legs_akimbo

[quote user="nicktrollope"] [quote user="legs_akimbo"]if we are talking rigid polyisocyanurate (pir) insulation like tri iso9 kingspan Therma pitch or triple R, then yes it is THEE only stuff to use and although much more expensive there is no comparison to rockwool type insulations. Not only does it retain heat but in hot summers it is superb for keeping a room cool particularly on vaulted ceilings. I fit this stuff all the time and have it in my own house it is excellent.[/quote] But the OP wasn't, was he? [/quote]   On reflection I would rather not know. I think there are many people on this forum that go out of their way to be rude, I certainly am not one to be easily offended but I have an aversion to mannerless folk.....i usually come here to to read the renovation threads as I have an interest in the way that the construction industry operates in France, if I can help any others through 25 years experience in the building trade then I do so gladly and with courtesy, I, like many, can get drawn into petty arguments when I consider myself to be slighted and will speak my mind as I have done on here and make no apologies for doing so. I took time to browse through the forum as a whole the other day and was disturbed to read some staggeringly rude responses to the most genial of posts and an overtly zealous preoccupation with some "newbie" posters personal business, and personal affairs. I have never asked any questions on this forum as there is an inclination by many old hands to be curt, discourteous and ill mannered and do not wish to be reproached for seeking a civil response to a civil question. There are many clearly amiable and friendly people that frequent this forum, but sadly there are a number of acerbic supposed know it alls that make this forum a rather unpleasent place to visit. I am a long standing member of a trades forum where many many people seek advise from the experts and  without exception are treat with respect and politeness even when asked the most absurd of questions...but then I believe this is a basic common courtesy. Well rant over . Good luck to the forum, and in true Del boy style bonjour and farewell and thanks for all the fish.  

[quote user="nicktrollope"] [quote user="legs_akimbo"]if we are talking rigid polyisocyanurate (pir) insulation like tri iso9 kingspan Therma pitch or triple R, then yes it is THEE only stuff to use and although much more expensive there is no comparison to rockwool type insulations. Not only does it retain heat but in hot summers it is superb for keeping a room cool particularly on vaulted ceilings. I fit this stuff all the time and have it in my own house it is excellent.[/quote] But the OP wasn't, was he? Well I dont know, hence the "If" we are talking pir insulation. The posts following mine seem to be under the impression  that it is pir rigid type insulation that is installed between rafter...... perhaps the O.P. could clarify. [/quote]

if we are talking rigid polyisocyanurate (pir) insulation like tri iso9 kingspan Therma pitch or triple R, then yes it is THEE only stuff to use and although much more expensive there is no comparison to rockwool type insulations. Not only does it retain heat but in hot summers it is superb for keeping a room cool particularly on vaulted ceilings. I fit this stuff all the time and have it in my own house it is excellent.

What a guy, scouring posts to find the odd typo or spelling mistake, dont you consider this makes you something of a rather inept and pathetic individual. Are you our pretend plasterer by any chance?, I use the term generously. Perhaps you should put your energies into something more productive, like learning how to do a professional job in the correct manner instead of offering advice about something of which you know practically nothing. I pity you.

Seeing as you ran a business in England then you will be only too familiar with all the tereminology, plaster types, prices, tooling, additives, methods, suppliers, good working practices ( well not that one) so may just throw a couple of teasers your way and see if you realy do have the foggiest idea.

[quote user="vickybear"][quote user="legs_akimbo"] Having worked with hundreds and hundreds of plasterers over twenty five years I have yet to meet any that do not two coat skim, other than the diy'er who does not realise he is in the wrong or cowboy who just wants a quick barely passable finish, so quite frankly yes him indoors is doing it wrong,..................... but what do I know, I only run a plastering busines. The only single coat plasters are the ones designed as a very thick coat which is a backing and finish combined. [/quote]   I'm glad to see that you run a plastering business. I also ran a plastering business in England and sold it as a going concern. (But what do i know) Well for 1 it's how to spell business Regards Master-Plaster [/quote]   Quite frankly vicky bear you do not know your a**e from your elbow and I pity anyone that employs your obviosly cowboy company of (One man band) chancers....That is the one and only conclusion that could possibly be drawn from your comments that show you do not even know the very basic rudiments of plastering, the methods employed by any decent spread.... In fact your comments are so charlatan you are not even able to appreciate how way off the mark you are as you clearly have not the fiaintest idea, if you had then you would know the very basic and essential first rule of plastering...YOU DONT. I also know how to spell business, I also dont need to be petty enough to use the lowest common denominator in insult as to pick up on others spelling mistakes. People like you are dangerous masquerading as something they are clearly not.

Of course if you dont believe me why not ask any number of plasterers on the plasterers website, where Big bud will gladly foward you any one of his ploastering tutorials. http://www.ukspreads.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=37

Having worked with hundreds and hundreds of plasterers over twenty five years I have yet to meet any that do not two coat skim, other than the diy'er who does not realise he is in the wrong or cowboy who just wants a quick barely passable finish, so quite frankly yes him indoors is doing it wrong,..................... but what do I know, I only run a plastering busines. The only single coat plasters are the ones designed as a very thick coat which is a backing and finish combined.

A little pva works even better than wee! whisk it into the gaugeing water before adding plaster as a retarder.

A crucial point to remember is when plaster skimming is to do your plastering in two seperate coats. The first coat should be 2 to 3mm thick, when this is all on the wall you should proceed to "flatten out" which is simply to run your trowell over the plaster to make it flat and take out the ridges and majority of "slacks" (holes and indents) as the plaster begins to "take up" (set) Then as previously stated you must use clean water in cleaned out buckets to make up a second gauge of skim. You should need roughly half of the previous amount.  This is called the laying in coat and is a tight coat on top of the first, this will give far more working time and will have covered any irregularities from the first coat.. Get this coat as flat as possible with the trowell then as it stiffens up splash with a little water to lubricate the trowell on the plaster surface working upwards from bottom left to your right. You can do this twice over then for a finish "polish", use your dry trowell to go over the plaster for a finsh. You will always struggle to get a decent finish by one coating...The pro's will always two coat skim. There is a U.K. plastering site run by a very nice guy who sells how to plastering guides on dvd/video for diy'ers and improvers if any one is interested.

I think you may be confusing a conservatory with a porche Andy, 2sq mtr is no bigger than a cupboard....I think you would have to draw up a roster to use it as there wouldnt be room for more than one at a time.

then perhaps theese http://www.drywall-emporium.com/Boardmate_webpage2.htm

You could knock up something even better out of 3x2. Known in the trade as a "Dead man" its nothing more than a length of 3x2 an inch shorter than finish floor to underside of the p.board with a further three foot of 4x2 nailed to the top to form a ....T      add a couple of short diagonal braces to stop the top bit from moving and you have a great tool for throwing up 8 x 4's from dawn till dusk.

when you need to mix large quantities of render that are cement based then use a plastaciser or waterproofer in the mix, the less water content in the gauge the better and easier it is to work with. Fill the mixer with the compo to a stiffish consistancy and allow the plastaciser to do its stuff, as the mixer drum turns it will cream the mix to a nice consistancy after about five minutes. You will know you have it right when in the barrow the water does not after a while rise to the top and the bottom of the barrow is hard stiff compo....it should stay consistant at all times. If you have no plastaciser or waterproofer then a squirt of washing up liquid works just as well.

If it aint broke...dont fix it

This thread may help in describing the benefits of using lime based mortars for repointing. Hard stone like granite however will not be adversely affected by using portland cement mortars as would softer type stone, as granite is not a stone that takes in moisture or needs to rely on evaporation of moisture, which should occur via the bed joints. Indeed I have seen many a propertys rendered in portland cement products that are constructed in hard stone with absolutely no adverse affects whatsoever after many many years.   http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/734214/ShowPost.aspx

[quote user="Cassis"]'Allo Legs.  Nobody's using pva outside, I don't think.  We're all talking about interior walls. PS  How do you get your feet onto your hips [/quote] "I would have to show you" Nick I wouldnt know any place in France where rendabond could be bought sorry, I am not living in France and use this forum as an educational tool to read about the differing methods of construction as a means to preperation for a time when I will need it....well thats the plan anyhow!!!

Very important of course to ensure that the seal around the chimney is watertight, this will consist of a front apron, side flashings, possibly with soakers depending on which tiles you have, and a back gutter. All cut from code 4 lead. Could not really describe in words here how it is done but "Calders" the british lead manufacturers do a small booklet free of charge that has diagrams and instruction for cuting and dressing chimney lead, also for a few quid a more advanced booklet that may be very handy. As for rendering the chimney once the lead flashings to front sides and back are in place they can be secured with 40mm washered masonary nails and then a bell cast stop bead can be set two inches below the top of the lead and angle beads (stainless steel or pvc) to the sides, then a scratch coat of mortar folowed by a finish coat containing waterproofer. Once this has cured the front apron side soakers and back gutter can be cut and fixed with the tiles reset.

PVA is a product that should never be used for any external applications, especially in the case of rendering. PVA when in contact with any moisture becomes live again...it never actually fully drys, it creates a barrier between mortars and substrate and if and when it becomes live through damp can lead to wholesale failing of renders, ceramic tiles, et al. For external purposes there is rendabond  and SBR. pva is perfect for many internal uses but it is not the answer to every problem as some perceive it to be.

Plasterboarding will give a half hour fire rating, double boarding a one hour fire rating....ply board about fifteen seconds.

The best way to repair a hole in a ceiling is to cut a piece of plasterboard that is slightly bigger than the hole (wider or longer)  that can be wriggled up above the hole and will then cover the hole. In the centre of this piece of plasterboard push a nail all the way through , so that when you have manouvered it into position sitting above the hole the nail will protract downwards. Next take some Mortier/Bonding or such like and push it around the edges between the old lath and the new piece of plasterboard, then using the nail as a kind of handle pull the plasterboard tight to the lath squeezing the plaster into the joints of the lath. When this has set you simply push the nail up into the void above the repair and the now solid piece of plasterboard where the hole once was can be plastered up. It may take a couple of coats but at least you have something solid to plaster onto that will not budge.

If the plasterboard is the insulation backed type you should put all cables into wavin/conduit and fix to walls, you can then cut out a thin strip of the unsulation at the back of the plasterboard for the conduit to sit into. One tip is to paint the conduit then place the plasterboard temporarily into its intended position, the paint from the conduit will transfer onto the insulation showing precisely where you need to channel it before fixing proper.

Personally I would not use any rockwool type insulation in the roof. Absolutely not for between rafter insulation, as it can get damp if it comes in contact with the underside of the roof or blocks through ventillation. To a lesser extent in an over rafter application, you may be ok if the between rafter insulation is correctly installed and this is merely to beef it up a little.

The plaster boards are often ivory side for plaster skimming and grey / brown for side for taping and jointing followed by direct painting. In truth though it really doesnt make a jot of difference which side is shown as the only real difference is in drying times when skimming. Generally have your plasterboards ivory side showing and the jobs a good un.

We moved from the U.K. to Ireland over ten years ago and have three children, ten years ago here on the west coast was a wonderfull place, still is I guess but is slowly becomeing like Britain in many ways. I would live anywhere in the world but England such is my dislike of the place today, but convincing the wife to move to France is proving a little difficult. I have previously spent 18 months in France so in a manner of speaking know what to expect and picked up the language very well at the time (15 years ago) so hopefully would find it easier to pick up again having forgotten virtually everything.Without wanting to Hi jack the thread, my question is similair to the original posters , Mark, only I am fortunate enough to have a trade as a Builder /Plasterer (25 years) so would appreciate the opinions of those in the know as to what they might consider my prospects on either contracting or purchaseing renovation projects with a view to resale or even new build one off housing etc. Ireland is a fine place to live but this bloody constant rain gets me down!!