French plaster!!!

[tj]

Hi

Have tried a number of the french plasters available and they all seem to have one thing in common, as they get to anything like a usable state, you have about 5 minutes working time and then its gone,

any advice, maybe I'm doing something wrong in the mixing?

regards

 

 

[zeb]

Are you using Lutece 2000L or 3000L? They give a longer working time than some.

[tj]

Hi

Thanks for your reply.

I have stuff now that says 50 mins work time, ahve had others that said 25 mins, and have never yet had more than about 15 minutes, I m guessing the problem is in the mixing ?

Have seen Lutece Bleu, but not tried it yet

 

[vickybear]

My husband is a plasterer and says to tell you Lutece 2000L. For a smooth finish put on a fairly thick coat, leave it ten minutes and then flatten off. Then give another 25-30 minutes and go over it with a wet taloche ( float with attached sponge ) to give it a grainy finish. Go over with a plastering trowel immediately after the taloche to flatten off. For an ultra smooth finish run your trowel over it the next morning.

Lutece 2000L doesn't require your wall to be PVA'd and it doesn't need painting if you're ok with an off white shade!

Hope this helps!

[chris pp]

Urinating in it helps as well, seriously.[:D]

Chris

[cooperlola]

Gosh Chris, if you're doing a lot of plastering you must have to consume a lot of water.  Or do you only need a little? Can you elucidate on the correct proportions etc?[:D]

[Meg]

[quote user="chris pp"]

Urinating in it helps as well, seriously.[:D]

Chris

[/quote]

I've been using lemon juice.

[chris pp]

Put it this way, I always start the day with four cups of tea before I start work, and I'm well known for requiring plenty of top up cups throughout the day regardless of whether I'm plastering or not.

I'll do a volume check some time, Chris

[Ford Anglia]

Plastering, UGh, one of my most hated jobs.

If it's going off too quickly, I've been told it's a sign that it's old stock?

 

[vickybear]

Hi there

I have just used yesterday lutece 2000C that was dated 19/04/06. that would equate as old stock.

Try not to use bags that have been open for a whilst. also do not mix plasters of different types.

Always use clean fresh water. store your new bags in dry conditions and keep them off the floor.

I am also an avid tea drinker but have not resorted to topping up a dry mix with the side effects. fresh water always does the trick.

Good luck with your plastering. feel free to email. i have two rooms left to plaster in late January and you would be more than welcome to attend whilst the plastering is done.  (Roussines 16310)

 

John   (VB other half)

[Dave&Olive]

hi

     ok all the above is spot on,  just make sure when you mix a second batch you wash everthing clean including the mixing bucket ect , a tiny bit of old un set plaster will make the new mix go off quick, this is for uk plaster as well

                   dave

[Weedon]

[quote user="chris pp"]

Urinating in it helps as well, seriously.[:D]

Chris

[/quote]

Have tried your suggestion but am having difficulty reaching the very tops of the walls from the floor.  For the ceilings I have tried peeing whilst balancing horizontally on the top of my ladder but I honestly cannot recommend this straight after a long lunch.

[Ford Anglia]

[quote user="Weedon"][quote user="chris pp"]

Urinating in it helps as well, seriously.[:D]

Chris

[/quote]

Have tried your suggestion but am having difficulty reaching the very tops of the walls from the floor.  For the ceilings I have tried peeing whilst balancing horizontally on the top of my ladder but I honestly cannot recommend this straight after a long lunch.

[/quote]

If you've been urinating whilst horizontal, your username says it all, really[;-)]

[Frederick]

Thanks for the information on what to buy  lads ! .....As I have also experienced the  "going off " problem I was thinking the answer was a pair of trainers to get to the wall  faster !  

[legs_akimbo]

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.

[legs_akimbo]

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

[Rodie]

Yes i am intrested in plastering ,do you have a link . thanks rod

[hoverfrog]

what can I say??? Lutece 2000L is the business, even for complete amateurs like me :)

No need to paint it - buy a coloured lampshade :)

[vickybear]

Not all the "pro's" two coat skim. !!!!!!! an excellent finish is available with one coat.

John[quote user="legs_akimbo"]

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.

[/quote]

[vickybear]

Blimey, you mean 'him indoors' has only been doing half a job all these years???!!!  Good job none of his customers have noticed eh?

He reckons it's all in the wrist movement....................

Having said that, a lot of his work on our house has been to finish on plasterboard so the ability to get a lovely smooth finish such as we have all over our house is more achievable.  All the above is good advice so I suppose it's whatever floats your boat.........or coats your float!

We're off for a few days now, hence the early hour ( I should have been up 2 hours ago with himself but couldn't be roused! )

Have a good Christmas all and a very happy New Year.

 

VB

[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.

[legs_akimbo]

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

[Frank]

novice or beginner not sure which i am, just wish i never had to do the plastering job. However, I offer this tip knowing that I will probably be called rude names later but here goes.

To slow down the setting time of the plaster I add a little of the MAP (used for fixing the plaster boards directly to the walls) be varying the mix I find I can greatly increase the setting times, now I have stopped making plaster moulds with the buckets, I can get in onto the walls. Still not smooth, still not perfect, but hey ho.

Hope you fingd it useful. Hope mine also will not fall back off the walls because I've made a cross breed type of mix.

More plaster on me than the walls but still smiling

Phil

[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

[tj]

[quote user="vickybear"]

My husband is a plasterer and says to tell you Lutece 2000L. For a smooth finish put on a fairly thick coat, leave it ten minutes and then flatten off. Then give another 25-30 minutes and go over it with a wet taloche ( float with attached sponge ) to give it a grainy finish. Go over with a plastering trowel immediately after the taloche to flatten off. For an ultra smooth finish run your trowel over it the next morning.

Hope this helps!

[/quote]

Hi

After trying many french brands ( all c**p), I bought a 12 euro bag of Lutece 2000, after so much aggravation have only managed a passing glance at the bag for a couple of weeks!

Today, bit the bullet, wow!!! mixed up lovely, single coat and a finish like glass, was looking round for something else to plaster!. In Holland we used Knauf  Rotband, or Goldband, I know theres some dissagreement on the subject, but you can get just as good a finish with single coat plasters no need for the traditional bonding and finish.