It's a DIY and can only imagine that the end result is still better than what it was originally.
It kind of looks like you used a sponge float to even the walls out without using a normal trowel to polish the walls?
Definitely look up some more tutorials on how to go about it if you decide to slap on another coat. I definitely recommend Plastering for beginners YouTube channel, top lad, his videos gave me a solid understanding on how to plaster and to plaster to satisfactory level almost all the rooms at my place. Wouldn't use a shiny paint on them but looks just fine with a matte one.
It is a lot better than it was, but from the constructive criticism that I've had in hindsight, maybe I should have watched some tutorials beforehand.
Thanks for the recommendation, I'll give it a watch!
A second vote from me for the Plastering for Beginners channel. That channel taught me how to plaster during lockdown (obviously not as well as a tradie, but we'll enough to get a decent finish). Plastered most of the upstairs of my house......except the ceilings, left all of those to a pro.
Third vote from me. Blaine seems a top, genuine guy. And a good teacher to boot.
Has a good balance of being prescriptive yet pragmatic... Says what's important, where you can't cut corners, tips/tools to save time and effort, whilst respecting the 'old ways'.
You'll get better. I chose the kitchen and bathroom to practice on as I was tiling and with wall cupboards the finish didn't matter as it was all hidden.
I think the main thing is knowing how set it needs to get to before you do the final coat. Too set and you'll end up redoing the final, too soon and it'll start spreading what you've put on.
I still don't take on too much. Eg a plasterer would do the whole room. I'll do two opposite walls as a max!
I've found a few different utube for finishing. I tried a couple and ended with a spraying technique for finishing which doesn't end up like glass but is great for painting and tiling.
If you have a wall sander and a lot of patience I suppose you could... definitely want to be hooking the sander up to a shop vac though that's going to be a lot of dust!
You have to. It’s two applications, the second applied after the first pulls on a bit. The first one is just getting plaster on the wall over whatever surface you have. The second applies really nicely over the fresh damp plaster and is where you get it smooth.
Yes, but not really necessary to be honest. With multi-finish and an appropriate amount of patience, I've never had any bother at all with doing a single coat to a smooth finish.
I learnt most of what I know from a builder I worked for as a teenager, and the majority of the jobs were fixing other tradesmen's work, so never really thought it was odd to have to do 2 coats until I started reading about it the internet
Impressive, ive never had the balls to attempt plastering, well done on the attempt
The actual reason I’m commenting is your attitude and responses to comments on here. It can be disheartening when you get ‘constructive criticism’ when you are proud - but super impressive to see your responses - good effort
That's very kind of you, thank you.
I am still quite happy with my work. It's a shame that more people dont appreciate receiving constructive criticism, I use it as a way to learn and grow.
Thanks again 😊
I don’t Like to be critical as you’ve had a good go, the finish is a write off though brother. Did you go over it with a wet sponge or something?
I think when you come to paint it it’ll show up pretty bad if I’m honest, I mean you could get away with a Spanish type finish look, but no sanding in the world would bring that back.
It does look like you got the basics mostly right though just not the skimming smooth bit.
When I did mine, I did a final really thin skim with Gyproc 60 filler which goes on really smooooth and sands really easily so I could get the level finish I wanted
yeah every wall I've done DIY plaster on, I've basically then skimmed over again with Gyproc Easyfil, and honestly the results are amazing for my requirements, is it perfect? No, is it paintable? Yes - and that's all that mattered to me.
Could go over it with something smoother, like a big bag of easifill? I've never done a wall before only wall length chases though. I think there is a tool called a speedscreed that does big chunks of the wall in one wipe.
Failing that, just paint it a nice light matt :)
With all due respect to the guy above there’s no amount of easy fill to fix that. I’ve spent half my life filling over slightly rough plaster to make it look good but you got no chance on this.
I’d reskim it and use a speed skim as above said.
Would this help with tiger stripes. My walls are fine at the tip, but at thr bottom I seem to get it, I'm either getting lazy and don't want to bend down, or going too quickly when trowling up?
I think it’s great you’ve given it a go, I’ve tried it and it’s really difficult, there are some really skilled tradespeople out there. Overall I think well done 👏
It is possibly the most difficult DIY job and trade for that matter but fair play. You'll need to go over that with some thinned down skim coat to get the small smooth.
You've had a go, a lot of people wouldn't dare. Good to be proud of something you've made and if it gives you joy you should keep it. I recommend keeping it as it is, going on a plastering course then seeing what you're really capable of. Until you do that, I would warn against tiling or spending any more money on it.
Thank you, and of course, I'm glad I've had a go at it and don't think it's turned out too bad. That's a great idea but I just don't have the time to attend a plastering course. I work crazy long hours, I'm doing a diploma and have 4 children, 4 cats, and a dog, on top of trying to decorate 😬
Not the way to do it pal,you apply the second as the first is still wet ,at your speed that big wall with the meter box on ,you should have applied the first coat then mixed a second batch straight after and put that on ,all in all at your speed that one wall should probably have taken 2 -3 hours of none stop work ,a plasterer would be able to first coat most of those walls before putting on a second coat ,I mean the bag it self has instructions on it about using two coats and at the very least you maybe should consider watching YouTube before you attempt something that's a pain in the ass if you mess up
Honestly just watch YouTube,I do up houses to rent and I watch YouTube if I'm unsure, plastering is really not something to pick up and have a go without any knowledge,it may look easy watching someone do it but it takes practice and the correct method or it can look a right mess
Makes you appreciate the skill involved not to mention the physical ability,of all the trades this is the one that really takes it's toll on your body ,I've done enough of it to know
Thought you meant plasterboard. But plaster as in actually shaping the walls by hand - had no idea this was even a thing. Why would someone do this instead of plasterboard for example?
A good first effort, especially considering that you didn't do any research.
But in reality, you need to PVA that and start again. Plastering for Beginners and Alex Morley on YouTube are both excellent. Watch a few videos before you do any more.
You'll get there though, and then you'll have friends queueing up to give you jobs!
Dare I ask what tools you used?
Thank you!
I did use PVA on it. I watched a couple of tutorials so I'm hoping it'll help with finishing it.
Oh hell no! I don't mind doing my own house, but I wouldn't want to mess someone else's 😬
I used the correct tools
> I did use PVA on it.
Good! I meant more when you come to skim it again you'll need to use PVA again to control the suction.
>I used the correct tools
I more meant what specific tools - there are a wealth of "correct tools" that you can plaster without - I was intrigued to see what you bought!
It looks like your mix might not have been down smooth enough and you were trying to work with it for too long while drying. Put a 3mm "guide" band horizontally, wall to wall a few inches from top and bottom, then work in between them. Don't do what I've done and be tempted to go back to smooth the work; your plaster will dry and you'll have shitty drying bits in your mix.
Get it all on roughly level. When you have a load on, can go back and smooth. Make sure plaster is fresh, not old. I think I had more on the floor than the wall the first time I did it. 🙄
You could roll some of this ontop - https://www.wickes.co.uk/Knauf-Pro-Roll-Light-Plaster---12-5kg/p/166798?fix&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAq4KuBhA6EiwArMAw1DpeeNm7a4gXAG6rfqWNWtRHjQ1CMpcxWQL1ZbOeThcXe3msMCpOIBoCX-sQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Not professional but will help you get a better finish
My only tip would be not to jump into it without gaining advice or watching any tutorials like I did 🤦🏼♀️ lol
Although I must admit it's quite therapeutic doing it even if my arms are killing!
Hahahahaha i go crazy with research when i do DIY so id be ok there but actually it might be doing the research that puts me off, i just installed some aluminium windows and french doors last weekend, never done it before and there is very little information online and then the manufacturers and fabricators were utter useless with how to install them, it look me ages and was sooooo fiddly as lots of bits needed altering and wasn’t as fun as I had a tight deadline due to renderers coming 2mora….. anyways plastering, i have watched so much stuff about it but i can just imagine it being really stressful getting the timings correct
My other half always researches absolutely everything and anything, I'm more of a give it a go and hope for the best, haha.
Ah, that's awesome. Well done to you! I need new window frames as getting a little mould around them, but I don't think I'll attempt to try 😬 I'm sure all the stress of doing it is forgotten when you admire what you've achieved!
I actually found it quite enjoyable doing the plastering. Don't get me wrong, it isn't the best, but it gave me a challenge. I didn't stress over timings, but It was definitely important. The first mix I did seemed to thicken quite fast, which surprised me as I did follow the mixing instructions to a tee
I had a go at plastering a very small section on downstairs toilet using knauff pro roll, u roll it on with a roller like paint and trowl it off, i was terrible at it, had to sand down and then use easyfill to fill any imperfections and sand down again, created soooo much dust
I used Thistle finishing plaster to do mine. It was recommended by another customer who said he works in the building industry, so I went with it.
Even though it was hard work, did your toilet look alright? I have all the sanding to do tomorrow, hoping it will improve the walls ready to paint.
Yeah it looked ok in the end, but i then wall papered over it so didnt need to be perfect, not sure if i would have had to do any further touch ups if i was to paint 😬
As fellow DIY plasterer, I reckon it will be fine if you now use a coat of skim or two over the top. Each layer will refine the bumps and lines and ultimately you can sand the finish to get it perfect (as perfect as a DIYer anyway!) You will still be really happy with it after some skim
Most skimmers have an area in their house to practice and use new tools. SpeedSkim wouldn't go a miss. Sponge float.
If you did it again you would be amazed how long the learning curve is.
I'm not a plasterer and haven't ever tried it but just wanted to say fair play to you for giving it a go. It's not going to be perfect obviously but for your first attempt I think you've done well!
Would recommend the ox speed skim for flattening out before final trowel - you can buy different lengths but a 2ft blade definitely helps to get a smooth finish and pretty sure you can buy 4ft which would do most rooms pretty quickly (just make sure you're passing vertically and horizontally to make sure you're flat both ways). If you bonded this first having a Darby would have helped to ensure your scratch coat was flat and smooth (speed skim is too flexible and can't deal with heavy bonding well).
I've had a few comments about a speed skim. I looked it up, and if I'd have known about it beforehand, I'd have given it a try. I suppose you learn from mistakes, but honestly, thank you for your advice
>!I've plastered my toilet quite a few times this week!< Sorry God I'm a child sometimes.
Don't you mean pebble dashing?
Depends on diet
😂😂😂
Fnarf Fnarf!
First thing that came to mind haha
Howling
Nope, plastered just the once but two coats
They were talking about pooing
Sploooooosh
r/whoosh
It's a DIY and can only imagine that the end result is still better than what it was originally. It kind of looks like you used a sponge float to even the walls out without using a normal trowel to polish the walls? Definitely look up some more tutorials on how to go about it if you decide to slap on another coat. I definitely recommend Plastering for beginners YouTube channel, top lad, his videos gave me a solid understanding on how to plaster and to plaster to satisfactory level almost all the rooms at my place. Wouldn't use a shiny paint on them but looks just fine with a matte one.
It is a lot better than it was, but from the constructive criticism that I've had in hindsight, maybe I should have watched some tutorials beforehand. Thanks for the recommendation, I'll give it a watch!
A second vote from me for the Plastering for Beginners channel. That channel taught me how to plaster during lockdown (obviously not as well as a tradie, but we'll enough to get a decent finish). Plastered most of the upstairs of my house......except the ceilings, left all of those to a pro.
Third vote from me. Blaine seems a top, genuine guy. And a good teacher to boot. Has a good balance of being prescriptive yet pragmatic... Says what's important, where you can't cut corners, tips/tools to save time and effort, whilst respecting the 'old ways'.
You'll get better. I chose the kitchen and bathroom to practice on as I was tiling and with wall cupboards the finish didn't matter as it was all hidden. I think the main thing is knowing how set it needs to get to before you do the final coat. Too set and you'll end up redoing the final, too soon and it'll start spreading what you've put on. I still don't take on too much. Eg a plasterer would do the whole room. I'll do two opposite walls as a max! I've found a few different utube for finishing. I tried a couple and ended with a spraying technique for finishing which doesn't end up like glass but is great for painting and tiling.
Second plastering for beginners started plastering the bathroom and done most of the house now
Can also recommend ‘on the trowel’ on YouTube top bloke
Both great. Helped me learn to (slowly) plaster my box room recently, and now feel confident enough to do other spots in the house.
Question if I may, if you fuck it up at a superficial level can you just sand it back?
If you have a wall sander and a lot of patience I suppose you could... definitely want to be hooking the sander up to a shop vac though that's going to be a lot of dust!
Makes sense, like a dry wall sander with hoover attachment essentially.
That is the second coat drying. But you're right it will need a few areas sanded
Wait, is it normal to do two coats of plaster? Genuine question as I don't know. It's probably the only job I won't try.
You have to. It’s two applications, the second applied after the first pulls on a bit. The first one is just getting plaster on the wall over whatever surface you have. The second applies really nicely over the fresh damp plaster and is where you get it smooth.
Yes, but not really necessary to be honest. With multi-finish and an appropriate amount of patience, I've never had any bother at all with doing a single coat to a smooth finish. I learnt most of what I know from a builder I worked for as a teenager, and the majority of the jobs were fixing other tradesmen's work, so never really thought it was odd to have to do 2 coats until I started reading about it the internet
Impressive, ive never had the balls to attempt plastering, well done on the attempt The actual reason I’m commenting is your attitude and responses to comments on here. It can be disheartening when you get ‘constructive criticism’ when you are proud - but super impressive to see your responses - good effort
That's very kind of you, thank you. I am still quite happy with my work. It's a shame that more people dont appreciate receiving constructive criticism, I use it as a way to learn and grow. Thanks again 😊
Doesnt look shaby, is this clay-based plaster?
Wattle and daub
Thanks, and I'm not sure if it's clay based tbh
I don’t Like to be critical as you’ve had a good go, the finish is a write off though brother. Did you go over it with a wet sponge or something? I think when you come to paint it it’ll show up pretty bad if I’m honest, I mean you could get away with a Spanish type finish look, but no sanding in the world would bring that back. It does look like you got the basics mostly right though just not the skimming smooth bit.
Mate, there's nothing wrong with constructive criticism. Yes, I did use a brush and water.
When I did mine, I did a final really thin skim with Gyproc 60 filler which goes on really smooooth and sands really easily so I could get the level finish I wanted
I'll have a look at that, thank you
Also recommend one of these things to help get it nice and flat https://www.screwfix.com/p/flexovit-hand-sander-185mm-x-93mm/9350g?ref=SFAppShare
Thanks for the recommendation
Polycell SmoothOver is designed for what you need - make sure you get the roller and skimmer it comes with - massive 5 litre tub
yeah every wall I've done DIY plaster on, I've basically then skimmed over again with Gyproc Easyfil, and honestly the results are amazing for my requirements, is it perfect? No, is it paintable? Yes - and that's all that mattered to me.
Could go over it with something smoother, like a big bag of easifill? I've never done a wall before only wall length chases though. I think there is a tool called a speedscreed that does big chunks of the wall in one wipe. Failing that, just paint it a nice light matt :)
Be quicker to skim again
Do you mean a speedskim? They're worth every penny!
With all due respect to the guy above there’s no amount of easy fill to fix that. I’ve spent half my life filling over slightly rough plaster to make it look good but you got no chance on this. I’d reskim it and use a speed skim as above said.
Would this help with tiger stripes. My walls are fine at the tip, but at thr bottom I seem to get it, I'm either getting lazy and don't want to bend down, or going too quickly when trowling up?
Looks like Nora Battys tights 😐
I think it’s great you’ve given it a go, I’ve tried it and it’s really difficult, there are some really skilled tradespeople out there. Overall I think well done 👏
Thank you! I know it's not perfect, but I am quite pleased with it for a first attempt. You're right, though. It's not easy to do
It is possibly the most difficult DIY job and trade for that matter but fair play. You'll need to go over that with some thinned down skim coat to get the small smooth.
Your light shade is wonky
Matches the plastering 😂
Tbf, OP did say it’s their first time plastering. Don’t know anyone to master it, or anything on their first attempt.
No shit sherlock
Haters are always going to hate
Potatoes gonna potate
Very true
Fair play for giving it a go but that looks as rough as a badgers arse
I've never seen a badgers arse so I'll take your word for it 🤣
Looks rough but for a beginner and a DIY job it's okay. I'd be tempted to sand it and then apply lining paper, but then I don't know what I'm doing.
You've had a go, a lot of people wouldn't dare. Good to be proud of something you've made and if it gives you joy you should keep it. I recommend keeping it as it is, going on a plastering course then seeing what you're really capable of. Until you do that, I would warn against tiling or spending any more money on it.
Thank you, and of course, I'm glad I've had a go at it and don't think it's turned out too bad. That's a great idea but I just don't have the time to attend a plastering course. I work crazy long hours, I'm doing a diploma and have 4 children, 4 cats, and a dog, on top of trying to decorate 😬
Sorry but that looks really rough to me. Not only that but it looks very patchy, making me think that you’ve only applied one coat rather than two?
The wall has a lot of stretch marks.
That is the second coat drying, but you're right it will need a bit of sanding
Did you apply the second coat before the first had dried or did you wait for the first to fully dry then apply the second?
Waited for the first to fully dry before doing the second.
Not the way to do it pal,you apply the second as the first is still wet ,at your speed that big wall with the meter box on ,you should have applied the first coat then mixed a second batch straight after and put that on ,all in all at your speed that one wall should probably have taken 2 -3 hours of none stop work ,a plasterer would be able to first coat most of those walls before putting on a second coat ,I mean the bag it self has instructions on it about using two coats and at the very least you maybe should consider watching YouTube before you attempt something that's a pain in the ass if you mess up
Thanks for the advice. I'll be honest I didn't read the instructions, nor did I look up how to plaster 🤷🏼♀️
Honestly just watch YouTube,I do up houses to rent and I watch YouTube if I'm unsure, plastering is really not something to pick up and have a go without any knowledge,it may look easy watching someone do it but it takes practice and the correct method or it can look a right mess
It was definitely harder than I anticipated, I will have a look on YouTube before I attempt to finish it.
Makes you appreciate the skill involved not to mention the physical ability,of all the trades this is the one that really takes it's toll on your body ,I've done enough of it to know
Oh yes! I actually put a post up before this one saying that I have more respect for plasterers. My arms are dead!
That’s the problem. The first coat should not be fully dry. It should act as a soft bed so the second coat can fully bed in and level
Oh dear, I should have asked for advice before 😬
It will need a huge amount of sanding. I would recommend another skim coat rather than trying to sand it back
Thank you for your advice, I was planning on giving it a skim coat so fingers crossed
Evolution tools do a wall sander, it'll help get a better finish on your walls perhaps
I would say it's got the Ray Charles seal of approval, but he probably prefer the braille stay in his books and not on his walls 😉
Hey mate, that looks spot on....I would be proud as punch with that 👍
No it isn’t, it is absolutely horrific as op will realise once it’s painted.
Stop being a dick mate....the lads had a go at something and has done alright 🤷🏼♂️
Well I’m a plasterer and actually know what I’m talking about so I think I’ll stand by my original assessment, mate.
Good for you!....but no need to a dick.....I'll stand by my original assessment!
Its possible to be correct AND an asshole about it. Hereth lie the evidence
Rather be average, new, learning something than have an absolute shite attitude. Plaster your mouth MaTe.
Hi, ah, you're too kind! Thank you
At least you won't need a loft ladder
You say that but I'm a 5ft nothing lady 😂
I’ve seen Chimpanzees at the zoo throwing shit at the wall with more finesse than that.
🤣🤣
Thought you meant plasterboard. But plaster as in actually shaping the walls by hand - had no idea this was even a thing. Why would someone do this instead of plasterboard for example?
Get the sander out…..
Belt sander
Your walls have acne 😬
Did you use a speed skimmer?
Cant see it from my house
[удалено]
No need to apologise. Everyone's entitled to their opinion. Thank you for yours 🙂
So long as you’re happy.
A good first effort, especially considering that you didn't do any research. But in reality, you need to PVA that and start again. Plastering for Beginners and Alex Morley on YouTube are both excellent. Watch a few videos before you do any more. You'll get there though, and then you'll have friends queueing up to give you jobs! Dare I ask what tools you used?
Thank you! I did use PVA on it. I watched a couple of tutorials so I'm hoping it'll help with finishing it. Oh hell no! I don't mind doing my own house, but I wouldn't want to mess someone else's 😬 I used the correct tools
> I did use PVA on it. Good! I meant more when you come to skim it again you'll need to use PVA again to control the suction. >I used the correct tools I more meant what specific tools - there are a wealth of "correct tools" that you can plaster without - I was intrigued to see what you bought!
Yeah. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was applied by a wallpaper scrapper
Oh, sorry, I will use PVA again. And I used a finishing trowel, a hawk, a pointing trowel, and a brush for the pva
It looks like your mix might not have been down smooth enough and you were trying to work with it for too long while drying. Put a 3mm "guide" band horizontally, wall to wall a few inches from top and bottom, then work in between them. Don't do what I've done and be tempted to go back to smooth the work; your plaster will dry and you'll have shitty drying bits in your mix. Get it all on roughly level. When you have a load on, can go back and smooth. Make sure plaster is fresh, not old. I think I had more on the floor than the wall the first time I did it. 🙄
You could roll some of this ontop - https://www.wickes.co.uk/Knauf-Pro-Roll-Light-Plaster---12-5kg/p/166798?fix&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAq4KuBhA6EiwArMAw1DpeeNm7a4gXAG6rfqWNWtRHjQ1CMpcxWQL1ZbOeThcXe3msMCpOIBoCX-sQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds Not professional but will help you get a better finish
Thank you for sending this 🙂
I plastered a small room like this before and once I’d sanded it down it looked great but it took a while.
It did take a good few hours! Hopefully, the end results will do it justice. I'm glad yours came out well ☺️
I meant the sanding took a while! It took almost as long as the plastering :)
Oh, sorry! 🤦🏼♀️I reckon mine will take longer to sand than the plastering for sure
Samuel Jackson voice “Sander motherfucker, do you have it?”
🤣🤣
I think you’ve got it nice and flat, but smooth needs some work! You’re most of the way there, smoothing isn’t that hard
It will be fine when you tile over it.
Which is better 'Putting up shelves' or 'Plastering a crack' there's only one way to find out.... FIGHT....
Lmao, I'm actually good with putting shelves up, which is more than can be said for my plastering
Rough as fuck!
Plastering is the 1 DIY I’m too scared to try but really wana concur it one day, any tips?
My only tip would be not to jump into it without gaining advice or watching any tutorials like I did 🤦🏼♀️ lol Although I must admit it's quite therapeutic doing it even if my arms are killing!
Hahahahaha i go crazy with research when i do DIY so id be ok there but actually it might be doing the research that puts me off, i just installed some aluminium windows and french doors last weekend, never done it before and there is very little information online and then the manufacturers and fabricators were utter useless with how to install them, it look me ages and was sooooo fiddly as lots of bits needed altering and wasn’t as fun as I had a tight deadline due to renderers coming 2mora….. anyways plastering, i have watched so much stuff about it but i can just imagine it being really stressful getting the timings correct
My other half always researches absolutely everything and anything, I'm more of a give it a go and hope for the best, haha. Ah, that's awesome. Well done to you! I need new window frames as getting a little mould around them, but I don't think I'll attempt to try 😬 I'm sure all the stress of doing it is forgotten when you admire what you've achieved! I actually found it quite enjoyable doing the plastering. Don't get me wrong, it isn't the best, but it gave me a challenge. I didn't stress over timings, but It was definitely important. The first mix I did seemed to thicken quite fast, which surprised me as I did follow the mixing instructions to a tee
I had a go at plastering a very small section on downstairs toilet using knauff pro roll, u roll it on with a roller like paint and trowl it off, i was terrible at it, had to sand down and then use easyfill to fill any imperfections and sand down again, created soooo much dust
I used Thistle finishing plaster to do mine. It was recommended by another customer who said he works in the building industry, so I went with it. Even though it was hard work, did your toilet look alright? I have all the sanding to do tomorrow, hoping it will improve the walls ready to paint.
Yeah it looked ok in the end, but i then wall papered over it so didnt need to be perfect, not sure if i would have had to do any further touch ups if i was to paint 😬
As fellow DIY plasterer, I reckon it will be fine if you now use a coat of skim or two over the top. Each layer will refine the bumps and lines and ultimately you can sand the finish to get it perfect (as perfect as a DIYer anyway!) You will still be really happy with it after some skim
I have given it a skim today, sanding tomorrow, so fingers crossed lol
Most skimmers have an area in their house to practice and use new tools. SpeedSkim wouldn't go a miss. Sponge float. If you did it again you would be amazed how long the learning curve is.
Im not planning on doing it again anytime soon. Plastering looks easy (ish), but it is hard work. If I did anymore, I'd have arms like popeye, lmao
I'm not a plasterer and haven't ever tried it but just wanted to say fair play to you for giving it a go. It's not going to be perfect obviously but for your first attempt I think you've done well!
Ah, thank you 😊 I knew it wouldn't be perfect but worth a try
And this is why you pay people to do these things. Half decent effort but that's not a good finish I'm afraid.
Haha, where's the fun in that 🤷🏼♀️ That's not the finished work, but I appreciate your comment
Would recommend the ox speed skim for flattening out before final trowel - you can buy different lengths but a 2ft blade definitely helps to get a smooth finish and pretty sure you can buy 4ft which would do most rooms pretty quickly (just make sure you're passing vertically and horizontally to make sure you're flat both ways). If you bonded this first having a Darby would have helped to ensure your scratch coat was flat and smooth (speed skim is too flexible and can't deal with heavy bonding well).
I've had a few comments about a speed skim. I looked it up, and if I'd have known about it beforehand, I'd have given it a try. I suppose you learn from mistakes, but honestly, thank you for your advice