Plastering is a skill that takes a lot of training and many years to fully perfect. Watching a professional may make plastering look easy, but it can actually be very complicated and there are many mistakes that can be made by someone first starting out. In this article, we will discuss some of these mistakes and how you can avoid them.
Before you begin plastering, you first need to make sure you have the correct tools and equipment. You will need a trowel. It is recommended that you start off with a smaller trowel as they will be easier to control. An 11-inch trowel would be a good starting size. You will also need a hawk, bucket and a plastering brush. It is also important that you wear the appropriate clothing, such as goggles and gloves, as this will help prevent any accidents. It is also recommended to wear old clothes or overalls that you do not mind getting plaster on.
The next step you must consider is the environment you will be working in. If you are working in a furnished house, you will want to make sure you either cover everything with dust sheets or remove it from the room entirely. This will help to prevent any damage to furniture. It is also recommended that you work in a cool room and turn off any radiators. This is to prevent the plaster from drying too quickly and cracking.
When applying your plaster for the first time, it is important you follow a few rules. First of all, you must start by placing a small piece of plaster onto your hawk, and then use your trowel to scoop the plaster from it. When spreading the plaster onto a surface, it is important to apply even pressure and use a smooth sweeping motion, as this will help to create a smooth finish. Do not try to spread too much plaster at once as it will be difficult to work with and could result in an unsmooth finish.
If you find that you are still struggling to create a good finish when plastering yourself, then you may want to consider having a professional come in and do it for you. You may want to look for a Plasterer Gloucester such as https://pureplasterers.co.uk/
