In figuring for plastering it is not customary to deduct for doors and windows, unless of very large size. It is considered better practice, however, to deduct them and figure accordingly, so that it is possible to use the same figures for getting quantities of material.

Plastering is usually done on spruce lath, which comes 1/4 x 11/2 inches, and made in 4 foot lengths. As studding is spaced 16 inches apart this makes three spans, and all laths should be nailed to the studs at both ends. To cover 100 square yards will take about 1500 laths, and 10 lbs. of three penny nails.

The plaster is usually applied in three coats, known as the scratch, brown and white coats. The first is applied directly to the lath, and consists of lime, sand and hair. Its surface is scratched with a stick to give good adhesion for the brown coats, which contains less hair, but is otherwise very similar.

The white or finishing coat is usually composed of lime putty and fine beach sand in equal parts, to which plaster of Paris is added to make it hard and smooth. For 100 square yards, allow 10 to 12 bushels of lime, 2 bushels of hair, 1 1/2 cubic yards of sand and 100 lbs. plaster of Paris. If a sand-finished effect is desired, the plaster of Paris is omitted and cubic yard of sand added. The surface is finished with a wooden float, so as to bring out the sand and produce a rough surface.

Other types of plaster exist, based on the use of gypsum in the place of lime. They set more rapidly than lime plaster, and care must be taken to use them as directed by the manufacturers. Metal lath and plaster board are also much used in place of wood lath for reproduction corner guards.

They increase the expense slightly, but reduce the fire risk. Whatever method is used, the plaster should be run back of dados and baseboards, as the open spaces add greatly to the fire risk. This is in fact required by the building codes of most cities.

One man will lath about 100 yards in an eight-hour day, openings not deducted. With metal lath he can do from 100 to 150 yards, though if the plan has many corners his speed is greatly reduced. It has been estimated that a plasterer with one helper can do about 150 yards of the first two coats in a day, and about 90 yards of finishing coal.

Cornices and ornamental pediment add greatly to the cost, but are now far less common than they were a few years ago. Most ornaments are cast in the shop, while moldings are generally run on the job. When work of this kind is to be done, stock models should be used as far as possible. These are furnished by a number of manufacturers and can be ordered from their catalogues.

When plaster board is used in place of wood lath, the first or scratch coat may be omitted. This greatly reduces the labor of plastering, but the plaster often tends to crack at the joints between the boards.

For work that must be done quickly, a new type of gypsum board is now on the market, requiring no plastering, but finished ready for paint or paper. It is preferable to use paper, as with point it is hard to hide the joints. This material is only about 3/8 inch thick, while lath and plaster is 7/8 inch. It can be applied with practically no waste.

There are also a number of makes of wall board, generally some sort of wood pulp composition. These shrink badly after application, and if they are papered the paper always cracks at the joints. The manufacturers recommend covering the joints with wooden corner protectors or strips, but this greatly limits the possible treatments, and makes an agreeable effect almost impossible.

The gypsum board mentioned in the preceding paragraph is far preferable, and the cost is not much greater. Both types of wall board are made 4 feet wide, and almost any even number of feet in length.

They are very easy to apply, and if 20% is added to the cost of the material it will usually cover the labor of nailing on. This, of course, is only for plain work, with few corners, and does not include wood strips or other woodwork.

Fixings for plasterboard? – AVForums.com

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Skimming is the process by which a thin layer of plaster is applied to a wall or ceiling to provide a smooth surface. Often referred to as board finish, the amount need for a particular job can be calculated based on using 10kg to every 5 sq meters. This assumes plaster is applied to a thickness of approximately 3mm. It’s worth noting that plaster should be stored in a dry place, but it does have a minimum shelf life, so bulk buying and storage might not be such a good idea unless you are using it in large and frequent amounts.

As you set about your next plastering job it’s well worth cleaning the plasterboards first. Dust and dirt will create problems so a little time spent in preparation will pay dividends later. If at all possible empty the room or at the very least cover anything of value. Not only do you want to avoid damage to furniture etc, but you also want to be able to move around the room unimpeded, particularly if you’re working on a ceiling which means you need the whole floor space to move around in.

When it comes to corners, they need to be properly prepared. External corners are best trimmed with angle beads. Angle beads are galvanized strips, which are simply nailed, with galvanised nails, to the boards. So long as you’ve taken time to square them up with a spirit level, the result is a nice sharp cover. The angle beads can be cut with a small hacksaw or tin snips but it’s a good idea to use protective gloves, as the edges can be fairly sharp.

Plaster should be mixed using equal amounts of plaster to water, taking time to mix until a smooth consistency is achieved. A hand whisk can be helpful here. Once the plaster is ready wet the spot board and empty the plaster onto it. A spot board by the way, is just a board of around a meter sq; useful for catching the plaster as you work.

A small quantity of plaster should be loaded onto the hawk. Depending on your preference (right or left handed) hold at around chest height and push a measured amount of plaster onto the surface with the float. It takes practice, but you are aiming for a repetitive action which is smooth and fluid. For walls it’s best to work up from the floor spreading a thin layer and then back down again from the ceiling to smooth out the plaster. A second coat can be applied as the first begin to dry a little. This coat should fill in any ridges. A clean float should be used to smooth the whole job. As the plaster starts to harden, again the float can be used as if to polish the surface. Water can be applied with a brush to help when polishing with the float and naturally fill out the smallest of holes.

Bonding or One Coat on Plasterboard – TilersForums.co.uk | Tile …

Hi everyone….. Just a quick question, I’ve had the bathroom boarded out with plasterboard and need to make even a few areas. I was going to put.   Read more…

Internal plasterboard splitting on 90 degree corner, how do i fix?

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Chinese Drywall Lawsuit Deadline Tomorrow

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PVA Bonding and Glue

PVA bonding is white in color and is usually supplied in large plastic containers; this is the same glue that we used as kids in school. PVA is often used when skimming over existing walls and it’s particularly useful when skimming over artex as it forms a water tight barrier and helps the plaster stick to the wall. Another benefit of PVA to plasterers is that it helps to prevent plaster from drying out too quickly. The problem with skimming over existing finishing plaster is that it soaks up water like a sponge and this makes the new plaster dry out straight away and start cracking. To overcome this problem PVA glue can be spread over the work surface first to slow the rate of water absorption and give the plaster much more time to work with the plaster once it’s on the wall.

Backing Plasters / Bonding Plasters

Backing plasters such as those called ‘browning’ or ‘bonding compound’ is usually used during building and renovation projects. Almost all newly built houses are dry lined with plasterboard rather than wet plastered using browning or bonding compound. This is because plasterboard possesses many different advantages over traditional backing plaster. Bonding plaster and particularly browning are what is know in the trade as ‘wet’ materials. If these finishes are used on walls it can take several months for them to dry out fully. Plastering a full wall with backing plaster is also a very skilled job and requires a skilled tradesman to carry it out properly. In comparison dry lining rooms with plasterboard can be done quickly and to acceptable standards by a competent DIY enthusiast. Browning plaster is a backing coat plaster; it is invariably a pink or grey colour. Browning is used on surfaces such as house bricks and breeze blocks, or building surfaces which are absorbent. Browing should be put on in quite thick layers of about 10mm. Browning usually takes around 2 hours to set. Bonding Compound is arguably better than browning. Bonding is usually best applied to non absorbent material such as hard faced bricks or treated surfaces that have been glued with PVA. Usually bonding is put on around 8mm in thickness. Bonding Compound usually takes around 2 hours to set.

Skimming / Finishing Plaster

Skimming plaster is some times put directly over either browning or bonding compound. But in todays building industry it is more commonly applied directly to plasterboard. There are multi finish versions of skimming plaster which are very popular as it is suitable for use on most internal surfaces. You can also get hold of plasterboard finish, as its name suggest, it is used for skimming over plasterboard and it not intended for use over bonding compound or browning. Skimming plaster is normally put on much more thinly and as a final coat. It is usually applied around 2mm thick.

One Coat Plaster

There are lots of different companies manufacturing one coat plaster. Such companies claim that this plaster will serve as a backing coat and finish coat all at the same time. Although allegedly these plasters are highly versatile, in our experience such plasters are best left alone. We believe that you are better off adopting the traditional backing coat / finishing coat approach.

Remember, as a general rule for all plasters – the drying time will depend on the ambient temperature of the room, finishing plaster needs to be polished with a trowel as soon as it has started to firm up to the touch. If you delay too long before trowelling it up the plaster will harden and then your only option is to sand down the walls!

Plasterboard

One wall is skimmed plasterboard on timber studs and in taking the old tiles off, the plasterboard has been badly damaged at the bottom. I presume I will need to remove the next row up a…   Read more…

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If you need any further resources then please feel free to use the ones below…

Gypsum board, wallboard, plasterboard, sheetrock they all mean the same at end of the day – Drywall. Through out North America this product is very widely used in residential homes and it’s gaining more popularity throughout Europe as well. The boards are made out of compressed gypsum sandwiched between layers of durable paper on both sides. Most commonly they are manufactured in thickness of half-inch, however some installation may require five-eights as a desired thickness. There are many other types of drywalls available on the market to withstand special environments such as bathrooms and other high moisture content circumstances.

An insider trick of the trade is to install the boards horizontally to minimize the amount of taped joints required. You can purchase drywall boards up to twelve feet in length, if possible try to purchase lengths that go from one end of the room to another. If your room exceeds twelve feet in width than of course you will have to add a vertical joint.

Shaping and cutting drywall is one of the easiest part of the job. All you need to do is use a straight edge and a sharp utility knife once you have taken your accurate measurements. Please note that these measurements don’t need to be very tightly butted together. If you try to be too precised than quite often you will end up cutting the same board 2-3 times as your measurement ends up being too tight.

In my experience, a drywall taper can easily fill gaps up to three-eights of an inch. Start your cut on the face of the board by placing the straight edge along the measured line and just simply pull the knife along the straight edge 2-3 times making sure that you have completely cut through the paper. There is no need to cut in to the gypsum as it will be explained in the next step. Slightly pick up the drywall or slide a piece of wood underneath the larger board if it’s a bigger piece and with a quick motion, snap the board along the cut line. After the drywall is snapped, bend it backwards and cut the paper on the back side of the board as well.

Typically you would want to use 1.25 inch drywall screws to hang the drywalls, some builders may prefer to use 1.5 inch screws on the ceiling for added support. From time to time, you may end up installing drywall over an existing drywalled wall, if that’s the wall you nee to increase the length of the screws by the thickness of the existing drywall. No need dwell on this, but make sure that your screws are going into the studs every time.

More experienced drywall installers have special tools to assist them with their installation process. There are special electric drywall screwdrivers that have a special clutch built into them that will prevent you from over tightening the screws and penetrate into the boards deeper than it’s recommended. These gadgets also come with an option of holding dozens of preloaded screws to speed up the work. If it’s just a one time project that you are taking on, then probably there is no need for this kind of tool, a simple cordless drill may be just as effective.

It’s recommended to install the drywall screws every twelve inches on outside edges and perhaps every sixteen inches on the middle. Be sure to keep the boards about half an inch off the floor to prevent any moisture from getting to the board, this is especially important when installed over concrete floors. When it comes to installing drywall on the ceiling, you might want to line up a few of your friends to give you a hand with those pieces as it could weight close to 70-80 pounds per sheet. I would recommend you nail together two pieces of two by fours to form a T shape. Once you have lifted the board into position, just wedge the T-bar underneath one end, and start fastening the drywall.

The taping and filling is the most critical part of the drywall process. Many people have attempted doing it themselves in the past. I am sure that with proper practice and persistence you can master this technique, but I would always pass this process onto a professional who will guarantee you a smooth finish. Prior to painting any walls, be sure to apply a coat of primer on the surface for best finishing results. If you were to skip the primer process, you are running the risk of joints showing after painting.

Plasterboard over existing laden plaster

Forum: Adding Value Posted By: buzzlightyear Post Time: 30-11-2009 at 05:01 PM.   Read more…

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Drywall is the most common wall lining of the the modern home. The drywall is glued and nailed/screwed to the timber frame of the house and then the joins are then plastered and sander. During the life of any home damage to the drywall will take place often when the moving furniture or playing indoors. There are two ways to repair this damage – ring a professional and pay them to repair it or learn how to repair it yourself. Most repairs are quick and easy to do with a few tools to do the job

Plaster Types

The first thing you need to know is the types of plaster that are used to do the Job. There are three main types:

- Base Coat – A powder that is mixed with clean water to make a paste and used in joints and filling holes – sets hard and is hard to sand.

- Cornice Cement – A powder that is mixed with water to make a paste to glue on cornice – smooth tacky paste that set very hard and is hard to sand.

- Finishing Compound – This is premixed in buckets and is ready to use directly from the bucket – dries (does not set) and is very easy to sand.

- Glass fiber tape – This tape is self adhesive and gives strength to the filling plaster or base coat – only needed on larger holes

To repair a hole of damage to a wall you Will only need base coat and finishing compound.

Tools:

There a few tools that you will need to buy to do the job however these are simple and inexpensive -

- One broad knife 250mm (10inch) wide (looks like a wide paint scarper) , one 100mm ( 4inch) broad knife , one 100mm (4inch) x 250mm (10inch) towel.

You will also need to mix the base coat for larger holes so an electric drill and paint mixing attachment is best. However the base coat can be mixed by hand but this is slow.

For Example: A hole about the size of a tennis ball was made while moving furniture.

Step one: Make sure the hole in the drywall is clean (no protruding drywall or paint) mix your base coat power with clean tap water to a paste similar to toothpaste. Note: if the base coat is too wet the base coat will fall out of the hole. If you find the base coat continually falls into the wall cavity fill the behind the hole with newspaper to support the base coat while it sets. Fill the hole using the smaller broad knife making sure the hole is filled and the base coat is flush with the drywall.

Step two: When the first coat of base coat is set, Cut a small amount of glass fiber tape to just cover the hole and carefully put into place. Mix up a small amount of base coat and spread over the tape making sure that you spread the base coat beyond the tape. The smoother and flatter the second coat is the better the result will be. Let it set from 45 – 60 Min’s.

Step three: Spread a thin coat of finishing compound with the large broad knife and let this dry. The finishing compound must be spread a minimum of 100mm (4inches) beyond the base coat.

Step four: Sand your work with 180 grit sand paper making sure you feather or blend the edges with the existing painted wall so that the repair will not be seen when painted. The aim is to sand the repair as flat as you can and blend in the edges . Then your repair is finished and ready to paint.

Tip:

Remember to wash you tools off with clean water between steps so the plaster does not set on your tools.

Trying to hang 42" LCD on plasterboard wall – AVForums.com

Hello everyone! im new and not very good with all this so please excuse me! Basically, i have just bought a new lcd tv 42" its 20.5kg in weight.   Read more…

Internal plasterboard splitting on 90 degree corner, how do i fix …

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Skimming is the process by which a thin layer of plaster is applied to a wall or ceiling to provide a smooth surface. Often referred to as board finish, the amount need for a particular job can be calculated based on using 10kg to every 5 sq meters. This assumes plaster is applied to a thickness of approximately 3mm. It’s worth noting that plaster should be stored in a dry place, but it does have a minimum shelf life, so bulk buying and storage might not be such a good idea unless you are using it in large and frequent amounts.

As you set about your next plastering job it’s well worth cleaning the plasterboards first. Dust and dirt will create problems so a little time spent in preparation will pay dividends later. If at all possible empty the room or at the very least cover anything of value. Not only do you want to avoid damage to furniture etc, but you also want to be able to move around the room unimpeded, particularly if you’re working on a ceiling which means you need the whole floor space to move around in.

When it comes to corners, they need to be properly prepared. External corners are best trimmed with angle beads. Angle beads are galvanized strips, which are simply nailed, with galvanised nails, to the boards. So long as you’ve taken time to square them up with a spirit level, the result is a nice sharp cover. The angle beads can be cut with a small hacksaw or tin snips but it’s a good idea to use protective gloves, as the edges can be fairly sharp.

Plaster should be mixed using equal amounts of plaster to water, taking time to mix until a smooth consistency is achieved. A hand whisk can be helpful here. Once the plaster is ready wet the spot board and empty the plaster onto it. A spot board by the way, is just a board of around a meter sq; useful for catching the plaster as you work.

A small quantity of plaster should be loaded onto the hawk. Depending on your preference (right or left handed) hold at around chest height and push a measured amount of plaster onto the surface with the float. It takes practice, but you are aiming for a repetitive action which is smooth and fluid. For walls it’s best to work up from the floor spreading a thin layer and then back down again from the ceiling to smooth out the plaster. A second coat can be applied as the first begin to dry a little. This coat should fill in any ridges. A clean float should be used to smooth the whole job. As the plaster starts to harden, again the float can be used as if to polish the surface. Water can be applied with a brush to help when polishing with the float and naturally fill out the smallest of holes.

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Chinese drywall victims whose homes were built with wallboard manufactured by Knauf Plasterboard (Tianjin) Co., Ltd are just one week away from a make-or-break.   Read more…

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Technorati Tags: plasterboard repair

If you’ve ever tried to fit plasterboard then you will know that one of the most difficult parts is when you have to make the cuts around sockets and things. This is where it all goes wrong for many people and they are left with huge big holes that later become a nightmare to fill and make good.

Wouldn’t it be nice if just for once, you could make one cut and have it fit perfectly first time. Well now you can because I promise you it’s such a doodle when you know how.

I’m about to give you a little tip that will save all the rigmarole and make the job a so much easier. All you need to do is hold your piece of plasterboard up to the wall in the place that you want to put it, then where your sockets, or rather back boxes are (these are the metal boxes that the plastic socket cover with the plug fittings screws into), give the board a good tap and you will make an mark on the back of the plasterboard where the cut needs to be. Simply cut it out with a sharp blade and when you fit the plasterboard permanently in place, you should find that it fits accurately around the socket.

Another way of doing this is also leading the front of the back box around the edges with a pencil before pressing the board up it to get the impression in the right place. Believe it or not, I’ve even known people to mark the socket with ‘tomato sauce’ to make the impression onto the board. Now tomato sauce maybe taking matters a little bit far, but I guess the idea here is to just get that impression on the plasterboard where the precise cut needs to be.

Next time you’re taking on a project where you need to fit plasterboard, be sure to try this simple but very effective and time saving method. Please always be cautious and careful when working around any electrical sockets. Where possible, you should always isolate the sockets power supply to ensure complete safety. If in doubt, consult a qualified electrician to do this for you.

I’m making plaster casts of my kids’ hands tomorrow morning. – US …

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Bathroom Job – Started – TilersForums.co.uk | Tile Forums | Tiling …

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Technorati Tags: knauf plasterboard

The plasterboard in many Australian homes harbours imperfections that can cause major problems for homeowners down the line. That’s why it’s so vital to have a professional inspect the premises before signing a contract to buy a home.

The Basics Of Plasterboard -

Plasterboard is used in a variety of buildings, including homes, shops, offices, factories, schools and many other places. During construction, it is used as a type of internal lining board to help create strong, smooth, uniform looking walls and ceilings. Generally builders prefer using plasterboards in houses as its surface can be easily decorated using either paint or wallpaper. Most houses use plasterboard to some degree; unfortunately, this material can also harbour many unpleasant problems. If you’re buying a new home and are unsure of whether or not plasterboard is involved – and whether or not the plasterboard that’s there is of sound quality – you need the experts to take a look.

The Problem With Plasterboard -

Cracks are one of the biggest problems that occur with plasterboard. When cracks appear in plasterboard, they typically occur wherever there is a change in direction; hallways and ceilings in particular are common areas for cracks in plasterboard. Gypsum wallboard is one of the most commonly used varieties of plasterboard, and changes in temperature and/or moisture can cause stress and movement within it. That stress and movement can cause cracks; over time, those cracks can create a major headache for homeowners and can precipitate massive repairs.

Preventing Cracking -

Control joints are the preferred method for preventing cracking in plasterboard and gypsum wallboard. When used properly – and spaced apart appropriately, at approximately 9 metres from floor to ceiling – control joints can prevent cracks and plasterboard doesn’t pose a major problem. However, many houses weren’t built properly in the first place; sometimes, do-it-yourselfers fail to use control joints the right way, and plasterboard is compromised. A skilled building inspector can look at the walls and ceilings in any house and determine whether they have been put together properly. In addition to looking for existing cracks, then, an experienced inspector can look for the warning signs of trouble down the road and can help you avoid major headaches and expense later.

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Drywall, a wall or ceiling finishing material, has a core of gypsum (plaster) sandwiched between layers of heavy paper, a finished surface and a rough surface. Drywall gets its name, as an alternative to plaster that is wet when applied. Known by a few terms and trade names, gypsum board, wallboard and Sheetrock (which is a trade name), drywall has become the standard finishing product for new home construction, as it is far less labor intensive and does not require skilled labor compared to lathe and plaster finishing.

Sheets of drywall usually have the long edges tapered in order to allow for taping and finishing the seams with drywall joint compound. The ends of drywall panels are not tapered and it is possible to purchase drywall having all the edges flat rather than tapered.

Drywall panels are available in four thicknesses; 1/4′, 3/8′, 1/2′ and 5/8′. Standard sheets of drywall are 4′ wide and 8′, 10′ and 12′ long, but they are also available in 6′, 7′ and 16′ lengths. You will pay a high premium for nonstandard lengths. Although the most common drywall sheets are 1/2′ thick, check with your local building department to verify the requirements in your neighborhood. If you are applying drywall to a finished surface, as a new surface finish you can use 1/4′ or 3/8′, however if it is the only material on the wall or ceiling you should use a minimum of 1/2″ if you have 16′ centers on your studs or ceiling beams and 5/8′ if you have centers that are farther apart than 16′. If you are wrapping a curved wall, you can use multi-layers of 1/4′ or 3/8′.

In order to wrap a curved wall, nail one end of the drywall in place. Use a water sprayer and moisten the sheet of drywall, slowly force the drywall to take the shape nailing or screwing as you go. Nails and screws, must not break the paper surface. Double screw or nail on the edges. When you have completed the first layer, you can add a second layer to create a minimum thickness of 1/2″.

For more information on using drywall, fasteners and taping follow the link below.

Author: Bill Prudehome

Drywall, Fasteners, Taping

For information on other home renovation projects, visit Renovation Headquarters

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Prudehome

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