May 2016 - Plastering Blog

May 25, 2016March 28, 2022

Level 5 improve taping tool range

There’s always a bit of excitement surrounding our HQ when one of our favourite brands brings out something new. And it’s safe to say that Level 5 have done it again with their new taping tool range which has been designed to make the work of the Dryliner or DIY fan even easier.

We’re always on the look-out for Drylining tools that are super effective all round (including in the cost department) and that are why we’re pleased to see Level 5 improve their taping tool range with these great new pieces of kit.

New Designs, new sizes – Red Zone Alert!

The new taping tools have been named the Red Zone Alert because not only are they painted in this eye catching colour, but they’ve been designed with such improvements that people really should sit up and take notice.

Despite the fact that Level 5 tools were super handy to begin with, the designers have managed to excel themselves even further with tools that have been created especially with the user’s needs in mind. The automatic taper, for example, now has even smoother operation, is more lightweight and ergonomically friendly, as well as being easy and cost effective to repair.

Not only that, Level 5 New design Flat comes with ultra light springs, a reduced push force of 50%, interchangeable parts and a useful straight top edge.

The extendable flat box handles come in several different sizes too, which means they can cover greater lengths than any other brand.

Level 5 – The Professional Tapers Choice

It’s easy to see why many professional tapers choose to use Level 5 products. When you’ve got kit that doesn’t have the most friendly design it can be hard going, but this is a brand which seems to put its users first, boasting tools that are 14% lighter than the market leader and 35% less expensive.

Order your new Level 5 tools online today

If you would like to have a go at making your Taping & Jointing jobs easier by trying out the new Level 5 tools, we have them available and ready to go at Gypsumtools. All you need to do is log on, get your order in online and have them winging their way over to you wherever you are in the UK. Or, if you need more information, feel free to get in touch with us today.

Find out how you can make huge savings on our taping tools with our Taping Tool Kit Builder, featuring DeWalt and Level 5 taping tools.

May 16, 2016March 30, 2017

Preparing walls for plastering

Anyone who is new to plastering might be forgiven for thinking that it’s simply all about sticking a load of plaster on a wall and smoothing it flat, but anyone with a bit more experience will know that not bothering with the bits before this part can mean the road to disaster.

One of the most important stages of plastering is the preparation before you put the plaster on the wall. It’s vital to know what levels of suction you’re dealing with, for example, so you can ensure that when the plaster goes on, it’s going to stay that way and won’t dry too fast or come away from the wall.

When you are preparing walls for plastering there are several steps you can take to test the suction, whether you’re working with a previously plastered or painted background or a properly prepared and well scratched backing coat. If you’re plastering onto plasterboard then you don’t need to worry so much about a suction test as the paper on the board will do the job for you.

High or low?

Simply put, if your wall is high suction it means it’s too porous and any plaster you put on the wall will have all of the moisture sucked out of it, leaving it too dry before you’re ready to flatten it out. It doesn’t matter how great your technique might be, if you’ve not got plaster you can work with then you don’t stand a chance. An easy solution to this, after you’ve discovered your wall is high suction, is to apply water evenly to the wall before you begin.

Similarly, if the wall is low suction or previously painted or plastered, the adhesion could be poor, meaning the plaster will struggle to stick to the wall and this is where you might find layering on PVA before the plaster can help. Bear in mind that a couple of thinner layers of PVA are better than one thick one as, if it’s too thick, it could be likely to peel off. Thinner layers of PVA will also mean more is absorbed into the wall. It’s worth noting here that to ensure even better adhesion with your PVA, you can mix a handful of sand in with it to create a rougher surface.

The big test

The suction test doesn’t have to be a massive challenge. To check the suction of your wall, load a small amount of plaster onto your trowel and smooth it over a small area of the wall at about 2mm in thickness. See how fast the plaster dries. If it’s still as wet as when you put it on after 2-3 minutes, then the wall isn’t high suction and won’t need soaking with water or layers of PVA, but if it has dried considerably, then it will.

Need more advice? Contact Us

If you’re looking to begin a plastering job and are unsure of the tools you need, or the right processes, then feel free to get in touch with a member of our team today who would be happy to help.

May 11, 2016May 16, 2016

New top plastering products

After working in the plastering industry for over 50 years, it has been great to see how times have changed and things have evolved.

There are constantly new and innovative products coming on to the market which are designed to make life that little bit easier and at Gypsumtools we are determined to be right up to date in making the very best of them available to our loyal customers.

We are always on the look-out for any new top plastering products that become available – wherever in the world they started life – and we’re always keen to get them in stock. So, here are a few of the ingenious creations that are floating our boat at the minute.

Top 5 new products

Trowel Wallets – Yes, it’s good that your trowel gets worn in nicely, but when you’ve got it perfect, do you want it exposed to the elements and any unnecessary damage, meaning you might have to shell out for the cost of a new one sooner than you thought? This is why we love these leather trowel wallets, because they will protect one of your most important pieces of kit for longer.

Green Plasterspot – These are a genius way to help you find the right spot for your downlights once you’ve plastered a ceiling. Relatively cheap to buy, it’s amazing how much time and effort they can save.

Plasticflex – This has to be the ultimate finishing trowel when you’re plastering internally. Not only does it come with the great level of quality that you’ll find with all Nela products, but it also allows you to trowel the wall sooner and the plastic will help reduce the moisture.

Flex laser – compact, useful and very convenient, the laser rangefinder has taken away the need for fiddly tape measures and allows you to gauge distance easily with its illuminated display, ability to calculate length and area and choice of units of measurement.

Radius 360 sander – This fantastic invention offers the opportunity to get to work on a surface with a low center of gravity that makes it easier to carry out detail sanding and removing stubborn ridges. The Pro Handle Adapter transforms Radius360 and Trigon180 pole sanders into ergonomically designed hand sanders and it’s so quick and easy to use.

Gypsumtools always staying ahead

It’s always good to stay ahead of the field and keep up with any changes or developments within our industry. And we’re not ones to keep it to ourselves either, which is why any of the latest and greatest developments we find out about, we’re always pleased to share with you in our newsletter.

Order securely online

If you’ve seen anything you like mentioned above and you’d like to find out more, you can get in touch or take a look at the product online. While you’re there, have a browse through our extensive range of plastering tools and equipment and if you come across something which takes your eye you can order securely online.

May 3, 2016March 30, 2017

Top 10 timsesaving plastering tools

When it comes to plastering, it can be a tough old process at times, especially if you’re looking to get your work up to a very high standard, because you’ll need to spend more time and effort on the finished result.

One way to ensure you can minimise the muscle strain and get the job done quickly and effectively is by having the right equipment in place before you start.

And, whether you’re a professional plasterer or doing a spot of DIY, anything that will help save you time and effort is a massive bonus. We love being able to offer products that are going to help not hinder, so here is a list of our top 10 timesaving plastering tools:

List of tools

Spatula – With options available from leading brands such as Refina, Putz and Speedskim, these make a perfect flattening or finishing tool and can also be used for jointing, taping and smoothing. Great features of the products include Speedskim technology, an ultra-flexible stainless steel blade and h frame moulded hand grip.

Powermixer – Why do your mixing by hand when you can have the hard work done for you? One example is this powerful machine from Eibenstock which will mix all manner of materials including prefab mortar, prefab plaster, renders, cement lime, concrete quartz-containing epoxy resin, flooring and sealing compounds, gypsum and granulates.

Plasterspot – It can take plenty of time to install ceiling downlights and getting them in the right place can be complex. These innovative indicators have been developed to simplify the process and remove the need for extensive drawings to ensure you get it right.

Taping tools – The automatic taping tools available these days can save you masses of time meaning you avoid the laborious job of taping by hand. They promise the fastest method of applying paper tape and jointing compounds to plasterboard.

Corner trowel – One of the toughest bits to get right when you’re plastering can be the corners and they’re the things that can make the whole wall look good or bad. With a corner trowel it makes the job much easier and quicker. Check out this one with rounded corners from Ragni which is made from high quality stainless steel and has a hold-fast, non-slip handle with a finger guard.

A large mixing bucket – Size really can be everything with these heavy black plastic mixing tubs which are perfect for mixing and gauging heavy bulky materials, are tapered for easy stacking and easy to clean.

Stilts – a massively useful tool which will save you time and effort when you’re looking to get to hard to reach areas such as ceilings and the tops of walls.

Screw gun Dewalt – if you’re looking to fit drywall quickly and effectively, then laying your hands on one of these is definitely the way to go, with its powerful brushless motor and maximum runtime.

Repair Service – if you have the horror of a tool breaking while you’re using it, then our repair service could be just what you need because not only will we collect the tool from you, meaning no downtime, but we will give it a refurb while it’s being fixed.

Sanders – innovative, flexible and lightweight machines such as the Flex Giraffe wall and ceiling sander make this painful job so much quicker and easier, giving you the sort of finish you need in no time.

Buy tools online with Gypsumtools

As well as our top ten timesaving plastering tools, we have a huge range of tools and products available to order online for delivery direct to your door. Anything that is designed to make a plasterer’s life that bit easier, you can pretty much guarantee we will have it in stock.

Any questions?

To find out more about the plastering and drywall tools and accessories we have, or if you’d like a bit of advice from our team of professionals, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions. We’re always here to help.