yellow wood glue) and first apply the plaster when the second coat is tacky. And, if the texture is really rough, it may well key to the plaster without any treatment. But if your brother is not comfortable working traditional plaster, drywall filler, which easily bonds to almost anything, will work just fine, and there are plenty of American videos on using it to smooth textured walls. It does typically require more sanding, but it's easier to sand, and if the coats are put up carefully, sponging can take the place of a lot of the sanding that would normally be needed.
I'm not a proffesional at any of this tryed plastering and it was terrible.
Decided to try my hand at a tray ceiling with recessed led lighting it turned out perfect you cant tell it is taped and jointed no shadows or anything after painting.
Only needed to sand on 3rd coat and was only a very light sand but plastering is a definitive no for me. 👍👍👍
I plaster, and tape and joint - and can get indistinguishable results with either . Both are good processes - but obv it depends on what you face, as to which you pick.
The key I think is - to have a method that works. The notion that “it’s an art” is cobblers . Like most processes-if the results are iffy it means the process was wrong, be it tape and jointing or plastering.
Also it is worth always looking to iterate and improve your method. Whenever you find a slight improvement - pivot to it. Over the years You will get better and better results as those micro improvements become cumulative.
There is a common thread to good plastering and good tape and jointing - you always want to be using the largest trowel that is wieldable in the space available - and work off whatever references you’ve got (eg corner beads … edge of the board of filling a taped feather edged joint which must be set carefully and precisely).
Why the largest trowel ? Because the size of trowel dictates the distance between the “ripples “ in the finished work - due to it spanning the crests (think of hover craft - length is critical to span successive wave tops).
So - the longer the trowel the better the finish, as the longer distance between the inevitable “micro ripples” in the final surface. Plastering done with a 10 or 11 inch trowel will never be as good as that finished with a 24 inch, but at the same time you can’t wield a 24 inch where a “small tool” or a midget trowel is all you can get in there … From what I’ve seen most plasterers I used (years ago before I learnt to do it myself) seemed too lazy / cheapskate to have a suitable collection of a few dozen different trowels, and indeed a proper collection of feather edges of differing lengths by the same token) for setting screeds with maximum precision - (eg my longest feather edge is 5 meters …) obv there are good plasterers - but I never seemed to happen across them)
Another random thought is - why don’t marshal town etc sell “burnt in” trowels ? Instead they all come with sharp right angle corners which screw your work up till you’ve taken a grinder to them and softened the corners …
Re dry wall - I’ve found 2 coats are necessary or you’ll always get a little divot somewhere - (just like plaster!) and one of those rotary sanders on a long pole with (10 or 12 inch?) sanding discs works a treat - and get a better result than using a hand sander.l which initially I do don’t believe till i experimented (and no I don’t lard the wall with filler - - but it Improves the quality flattening, referencing what is around … )
Great plasterwork and I’m a decorator with over 30 years trade experience and you are right totally. There are so many bodger plasterers out there that leaves appalling work and snots everywhere and not level and it’s damn well frustrating for any skilled decorator to have to deal with,easy fill and sort out any blemishes etc, which we shouldn’t need to do,But if the plasterer is great like this guy, then us painters love it and makes everyone job look good and with a professional finish, especially if your doing any vinyl silk work after the mist coat, otherwise silk will just look horrendous and show the poor plaster work, l know Matt finish in new builds tend to be tape and joint and paint.
Great work guys 🙏👍
But tape and joint 3 coat filling process is a long process and there is always the 20 min easy fill is what l have been doing and me personally use a Mirka dust extractor so no mess and
For a builder you do a decent job , But got to disagree with the comment the other spread made ,I a m plastering over 40 years now and i always mix enough to first and second coat in one mix and decorators say my work is the dogs , Keep up the good work
As a retired Chippie, now in Australia, I have never liked taping the joints, I have never seen skim coat over here, I'm sure it does happen. I put an extension on a house and part of this was a large ensuite.. The owner got the board Taped & when I returned to pick up some gear he had painted the walls Black, yes Black. The plaster Bands stood out like you know what. I wished I had taken some photos of this.
That's because he didn't want a level 5 finish we do in in nz and aus but nobody wants to pay extra for it.
Love this channel, great tradesmen.
Tape and joint the general rule here in Oz except for Level 5 finishes. Personally, i think plastering gives a superior finish and certainly less dust
With the right techniques, taping shouldn't require more than a tiny bit of sanding, but there are certainly a lot of tapers who rely on excessive sanding to cover their tracks.
When ive confronted aircrete blocks that people insist having solid plaster backgrounds on as opposed to dot & dab I start with a very SBR rich slurry mix more or less brushed or thrown onto the wall with a harling trowel to somewhat seal and create a key for the devil float coat, its a messy job and still a bit of a b*stard compared to dry lining but needs must
Thing is that aircrete blocks are a modern material, designed to accept modern finishes, like dot and dab.
It's a puzzle why they are used so widely, the blocks cost more than the equivalent dense concrete version, and bricklayers charge the same for laying? The U and R values are not really worth the extra expense.
On top of that you can't fix a curtain rail securely.
The only people who actually benefit are the bricklayers, even electricians cable clips don't hold, so don't even think about an Ikea floating shelf!
Handy man at plastering for not a plasterer! And he's right Rodger, excellent job on the videos! 👍
I really want to have a crack at this in our new downstairs toilet, just for the sake of saying I did one room myself... Though i'm also terrified of the bodge job it'll look like. Maybe i'll just stock up on sand paper first.... Also it's so great seeing the care and attention James puts into doing a great job. What a good lad. Watching him work has even made me consider a career change.
Roll Corruption. Grab a bit of plasterboard and mix up some plaster and try it. The secret is in not trying to smooth it out until it is firm enough. If it does go off a bit too much get a spray bottle and a sponge and you can bring it back to life and then smooth it off. Modern plaster is formulated to give you more time to work. Always use clean water and clean tools to stop it setting too fast.
I am not plaster but clean clean clean and being prepared helps. Good light clear area. Also don't do you first attempt on a hot day.
Corefix are sweet when you need heavy duty fixing on dot and dab, incredibly solid
As always, excellent workmanship James. What plaster are you using and what thickness is each coat please
We have just done a house where we have taped and jointed all the plaster. I can't believe we haven't done it before as the finish is perfect. There are no trowel ripples, no dampness on site warping wood - all plastering will usually need a bit of filling and sanding in places anyway to get a perfect finish. don't buy the argument that there is no dust - the dust just from mixing a bag of multifinish is pretty bad. It is a huge amount of gypsum so environmentally quite bad and your site ends up looking like Glastonbury after a downpour. Also any areas where it's difficult to get a trowel in are going to end up a little rough. 100% in favour of taping and skimming providing the boarding has been done to a decent standard.
Thanks for answering my question. Looks lovely.
Great job James! Cheers.
Really enjoyed watching my favourite builder :) There’s still something that puzzles me. I’m dutch and one this side of the sea a white plaster is used. We never do a second coat, apart from filling large holes. The technique, material and tools differ so much. Not saying one is better, just so much nice videos and I have the feeling it doesn’t apply here.
Is that Knauf, white plaster you use?
would be good to see a clip of your work.
Great Vid, tks. question is it difficult to see where you are going with the second coat, would it not be better to apply a second coat with a touch of colouring to make a bit of a contrast in colour between the two coats ?.
I always sing ,,, oh what a feeling ,. When I'm skiming ceilings ,, and of cause plasterers are the best singer's... !!!!
I have tried skimming before and it's just not for me.. everything else DIY i have done, but skimming is a no no. James makes it look so easy..Good luck!
I make my living as a builder, I'm not a trained plasterer, but I do a fair bit of plastering. I do lots of dot and dab for my customers, who are, understandably, price conscious but in my own 1930s house renovation, I knocked off all the loose old plaster, then float and set the kitchen and bathroom with Hardwall (not Bonding coat ) then skim, much better job, say no more...
I don't know anything about plastering, but I thought I'd get the first comment in👍😁
What skill - like people who are good at heir job he makes it looks so easy - I wish I had half his skills.
Hi as a spread speaking now you need to speed up alot and go over all your tapes first and beads so they get 3 coats and 2 coat everything else shhhh that's the secret 😉sponge float and speed skim are very useful as well with flexi trowels I've said too much...
Exactly how I was taught too .30 years on and still do the same👍 just started using speed skim and flexi trowel in the last couple of years and they are good😁👍
Bang on same 👍
is there anything James can't do, seriously impressive
Also plastic trowel helps plaster not set. As steel brings water to surface
Fantastic work as usual 👌
Taped & filled joints is more so for achieving a fire rating to stud walls & ceilings.
Is there really a need to use AIRCRETE blocks these days when the thermal values of PIR insulation boards are so high ?
I do maintenance, so "jack of all", rather than master of one. Walls might be different, but ceiling joints are more prone to movement. I have yet to see a plasterboard joint left with an airgap between boards that didn't crack. Whenever I do these repairs, I always completely fill the gap with something soft like Easi-Fill, and tape over the joint. I can't tell you how many times a chippy has put up a fresh wall, the plasterer has done his bit, and when it comes to painting, I've had to do a repair on an even fresher hairline crack in the new stud wall.
Wood isn't as stable as concrete or brick, so it can vibrate. Vibration produces movement. If there's room for movement in a joint, it will fail. Artexed and woodchip ceilings would not exist if joints were made without gaps that vibration allows to produce cracks. I've used this method and avoided re-cracking for over 10 years.
When I plaster or decorate, I foam any gaps before work commences, never ever had an issue with cracks since I started doing that
Ive started to tape and joint ceilings unless they have harsh direct light.
As long as you paint the ceiling then sand it you get a consistent texture. I only started because of the plaster shortage
But no more on to new pastures green
1 thick coat vs 2 I guess there is less chance of delamination and it's quicker get the first coat on then fill out that's how my mate does it and he has been doing it 40 years he's spot on and I've never know it to fall off.
Speaking of plastering, I see Knauf has an interesting spray plastering system. They demoed with a Graco Textspray Mark V texture pump.
What aboot South West Scotland ? 🙃👍🏻
How about Smooth Operator !!!
I think there’s a case for both tbh. Having in the main plastered over the years I was asked to tape and joint a full house boarded on metal furring systems. To be fair I found it quite easy and wasn’t as tired as when I plaster as the sanding is minimal. I then Spray Painted 2 coats of emulsion (without a sealing primer) and the finish was excellent. Each to their own I guess
Looks good James. But comment on the Old School Method of applying 2nd coat perpendicular to first. Thanks
Great video james . Can you tell me what size Trowell you using to first lay it on thanks?
I like it when u show beginning to end.
i love te corner beads being cut with 45s thats how iv allways done it stops the edge of the bead poking through the plaster. tidy
Simply the best Tina Turner
Hello James,
I wondered if you was going to do a second coat. I know a plaster who does a single coat and gets away with it. But a proper spread taught me 2 coats and I have always done it that way. Can't beat a good plaster finish. Not a tape and joint fan.
He did do a second coat....
Finally a decent shop at the start of the video 😉
Take my word for it as a 35 year plastering veteran taping is easier.
The goal is to leave an eggshell finish which taping does and is ridiculously easy on the body as apposed to skimming which leaves its mark. We used to mix bin fulls of skimming which was 3 old bags which is the same as 6 of todays bags and add carlite finish to hold it back but hard way to make a living.you could skim a Bellway 3 bedroom upstairs in one hit and be away for 3 for a quick one on the way home.Think I'm missing the old days !
Cleanest plastering ever! And with you doing the joinery what will the decorators complain about with such a perfect finish?
They'll find something don't worry. Biggest whingers on site
@@tough2lie382 hahahaha, very true,
They can give it, but can't take it!
That was certainly a good job well done. I've learnt a few things.
"Should I stay or Should I go" by The Clash
Taping & Jointing or Skimming. Which is Best? I'd say either. Whatever you like the look of. Taping and jointing can look just as decent as plastering.
I was going to have a crack at taping and jointing myself, but this has talked me out of it :D I've got a decent local plasterer and it's money well spent.
As a proper plasterer it’s skimming all day long 😁
Poetry in motion!
Great video guys, you are really knocking them out, good quality too 👍
I've never seen a taped joint on a ceiling crack, mesh under skim cracks for fun. I think horses for courses, sometimes tape and join is more appropriate. Taping and one coat of jointing compound before skimming is well worth it on a ceiling, especially if the boarding out is well wonky, paper tape beats scrim for stopping cracks.
They do sat that paper tape is stronger than glassfibre mesh which makes me wonder why the paper is not used instead of scrim on plaster skimming. There must be a good reason.
@@SkillBuilder It adds another process, takes more time but if it was my own house, especially on a ceiling, well worth the extra time taken IMO. You only have to look to the States, they have the mesh but only use it for small patches. I wouldn't use it everywhere but big ceiling, new extension with skylights for example.
'Spread a little happiness as time goes by..'
I tape and joint all my work I find it quicker and cleaner and can stop or start it anywhere I've seen some horrific skim finishes that I have ended up going over with joint filler
Do you go as far north as Snowdonia??? My plasterer let me down 2 weeks ago. Caused usual nock-on delays :-( and got 2nd plasterers in right now.
Plus nowdays you find quite easily wall plugs that are even 5cm long so no problems in gripping on the behind wall...I will try just skimming like you do with a fibrereinforced plaster skim on a drywall I am doing right now glued directly on the back brick walls. Using a fiber reinforced because I live in siesmic area.
great video.what preparation should i do to already plastered and painted surface?
I’m not keen on tape and joint, after a while they show up cracks or even just dents from casual knocks. Skim tends to fair better with time
A third of million subscribers almost 🤯😁👌🏼, good going boys . And James Jack of all trades , master of at least 2 😏🤣🤣. Lovely job that James 👌🏼🤩🧱👍🏼
😂cheers! What two trades are they then!?!
Nothing beats a freshly plastered finish. No sanding, no dust, uniform texture to the finished surface. I can't see how anybody could convince me otherwise but i'm open to being educated. maybe it just suits people who don't have the skills to plaster
James, is there any particular reason you don't get a couple of spreads in ? I can't believe you actually enjoy doing it yourself.
Hi Nick, I do have a couple of spreads there was a video of them plastering this extension a few weeks ago. This wall was left because the window hadn’t been fitted as it is currently the only access in and out of the building but now most of the big stuff is out I can finish it off.
Comment overload……But you lads are great. I pride myself in being a good electrician, but I recognise quality. Fair play to you both. I’ve only ever criticised Roger when he speaks electrics……but i am allowed too. I’m a big headed sparky! 🤣
Great video guys,thanks
No masking tape at skirting level !! doesn't this boy learn anything ? only kidding James in an excellent tradesman :)
Hi James, you are multi talented mate!! How do you prep your corners / ceiling when they’re already plastered? Do you scrim them at all ? Cheers Paul
Please tell me you work up in Cambridgeshire area?
What is it about watching someone plaster! Very ASMR!
I’m looking for a good builder that covers North Birmingham. Any recommendations
How long did you leave between the first and second coat please.
Hi Michael, probably around 20 minutes but it depends on the temperature and atmosphere. It’s not necessarily timed, it’s just one of those things you learn from experience.
Skimming is always far superior to tape and jointing without a doubt
I quite like that color. Can plaster be used as a finished coat on its own?
Is it the south, Surrey Kent area he works then?
You got it!
Thistle board finish pink the best crème de board finish 👍 but would still like to see proper old school jute scrim bandage used on all joints & a good thick 2 coat polished finish . That squeegee type tool is what the yanks use to mud a dry wall joins ,when papering directly on non plastered dry walls when skimping on job .
Jointing with paper tape is far superior & will never crack.
brilliant vid SB
great video. And speaking of music can I ask what is the name of the Piano Piece you play as part of the intro? It's beautiul