The Ultimate Sanding Guide For Beginners

Full Circle Air Radius 360 Dust-free Sanding System

Let’s make it easy for you to start sanding if you’ve never really learned how.

To start with, choose the right sandpaper – coarse or fine. Coarse has larger aluminium oxide particles, which means you’ll be sanding faster and with more aggression. When you’re ready for the finishing touches, you’ll want to go for a fine grit paper. Be patient with it, and you’ll be polishing the surface to a lovely smooth end product.

You can use paper on its own of course, or wrapped around a block for more stability. If you have a larger area to sand, it’s worth using a tool, such as an orbital sander, which also have a dustless system keeping you safe.

Sanding tools can be fitted with all kinds of accessories, depending on the surface you’re sanding. A sanding disc, for example, isn’t as heavy duty than a sanding band. An abrasive brush will work on a surface layer without causing harm below that surface. Perfect for sanding down drywall after yoru taping and jointing.

Take care, because sanding inevitably creates dust in the air, which isn’t nice to breathe in anyway, but especially when you know some of those particles could be toxic. A face mask is a great way to keep the dust inhalation to a minimum, and plastic goggles are a good idea to protect your eyes, safety first!

This is also applicable when cutting drywall to the size you require. When using a drywall jab saws and rasps to smooth off your edges, remember to wear the relevant PPE to protect yourself. Also make sure you’re wearing gloves to keep your hands safe.

A vacuum cleaner is going to be vital, to avoid particles make their way into your paintwork or accumulating in the area you’re trying to clean. Give it a vacuum to remove most of the sanding dust, and then with a damp cloth give it a bit of a wipe to finish it off.

Everything you need is available from the Gypsum Tools site. We stock a range of sanding tools and accessories, including heavy duty kit such as the Giraffe Wall & Ceiling Sander, which has full safety features, as well as speed selection controls.If you’re working on some drywall sanding and you want a more manual approach, the Full Circle Flex Edge Multi-Layered Drywall Sanding Tool is going to be perfect. Or if you’re simply DIY’ing we have loads of sanding blocks and more.

We sell foam replacement pads for this type of project, as well a range of sandpaper sheets. But even if you’re planning a small scale sanding project, we can help you with hand sanders, and sanding tools and supplies to fit the job. Just let us know exactly what you need and we’ll be happy to help!

Plaster Or Plasterboard – Which Is Better?

Wet Plastering A Wall

When it comes to home improvements, there are always plenty of decisions to be made. Hard floor or carpet? Fibreglass or foam insulation? Paint or wallpaper? The list goes on.

Relining a wall brings about just one more choice – wet plaster or plasterboard? We’ve decided to take a look at this age-old battle to see if there really is a clear winner, or the choice comes down to your personal preference.

So if you’re looking to renovate your home, repair damage or just reline an old wall, chances are you’ll want to know which product is better for your needs. As established plastering and drylining specialists, our team are always on hand to help – but let’s take more of a detailed look at the two options in isolation.

Plaster

Generally the preferred option for masonry professionals in the UK, a traditional plaster finish can give your walls and ceilings a uniquely smooth result that plasterboard just can’t compete with. Not only does wet plaster give an exceptional finish, but it’s also known to be incredibly durable and resistant to degradation over time.

Choosing wet plaster also gives the added advantage of limitless restrictions – regardless of the size, shape or fiddly details like window bays or door frames, you can plaster any area given the right level of application and skill. We’d also throw in here that wet plaster provides a better airtight seal than plasterboard, meaning your room is better prepared to retain warmth and restrict water ingress from external sources.

Now you’re probably thinking ‘wet plaster is the winner’ – but there are some downsides to choosing this plastering method.

The biggest of these is the skill and craftsmanship it takes to apply wet plaster efficiently, which is why good plasterers train to hone their skills for many years as apprentices prior to working independently. Attempting to plaster a wall or room yourself is definitely not recommended – without the necessary experience, you’re almost certain to end up with an uneven finish and cracks when the plaster has dried.

Wet plaster is a fantastic option if you have money to invest and time on your side – if not, let’s take a look at the alternative.

Plasterboard – Drywall

If you’re looking for an effective finish to a wall, but just don’t have the time to get men on-site or wait for the plaster to dry, plasterboard is a fantastic alternative to the traditional wet plastering method.

Ready-made boards that you attach to your wall – plasterboard is as literal as it sounds. Simply measure up your wall or room, order the appropriate number of boards and that’s it. The only task left for you is to secure the boards to your wall, fill in the joints and screw holes with jointing compound to leave a single, smooth finish – we recommend 4T or Wondertex to do this. Thanks to their construction, plasterboard rarely cracks as the plaster is already dry and installing it is far easier than tackling wet plaster without prior experience.

The most challenging aspect will likely be the task of taping the joints of the drywall together, with jointing compound and tape, which again you’ll need the appropriate tools and materials to complete successfully – you’ll want a taping knife in a few sizes to make this step easier.

It’s fair to say plasterboard is definitely the more convenient of the two options, but if you’re looking for that uniquely smooth finish only wet plaster can bring, you’re going to need to pay more and wait longer. If your wall or room is unusually shaped, your hand may be forced when it comes to this choice, but it’s likely that installing plasterboard here would take longer anyway – cutting unique shapes with a jab saw, fastening them to a unusually-shaped wall and then filling in the joints and screw holes with jointing compound using a taping knife is only for the very brave.

Remember you’ll have to wait for this to dry and then hand sand the access off before to leave a smooth finish.

Summary

In summary, both types of plaster product have clear benefits. If you have the time and money to invest in a higher quality finish, wet plaster is almost certainly the preferable option. It brings a more durable, smoother finish with no joins between boards or screw holes to manually fill with drywall compound.

Plasterboard, on the other hand, is more time and money efficient – you can simply cut and install the boards, fill in the joints & screw holes and you’ll have your wall and ceilings relined in no time!

Still unsure which type of plastering option is best for you? Get in touch with our team and we’ll be happy to help.

Expert Plastering Tips

expert plastering

Here, at Gypsumtools, we know that many of you are looking to perfect your plastering finishing technique. That’s why we’ve put together some expert plastering tips to help you out. With these in mind, you will be professionally finishing a wall every time.

expert plastering tips

Our top tips

  • Our first tip that any plasterer worth their money will tell you, is any surface waiting to be plastered needs to be clean and any previous bits of wallpaper need to be removed to ensure a secure, smooth finish.

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  • It’s vitally important you check out and then appropriately manage the suction of the wall as it can make all the difference between the right result and a poor finish.

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  • Exceptionally porous masonry will cause the plaster to dry out too fast, which can lead to potential issues with the finish as you probably won’t have time to flatten out. If this is the case, wet the wall before you start to safeguard against the plaster falling away.

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  • Low suction walls won’t suck the water particles out the plaster very quickly meaning the use of a bonding agent is required such as PVA diluted with a bit of water. Sand can also be added to the mixture to give added adhesion. The exact mix varies from plasterer to plasterer but 4:1 is a general rule of thumb.

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  • Apply two coats of backing mixture and ensure it is flat. The skim finish can be smooth, but the backing mixture needs to be flat for this to happen.

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  • Ensuring your surface is ready to be plastered; plaster won’t stick to just any surface and you don’t want it to start falling away.

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  • We’ve said this before and we’ll say it again, “keep everything clean”! It makes all the difference as you don’t want your plaster to go off due to dirty buckets, trowels etc.

 

Plastering tips for the skim coat

As a general rule of thumb, there are six stages to applying the skim coat.

  • start with an even layer / coating of around 2mm.
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  • When this coat has gone ‘tacky’, or when you cannot remove the whole covering with your hand, just a little bit, then run your trowel over flattening all the ridges and bumps that stick out over the original 1-2mm.
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  • Next, apply a second coat of as close to 1mm as possible.
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  • After that’s applied, trowel it so it’s nice and smooth and when ‘tacky’ go over every hole/dent and to get it as smooth as you can.
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  • Leave it for a while and as the plaster starts to harden most of the ridges/trowel marks will even out on their own.
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  • If there’s any issues such as blistering as the plaster drys they should sort themselves out.
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Quality Plastering Tools Make the Difference

Good quality plastering tools make all the difference when it comes to the finish and they really don’t have to be expensive. If you find yourself needing a certain piece of equipment, check out our range online. We have one of the most comprehensive ranges of plastering tools on the market, and delivery is always quick and painless!

Contact us with any questions

If you need any more expert plastering tips or any other questions at all make sure you give us a shout. Our professional and courteous staff are always on hand to offer help and advice when you need it most.

The Ultimate Guide to Plastering a Wall

book on the ultimate guide to plastering a wall

There’s a lot to be said for knowing how to plaster a wall properly, both in the amount of time and effort it can take you, not to mention your level of satisfaction with the finished result.

The last thing you want is imperfections on your wall that are going to bug you for years to come so first off, make sure when you plaster a wall that you follow the six stages of plastering in the correct order, that you keep your tools clean and have the right kit to hand.

We have put together the ultimate guide to plastering a wall which will take you through the stages you need to follow, show you what you need and explain exactly how to master the perfect layer of plaster – with some handy hints and tips added in along the way!


Click here to see our plastering tools and equipment – we stock everything you need!


Kit Needed

You may be wondering about the kit needed to get you started. After all, its always a good idea to be prepared well in advance, so you don’t have to down tools and leave the job halfway through to stock up. It therefore would be useful to make sure you have the following:

1.Plasterer’s trowel and bucket trowel

2.Plasterers Float

3.Corner trowel

4.Hawk

5.Bucket x2

6.Mixing stick or paddle

7.Plaster

8.Clean Water

9.Sandpaper

10.Stepladder or stilts

11.Flat Mask

How to plaster a wall step by step

Using a hawk and trowel correctly can be quite a challenge to start with if you’re not used to handling them, so before you put the layer of plaster on the wall, practise using them effectively so you don’t end up in a mess.

Before you start, make sure your wall is clean by removing bits of existing plaster, dust or wallpaper as you go and check the suction of your wall to make sure it isn’t too porous. If this is the case, it will suck the moisture out of the plaster so fast that it won’t have a chance to work before it dries. So, control the suction of your wall with water or PVA, which should satisfy the thirst of the wall, stopping it from stealing the moisture from your plaster too quick.

removal of old wallpapers with spatula
A handy tip when wetting your walls is to use a fine mist spray gun to avoid having to keep reaching down to re-wet your brush. Once the water starts running down the wall, you know you’ve controlled the suction.

Low suction backgrounds, such as painted surfaces will also need to be properly prepared, perhaps by using a mix of PVA glue and water to ensure the plaster sticks to the wall. You could also try adding a handful of sand to the PVA glue mixture to give it a rougher texture and better adhesion when you apply PVA. You’re then ready to start plastering your wall.


Click here to see out plastering tools and equipment – we stock everything you need!


Plaster and water mix together roughly half and half – so half a (clean) bucket of water should make a full bucket of plaster. When mixing up your plaster it should have a thick, creamy consistency with no lumps. Try adding just enough to make a heap on top of the water to start with and the dry plaster must be added TO a bucket of clean water, NOT the other way around.

Mixing of a plaster
You can then mix your plaster slowly using a special paddle or mixing stick, but always have another bucket of water to hand to clean your tools. Trying to get hard plaster off your tools at the end is not much fun at all!

TIPWhen plastering a room, try not to do two walls that are touching each other as you risk damaging one wall while plastering the other. Turn all radiators off in the room too, to stop the plaster drying too quick. Beginners should start on a small area first to ensure they’re getting the technique right, so start with an area which only takes 30 mins or less for the first coat.

Tilting the hawk towards you, skim a small amount of the plaster from your hawk onto your trowel in one swift smooth movement (this can take some practice). Then run a horizontal top border line along the top section of the area you are looking to plaster and try to work from right to left. Work the plaster right into the edges creating a flat even layer of plaster. Don’t worry at this point about small holes and ridges, or smoothness, as long as that first coat is flat and even. It should be around 2mm thick (no more).

Man plastering
Once you’ve done the top border, carry on putting the plaster on the wall, this time in an upwards or vertical motion, which curves around as it reaches the border at the top. As you add the plaster to the wall, angle the leading edge of the trowel away from the wall and gradually flatten the trowel closer and closer to it as you move along and the plaster comes off the trowel. Remember to keep curving it around as you overlap the top border.

Every time you do a sweep upwards, go over it with a fairly flat trowel at an angle of 10-15mms to flatten everything you’ve just done. Remember you are looking for a flat and even surface here, with no bulges – don’t worry too much about trowel marks at this stage.

It could be the case (especially if it’s your first time) that you haven’t gradually decreased the angle of your trowel as you moved along the wall, perhaps you flattened the trowel to the wall too soon or overcompensated and things got quite messy. If this is the case and you have ended up with lots of levels of thickness you can go over it again with a fairly flat trowel angled at about 10mm to flatten out where you’ve been. Combine the flatness of the trowel with firm pressure all the way through to flatten and fill in any holes.

If you’re going too quick and not flattening the trowel quickly enough, you may get the scraping effect which means the top edge of the trowel is coming away from the wall, so it needs to come in a bit. The secret here is to go slowly and keep an eye on the gap between the trowel and the wall, using a firm pressure as you go.


Click here to see our plastering tools and equipment – we stock everything you need!


Also, when you plaster a wall, remember to try and remove annoying bits of grit straight away and make sure you keep everything clean. The next stage is to flatten the first coat off and give your trowel a quick clean. The sole purpose of this stage is to get your wall flat and knock the ridges back because if you don’t at this stage, you are just plastering over an already uneven wall once it has dried and this can only lead to an even more uneven, bumpy wall further down the line.

So, wait until the plaster is tacky and run your trowel over the wall. It’s important to wait until the wall has dried to a tacky consistency (and this can take between 5 and 15 minutes) because if not, you won’t notice the improvement.

Plasterer flattening plaster
Do, however, try and keep an eye on just how quickly the top coat of plaster hardens. As soon as the first coat is on, it is usually ready to be trowelled up and the second coat of plaster applied. This is why it makes sense to only plaster certain sections of the wall at a time to ensure it doesn’t dry out completely before you trowel up and apply your next coat.

Perhaps try putting a small amount of plaster on a piece of off cut and work out how quickly it dries before you attempt a large section of your wall – after all, it’s when the wall has gone tacky (firm, but not hard) that the imperfections can be removed using a trowel. If the plaster has dried completely, only sanding the wall will remove the holes and ridges and this can be a painful and laborious task.

Once you’ve flattened out your first coat of plaster, next is time for the second coat. This is similar to the first layer of plaster but it’s thinner, so use smaller amounts on your trowel. Aim for around 1mm of thickness and a flat even coat.

Also remember to push firmly with your trowel again, because if you don’t push hard enough when you run the trowel over the wall, you could end up with a series of holes. So push hard enough to push the plaster along the whole length of the trowel and into the holes using firm pressure. Move the flattish trowel along the wall with a leading edge of around 10-15mm and combine this with firm pressure.


Click here to view our entire range of plastering and drylining tools!


Don’t worry so much about trowel marks, you may even notice ridges caused by the trowel get worse when doing this, but these will be pushed out in the next stage when the plaster is a little firmer. Try and just focus on not leaving too many holes and make sure everything ends up nice and flat by the time you have finished the second coat of plaster.

Plasterer adding second coat
Next, give your trowel a clean again, then using a trowel and brush when the wall is tacky it’s time to clean the borders and make sure that your corners are tidy.

Ensure all excess plaster is removed from the corner, then it can be formed with a brush. A paintbrush is useful here – just wet it with clean water then flick off the excess water. Point the paintbrush more at the wall you are skimming up to and run the brush in big strokes up and down the corner. Generally at this stage the plaster can be quite wet so use a little pressure.

Any brush marks left in the corner can be lightly trowelled out – but again if it is really wet it may be better to leave until the next stage. You can use water at this point to get a good clean, but don’t flick too much water on your walls unless you need it, or you can end up with a slurry effect on the plaster. Pass the trowel over sections of the wall and look for hollow areas or holes, then work the plaster into them. Moving from left to right, cover the whole area, working the plaster around the wall to keep it flat and fill hollow areas.

Again the trowel marks will come out later on. Leave the wall to get tacky once more and then it’s time to get the trowel marks out – this is called the trowelling up process. As the plaster sets it will darken in colour, which means it’s time for the final trowel.

Plaster-third-coat
Don’t over polish the plaster on the final dry trowel stage – it should be even and slightly polished, but feel like an eggshell – any smoother, it makes paint and wallpaper a nightmare to stick to. This final pass over the wall can be helped if your plaster is setting too hard, by applying clean water to the wall with a wide brush and following behind it with your float to give you a nice smooth finish.

Bear in mind that as you complete the finish, the float can pull plaster from high spots on the wall to the lower spots, but remember, you can always add more plaster where and when it is needed or wipe any surplus from your float onto your hawk. The main thing when plastering a wall is to remember to work through all of the different stages one at a time and bear in mind that it gets easier as the setting process begins to happen. If you have done this it should minimise the amount of sanding needed once the wall has dried and save you extra time, effort and frustration in the process. efina-adjustable-corner-trowel A quick guide to corners… If you make sure your corners are done well, then it gives you a greater chance of making sure that the rest of your wall will look good too, so it’s worth taking the time to get it right.

Try these following steps to help you along… Use a trowel or scraper to fill the corner gap between the plaster walls with the first coat, making sure to scrape off any excess. Once the first coat is dry, use the trowel or scraper blade to take off any small ridges. Then, cut a piece of paper tape to the height of your wall. Fold the tape in half so there is a crease running down the centre of it. You can then apply a thin coat of plaster base coat to both sides of the internal corner and press the tape over the top.

Once it is in place, use the trowel or scraper to flatten it onto the wall, squeezing out any excess plaster, then leave it to dry. Use your paint scraper or trowel to apply a top coat of plaster on both corner faces. Then run an internal corner plaster tool over the top coat to give it a flat and flawless finish.

Order your plastering tools from Gypsumtools

If you’re looking to plaster a wall for the first time and you are unsure of the kit you need, you can order your plastering tools from Gypsumtools, with members of our team readily on hand and available to answer any queries you might have. With over 50 years experience in the plastering industry, we are always looking for the best tools and techniques that there are in plastering, so give us a call, drop us a line or take a browse through our products online to find out more.

DIY Plaster Repair

hand repairing wall

Cracks and holes in your plaster can occur when furniture and doors are moved around too roughly, perhaps a rail or picture frame is put up in the wrong place leaving an unsightly hole, or even when your house is simply settling into its foundations.

Unfortunately such cracks and holes can make your home look tatty and in need of repair, especially if they’re in really obvious places. But before you call out a professional to come and fix the problem, did you know that DIY plaster repair can actually be easier, more straightforward and pain free than you might think?

From polycell plaster repair or plaster repair patches to the best filler for plaster walls, Gypsumtools has it all!

Tips on Plaster Repairs – How to Patch Plaster Wall Holes

If you’re looking to do a spot of DIY plastering on any cracks and holes in your home it really can be achieved yourself and we’ve got a few tips on plaster repairs that might just help you along.

Learn how to patch plaster wall holes:

• Get the right tools for the job and be prepared before you start – that includes making sure you have a good putty knife/wall scraper or plasterers trowel, patching plaster and joint compound.

• Get a dust sheet down to protect your floor and preferably undertake your patching job before you paint or wallpaper your wall.

• Clean out all of the loose plaster from around the hole or crack before you start and brush away any dust using a clean paintbrush – this will enable a better finish.

• Hairline cracks may need widening to give the patch a good area to stick to. And, for longer hairline cracks, take off bits of plaster at intervals along its length to give a better seat for the patch.

• Splash a bit of water on your wall first to stop it absorbing water from the plaster too quickly and causing it to dry out sooner than you need.

• Take care when loading your trowel up with plaster – you don’t want to apply too much

• Fill the crack with plaster using a plasterers trowel with an overlap onto the existing plaster. Then allow it to dry for 24 hours

• If after this time it has shrunk slightly into the crack, patch it again and allow it to dry for another 24 hours.

• For holes, carve under the edge of the existing broken plaster to allow the plaster patch to seep underneath.

• Make sure to dampen the edge of the hole before you start to ensure any unwanted plaster will come off easily.

• When you fill a hole with patching plaster, remember not to fill it level with the existing wall, but leave space for some joint compound to go on top after the patching plaster has dried for 24 hours.

• Once your plaster has dried completely you can then add the joint compound to the patch, going just over the edges to make it even with the existing wall.

• After your patch is completely dry you can then sand the surface to give a smooth finish.

crumbling plaster on wall

Order your Tools from Gypsumtools

For a wide range of DIY plastering tools to suit any budget, order your plaster wall repair products from Gypsumtools today. You can either take a look around our online store and order securely for next day delivery, or, if you’re nearby, why not pop in to our Leicester trade counter?

With over 50 years of experience in the plastering industry, we can offer friendly and knowledgeable help and advice on the right tools and the best way to help you get the job done in no time.

DIY Plastering Tools – What Do I Need?

confused plastering image

DIY Plastering – it’s probably not as messy, stressful, time consuming or as difficult as you might think. What’s more, it could save you a stack of money. Why not give it a go?

Maybe you’ve prepared a ‘kit list’ of DIY Plastering Tools and are in the process of shopping around to ensure you get the best deals, or maybe you aren’t sure of the brands you can rely on. Alternatively, you might not be 100% sure of the sorts of DIY Plastering Tools you need to invest in for your projects.

Why Order DIY Plastering Tools Online At Gypsumtools

Trade customers and DIY Enthusiasts can order, quickly and easily, online or alternatively, can visit our Midlands based trade counter, conveniently located in Leicester.

Ordering DIY Plastering Tools from Gypsumtools is easy and doesn’t have to be as expensive as you might think. We offer fast UK wide delivery and a knowledgeable, professional team of experts, always on hand to help out; whether you need advice on your project, drylining brands or which products to pick.

Having an account with Gypsumtools enables easy reordering of supplies and an order tracking system so you can ensure you meet deadlines. We can also order in any products that we don’t have in stock, on request.

Plastering Tools for DIY Enthusiasts

For DIY Enthusiasts and novices, we have put together an Essential DIY Plastering Tool List. Click on tool names to view our recommendations.

Plasterers Hawk – a handheld flat surface which enables easy applications.
Trowel – For application (Corner Trowel – for easy, edge to edge application)
• Dust Sheets – prevent mess!
Buckets
Stanley Knife
Hammer
Float – Ideal for applying top layer wall plaster. Creates good finish.
Spirit Level – ensure finished surfaces are straight.
Saws – We offer a variety of saws for trimming drywall and plasterboard.

Alternatively, we have created a great low cost plastering kit that contains all of the essential tools for your plastering DIY project.

plasterers kit

Got a question?

Call one of our team of professional, friendly experts for helpful answers to any questions regarding products, brands, orders or projects. We will always do our best to advise you on the best and most cost effective way of completing your DIY projects.

50 Plastering Tips

Plastering Health & Safety Tips

As industry specialists, we always try to help make your plastering life easier in any way we can. That’s why we’ve put together 50 plastering tips to help you out!

If you’re new to plastering, it can be quite a scary concept to begin with! However, with the right plastering tools, techniques and confidence, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t get the results you desire from the start.


Click here to see our plastering tools and equipment – we stock everything you need!


So, have a read below and let us know what you think – and as always, get in touch with our team if you need further assistance.

Our Top Tips!

Here are a few pointers to help you along.

1. Plaster won’t stick to just any surface and you don’t want it to start falling away, so ensure your surface is ready to be plastered.

2. Make sure it is clean – remove bits of existing plaster, dust or wallpaper.

3. Check the suction of your wall.

4. High suction porous backgrounds can suck the moisture from the plaster meaning it dries too quick – so you may need to wet the wall before you start.

5. When wetting your walls use a fine mist spray gun to avoid having to keep reaching down to re-wet your brush.

6. Once the water starts running down the wall, you know you’ve controlled the suction.

7. Low suction backgrounds, such as painted surfaces will also need to be properly prepared.

8. While plasterboard or backing coat can be skimmed over without preparation – existing plaster or previously painted surfaces will need treating with a bonding agent, such as a mix of PVA glue and water to ensure the plaster sticks to the wall.

9. You could also try adding a handful of sand to the PVA mixture to give it a rougher texture and better adhesion.

10. Clean as you go along – it may sound over the top but it’s vital to have clean buckets, tools and equipment to ensure your plaster doesn’t go off and you get a better finish that lasts.

11. Also, dry plaster is a nightmare to remove from your tools and can cause drags in the plaster finish on your next job!

12. Always use clean water, again to avoid contaminating your plaster and make it go off or set too quick.

13. Always mix plaster by adding plaster to the water and not the other way around.

14. Add just enough plaster first to make a heap on the top of the water and mix it so that it’s lump free, then slowly add the plaster to get the correct consistency either with a wooden stick or mixer drill.

15. Plaster and water mix together roughly half and half – so half a (clean) bucket of water should make a full bucket of plaster.


Click here to see our plastering tools and equipment – we stock everything you need!


16. The plaster should be the consistency of melted ice cream – try standing a stick in it – if it can stand up, the plaster is mixed right.

17. Plaster must be applied when a surface feels tacky, but not too wet, to help it bond to the surface well.

18. When plastering a room, try not to do two walls that are touching each other as you risk damaging one wall while plastering the other.

19. Keep it cool in the room you are plastering – radiators should be turned off or the plaster will dry out too quickly, making it difficult to apply and crack.

20. Beginners should start on a small area first to ensure they’re getting the technique right.

21. Start with an area which only takes 30 mins or less for the first coat.

22. Ensure you follow the six stages of plastering correctly and confidently – from the first coat to the final finish.

23. A good plaster finish can be achieved with a combination of confident firm pressure and the correct angle of your trowel.

24. Don’t try and get your surface perfect in the first coat – it takes too much time and the plaster may dry too soon – imperfections can be ironed out in later stages.

25. When you first apply your trowel to the ceiling or wall, start with one edge of the trowel angled away from it.

26. As the plaster on your trowel gets less and less with your movement, the angle between your trowel and the surface gets smaller.

27. Watch for spillage when reducing the angle of your trowel!

28. If you’re doing a ceiling, don’t stand directly under your trowel, just in case you get plaster in your eye!

29. Artex ceilings can be plastered by just using a thicker coat of plaster.

30. Don’t go into the edges between the ceiling and wall straight away with your plaster – it can be worked into the edges at a later date and avoid lumps of plaster clumping in the corners.


Click here to see our plastering tools and equipment – we stock everything you need!


31. But, when you do do your corners, make sure they’re flat – it makes the whole wall look good!

32. Ensure the thickness of the plaster is even on the first and second coat. Use firm pressure to ensure it is flat with no bulges.

33. You don’t need to worry too much about smoothness or trowel marks at this stage, just that it’s flat and even.

34. Make sure the first thin coat is wet and pliable when you apply the second coat.

35. Don’t worry about filling every little hole at this stage – it’s better to avoid your plaster firming up too quick.

36. After the first two coats, the ‘trowelling up’ process begins. This is time to fill all those holes, remove your trowel marks and get it smooth.

37. Make sure before you start the plaster is tacky – pliable enough to push the plaster into the holes, but not so wet you make new holes.

38. As the plaster sets it will darken in colour, which means it’s time for the final trowel.

39. Don’t over polish the plaster on the final dry trowel stage – it should be even and slightly polished, but feel like eggshell – any smoother, it makes paint and wallpaper a nightmare to stick to.

40. Ensure you have the right plastering tools, equipment and know how before you start, so you don’t end up having to stop half way through.

41. Make sure you know you can comfortably get to hard to reach areas with stilts or scaffolding.

42. Love your trowel – it’s a vital piece of plastering kit. Make sure it’s clean, rust free and the correct type. Just any trowel will make the job harder.

43. For beginners, a good size to start with is 11 inches. While a larger trowels covers areas faster, it’s harder to control.

44. Wear your metal trowel in – it’s much easier to use this way – some can be bought pre worn.

45. Use tin snips to cut angle bead to make the job easier.


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46. Don’t sand down plaster – if you follow the six stages correctly there’s no reason why you would need to come back to sand it, causing more mess, imperfections and more hard work.

47. Remember! Flatten, Amend Holes, Smooth Trowel Marks

48. Always remember to keep your trowel flat on the wall.

49. Don’t forget to fill any holes in the plaster by applying firm pressure or getting more plaster in the hole and smoothing out.

50. Then when the plaster is quite firm, any trowel marks and ridges will be successfully smoothed out – providing you have kept it flat allowing your trowel to sit flat on the wall.

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