The Home Improvements Thread (2)

[Rocket-Boy]

How hard can plastering actually be i realise this is a bit of a silly question as to do it well would take lots of experience.

where can one learn techniques and such things as the types of finishes we find here locally and how to achieve and possibly match them?

i have some small jobs i need to do and i am really not getting success with builders wanting to tackle these small items so I am considering taking on the first one which is to brick in a hole in the wall (it is a 740 x 740 diamond shape hole) and plaster it up so it looks like it never existed.

if this goes well i might tackle some of the other tasks. my theory is worst case if i eff it up it can always be redone and it isn't structural or anything like that. The bricking part I am not too worried about it doesn't have to be all that neat or perfect.

it might also give me some things to do I am really bored out of my mind lately.

Its not that bad, I had the builders leave recently and noticed they hadnt patched in two areas that required a few bricks and plastering. After almost 4 months of having builders around daily I really didnt want them back.
So I got on youtube and watched some tutorials then proceeded to brick in and plaster it all up.
Was pretty easy and you would be hard pressed to tell which area I did vs the builders.

 

[rodga]

Do those little sprinkler thingys work in the lawn? Always thought more water evaporates than actually wets the grass.

Those I actually won last year at my local irrigation supply shop. Was a kit that included various fittings etc I suppose it's usually used for flower beds and stuff but can be used for lawns. You get different fittings for the different types of spray patterns. I only put it in there as my auto irragation system wasn't reaching fully to that side. I can't really answer on whether it is effective, it's a manual system and me being lazy it didn't get turned very often.

Still need to a few more stations to system which will include the flower beds. And outside by the driveway. I'm using an opensprinkler system.

 

[Steamy Tom]

Its not that bad, I had the builders leave recently and noticed they hadnt patched in two areas that required a few bricks and plastering. After almost 4 months of having builders around daily I really didnt want them back.
So I got on youtube and watched some tutorials then proceeded to brick in and plaster it all up.
Was pretty easy and you would be hard pressed to tell which area I did vs the builders.

what sort of finish did you go for and how did you do it?

i think the hardest part will be matching the finish if it isn't just a flat screed

did you have a diluted pva mix to bond?

And did you do multiple coats? like a base and finish?

 

[Rocket-Boy]

what sort of finish did you go for and how did you do it?

i think the hardest part will be matching the finish if it isn't just a flat screed

did you have a diluted pva mix to bond?

And did you do multiple coats? like a base and finish?

It was just flat plaster that I had to fill in so it was fairly simple, I just used a flat trowel to apply and then a leveling bar to screed and get it uniform. The area was being painted so it was primed and skimmed afterwards then painted.
You dont need to use a pva mix to bond, you can either chip little bits to tooth it in or use a plaster primer with alkali resistance, but toothing is the most reliable way to get a strong bond.

 

[Steamy Tom]

It was just flat plaster that I had to fill in so it was fairly simple, I just used a flat trowel to apply and then a leveling bar to screed and get it uniform. The area was being painted so it was primed and skimmed afterwards then painted.
You dont need to use a pva mix to bond, you can either chip little bits to tooth it in or use a plaster primer with alkali resistance, but toothing is the most reliable way to get a strong bond.

ah ok. my wall is unfortunately not smooth, it is lightly dimpled i guess is the only way to describe it - i am not sure how to get this finish, i suspect a sponge trowel but struggling to find good techniques.

when you say primed and skimmed, do you mean with a final plaster coat?

 

[howardb]

ah ok. my wall is unfortunately not smooth, it is lightly dimpled i guess is the only way to describe it - i am not sure how to get this finish, i suspect a sponge trowel but struggling to find good techniques.

when you say primed and skimmed, do you mean with a final plaster coat?

Is it scratch plaster finish? Once primed and painted it always looks more dimpled after a few coats.

 

[GoB]

ah ok. my wall is unfortunately not smooth, it is lightly dimpled i guess is the only way to describe it - i am not sure how to get this finish, i suspect a sponge trowel but struggling to find good techniques.

when you say primed and skimmed, do you mean with a final plaster coat?

I have a guy who fixed all my cracks etc. and could reproduce the rough cast texture... he just mixed some cement to do it with.
I did buy a rough cast tool (with a lever rotated by hand) from Brights which splatters drops on a wall - did my vibracrete extensions to match the rest of the wall.
But for small areas I think the builder splashes the droplets by hand with a block brush and eyeballs it to blend in... it's basically granules/droplets sealed in below the primer.

 

[Steamy Tom]

I have a guy who fixed all my cracks etc. and could reproduce the rough cast texture... he just mixed some cement to do it with.
I did buy a rough cast tool (with a lever rotated by hand) from Brights which splatters drops on a wall - did my vibracrete extensions to match the rest of the wall.
But for small areas I think the builder splashes the droplets by hand with a block brush and eyeballs it to blend in... it's basically granules/droplets sealed in below the primer.

Is it scratch plaster finish? Once primed and painted it always looks more dimpled after a few coats.

to be honest i don't know what to call it, i think it is pretty common and would be what most people have in their 20-40 year old houses

its definitely not rough cast, the littlle bumps and voids are pretty small.

The way i understand it is you can do a rough cast by using a wet foam trowel, and you can make it less rough by not wetting the foam.

 

[Rocket-Boy]

ah ok. my wall is unfortunately not smooth, it is lightly dimpled i guess is the only way to describe it - i am not sure how to get this finish, i suspect a sponge trowel but struggling to find good techniques.

when you say primed and skimmed, do you mean with a final plaster coat?

I have seen them do that effect before, they use a watered down plaster in a machine with a little crank arm, it has bristles that rotate and kinda flicks bits on to the wall. Im sure its not easy to duplicate even with the machine because of consistency of the plaster and speed its cranked at etc.

No with the priming and skimming I meant after the plaster had been applied, The exterior was just dimpled paint applied and smooth on the inside, so it was a case of smooth plastering, then priming, skimming to remove defects and get a smooth surface and finally painting.

 

[Steamy Tom]

I have seen them do that effect before, they use a watered down plaster in a machine with a little crank arm, it has bristles that rotate and kinda flicks bits on to the wall. Im sure its not easy to duplicate even with the machine because of consistency of the plaster and speed its cranked at etc.

No with the priming and skimming I meant after the plaster had been applied, The exterior was just dimpled paint applied and smooth on the inside, so it was a case of smooth plastering, then priming, skimming to remove defects and get a smooth surface and finally painting.

interesting i really thought it was done by hand... sigh this uncertainty is making me wonder if i should leave it

 

[howardb]

interesting i really thought it was done by hand... sigh this uncertainty is making me wonder if i should leave it

Judging from the above replies, it sounds like a tyrolene machine that you need.
We have a similar finish on the internal walls and it was pita to match the finish. The plaster goes everywhere and you have to watch the applied thickness, etc, otherwise it runs down the wall...

 

[Steamy Tom]

Judging from the above replies, it sounds like a tyrolene machine that you need.
We have a similar finish on the internal walls and it was pita to match the finish. The plaster goes everywhere and you have to watch the applied thickness, etc, otherwise it runs down the wall...

i will post a picture tonight

 

[alqassam]

Best way to fix this

I don't think the match stick/ toothpick will work

 

[xrapidx]

I recently fixed a few of my doors/handles with wood filler - holding so far.

 

[Lupus]

Hey guys maby not the usual DIY but how are your lawns coming along? What are you doing to get it green and growing again?

Lawn? I've got a dustbowl thanks to my dogs. But it should come back in Novemberish.

 

[howardb]

Best way to fix this

I don't think the match stick/ toothpick will work

Wood skewer may work, coat it with good wood glue and gently hammer in, let dry completely, sand flush and re-drill

 

[alqassam]

Wood skewer may work, coat it with good wood glue and gently hammer in, let dry completely, sand flush and re-drill

I recently fixed a few of my doors/handles with wood filler - holding so far.

What if I use this hinge next to that one.

 

[WAslayer]

What if I use this hinge next to that one.

Instead of toothpicks/match sticks, drill the holes to the nearest size wooden dowel..

Some wood glue on the dowel and hammer it in.. once dry, redrill holes for screws..

 

[alqassam]

Instead of toothpicks/match sticks, drill the holes to the nearest size wooden dowel..

Some wood glue on the dowel and hammer it in.. once dry, redrill holes for screws..

Thanks this might actually work much better

 

[Steamy Tom]

i will post a picture tonight

The inside portion of the wall

The outside portion


as you can see the outside is much more of a "rough" cast, the inside is like just a little bumpy and almost looks like it was swept or something with lines down.