Home & Garden Improvements » Plastering

Installation of Drywall

chizel — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:52:36 +0000

The use of drywall can arise for a range of purposes, such as repairing an existing wall or building a new one. By considering the steps involved in installing it, those eager to undertake a project will find the process is easier than it initially appears.

Prepare Surface

Measure the surface area over which the drywall will cover from joist to joist and note down the result, if necessary. These results will be used to cut the drywall so it is also prudent to mark the walls or ceilings that the drywall will cover to ensure they eventually correlate. If using drywall to make a repair, tidy any ragged edges and leave clean, straight lines to work from.

Cut Drywall

Use a straightedge and pencil to mark the drywall with the measurements taken to ensure accuracy and continue to use it when cutting the material. A Stanley knife can be used for this purpose by scoring along the drawn line, which will make it easy to separate the sections by effectively breaking them apart. Drywall that is required in unusual shapes may be easier to cut using a table saw with any untidy edging being cleaned up with a knife or scissors.

Fit Drywall

Press the drywall to the surface so that the edges are aligned with the joists. With a pencil, mark the area where the screws can be inserted so that they are secured in the joists. Pay particular attention to the corners and sink the screws so that the heads are flush with the surface.

DIY Projects – Plastering

chizel — Wed, 12 May 2010 11:26:06 +0000

Plastering isn’t for the impatient or the faint of heart; and in the hands of the unskilled, finished plasterwork can look a disaster. But that doesn’t mean that plastering is completely off limits to the DIYer. There are still certain plastering tasks you can do – and do well – with a little bit of patience and instruction. The key is to maintain control over the area you’re plastering. Once mixed, the properties of plaster change quickly, so it is important to be able to manage the condition of the plaster as you go.

There are a few types of plaster to choose from. Cement-based plasters are used mainly outdoors – usually for rendering work – whereas gypsum-based plasters are for indoor use only because they are susceptible to damp.

Of the gypsum-based plasters, the most common are bonding, metal lathing, and browning; each having a particular use. Browning plaster, or perlite, is used on brickwork, clay tile, concrete brick, thermalite, and coke breeze. Metal lathing plaster is as it is named – for expanded metal lathing and wood wool slabs. Bonding plaster is suitable for concrete, stonework, cork slabs, and PVA-treated surfaces. One coat plasters are good for undercoating any surface.

Plaster has a poor shelf life so, if you’re taking on a plastering job, buy only what you think you’ll need. As a general guideline, remember 10 kg covers approximately 1.5 square metres at a thickness of 10mm. Use half that thickness and you’ll cover twice the area.

How to Plaster a Concrete Wall

chizel — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:43:48 +0000

Adding plaster to a concrete wall can give it a number of benefits that it did not have before. It will allow a concrete wall to become moisture resistant and will offer the chance to add different textures. The plastering job is quick, easy to complete and can be achieved by following a few simple steps.

Step One
It is important that all of the paint that currently covers the concrete wall is removed. Use a scraper or some paint stripper to do this.

Step Two
Kill the mould that may have formed on the wall and use a cloth to scrub out any stains that are visible. This will prevent the likeliness of bacteria reforming after you have applied the plaster.

Step Three
If it is impossible to remove the paint from the wall or it is a job that will take too long then apply a bonding agent. The agent will help the plaster to stick onto the painted surface. Do this as a last resort.

Step Four
Take the plaster and add water to it until it has formed to the required texture. Make sure you have enough plaster to cover the entire wall and add more as you work if this is required.

Step Five
Apply a first coat of plaster and make sure the layer is around half an inch think. Wait for this to dry and then repeat the plastering process for a second and third coat.