Skim coat

[q9]

Was told that a skim coat after removing wallpaper is a good idea. So far I haven't, and it looks ok. But there is a bit more to do, namely the lounge room.

I don't really like creating extra work for no reason, so I probably will just paint this as well, but I want to know why would you skim coat? Or should that be: When should I skim coat? ?

Secondly - how do I skim coat and what tools would I need? Don't know that I've seen a tutorial on it as of yet (not that I've looked very hard).

[Dirty Doogie]

I have depapered plaster walls a few times. In my case I found that I had gouged the plaster a little bit here and there and also some extra stubborn bits of paper wouldnt come off.

I put a thin wipe ( my version of a skim coat) of topping compound over the lumpy bits hiding them bueatifully.

Sometimes though the glue residue from the paper causes problems with some paints and or skim coats.

[rod@plasterbrok]

You should skim coat when:

You have multiple scratches dents or repairs on a wall or ceiling suface.
where you have a problem with glancing light on plasterboard surfaces and require a level 5 finish.
Or if you are soid plastering a wall.

You need a plasterers hawk or a mud pan a smaller scraper and a 12" trowel or blade and maybe an 8" blade.

There are a few videos on the British version of skim coating on the web. But they are using different materials than we have here in Australia, so the technique is a little different.

The easiest product to use for skim coating is ready mixed multi-purpose top coat. You just cant muck it up as it sands easy and can be re-coated when dry. NOTE: reapairs and dents should be repaired prior to skim coat with 2 coats of basecoat or cornice adhesive, or if you have the time to wait for it to dry 2 coats of the multi-purpose top coat.

But now you have said there are no tutorials on skim coating I will do a video on this in the next few weeks and put it up on Youtube.

Cheers Rod

[q9]

Thanks for the replies.

I have seen a thing called a plasters hawk at bunnies...but my question is - what do you do with it?

So far most of the walls look decent, and I have managed to just lay some plaster over the old joins - obviously never prep'd properly. I got some Gyprock Multi Purpose compound from Bunnies on the advice of a carpenter doing a shop refit at the building where I work. Got a truck load of plaster offcuts off him too :)

I haven't had a decent look at the loungeroom walls yet, but obviously I wouldn't mind making a fairly decent job of it if it requires a bit of fiddling.

Will look out for your tutorial, thanks :)

[rod@plasterbrok]

Go to this post and click on the Youtube link and you will see a plasterers hawk in use!

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=57399

[q9]

Ah, excellent...it is actually for what I thought it was for!

Great videos by the way. Seeing as I am qualified to comment, I will say that a twin 500W light positioned so it reflects of the walls would make your videos MUCH better, and will allow much more detail to be seen.

But yeah, good otherwise.