To make your skimming experience enjoyable and successful - be aware of the following basics.
The Finish coat is only designed to provide a smooth finish to a flat surface. If the surface to which it is being applied is not flat, then a smooth finish can be very difficult to attain – due to the finish coat needing to be thicker in some areas than others. In which case the plaster will be firming up at different rates, and during the process of gaining a nice finish on one area that is firm, your trowel may dig in to another thicker and therefore wetter softer area - and push it out of shape.
In order to gain a nice uniform finish – it helps if the surface to which it's being applied is uniform.
Click Here for More Info about uneven surfaces
Click Here for More Info about skimming marginally uneven plasterboard or textured surfaces
Ensure the suction is controlled.
The plaster will firm up for two reasons:
1 Due to the setting time of the plaster.
Thistle multi-finish will be set within 2 hours so we know that you'll definitely be on the last stage of the skimming process in about ona and a half to two hours from mixing the plaster.
2.Due to moisture being sucked out of the plaster by the wall. If the wall to which you're applying the plaster to is porous - then moisture wil be sucked out of the plaster that you are applying. As the moisture is being sucked out of the plaster – it will become firm. If the wall is very porous the plaster could become very firm and unworkable within minutes, being as firm as the equivalent of 2 hours setting time.
To ensure you have enough time with the plaster to carry out the 6 stages properly it is vital to ensure the suction is controlled.
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A case where you can blame the tools
If you do not have a good finishing trowel or it is not properly worn in then no matter how good our technique is a good finish can be near impossible to achieve.
Click Here More info on the trowel to buy
Click Here for more info about wearing your trowel in