Recently bought a house and decided to carry out a full refurb, gutted the house out and got to work knocking out walls, changing a lot to really update it.

I have skimmed every ceiling in the house as all were artex which was a lot of hard work (it's a decent sized 3 bed semi).

The artex in the dinning and living room was the thickest (looked like whoever put it on used to decorate birthday cakes for a living and was an absolute knightmare to do). All the hardwork is done and I am really happy with the finish apart from 2 which have imperfections.

I have attempted to face fill and used high opacity matt paint but once the lights are on it at night I can still see the imperfections and I simply can't deal with it - at the same time the thought of re-skimming is not an option.

The depth of the artex underneath is very thick and despite having built up the plaster about 3 layers thick I am sure it's the pattern underneath slightly showing in places.

Has anyone got any suggestions or know of any products that might help get these imperfections out?

It's all been primed / sealed and miss coated.

Cheers

sounds a nightmare, short of ripping it all dowm or overboarding and re-plastering I'm not sure if there is a proper option. Possibly changing the lighting may alter the visual side of things but I don't think there is a quick fix

sounds a nightmare, short of ripping it all dowm or overboarding and re-plastering I'm not sure if there is a proper option. Possibly changing the lighting may alter the visual side of things but I don't think there is a quick fix

Thought as much. Might have to skim over it again :-(
been working a$$ off and could do without it. Every night after work and every weekend since start of May been working on it and plastered 7 rooms ceilings (9 including hallway and landing) and some walls

Lining paper come to mind :-> but I can't go with that. It's got to be perfect

With artex that thick i usually bond the wall out before plastering. Far better than building up layers. It's the stuff in the purple bags in B&Q etc, you can apply it really thick and completely cover the artex. Looks like re-skimming is the easiest option

With artex that thick i usually bond the wall out before plastering. Far better than building up layers. It's the stuff in the purple bags in B&Q etc, you can apply it really thick and completely cover the artex. Looks like re-skimming is the easiest option

Thanks for the advice - v true but the problem was the size of the ceiling and the fact that it's a one man band. If I'd have bonded it the plaster would of been drying out even quicker than it was on me without bonding. It was a constant race against time and absolutely nackering

Thats why ceilings always cost more to do, and explains why you dont see many fat plasterers. But try explaining that to folk round here. :wonder: Are you a plasterer by trade, if not might have been worth getting someone in, although it would have cost a whole lot more judging by the amount you have done.

Thats why ceilings always cost more to do, and explains why you dont see many fat plasterers. But try explaining that to folk round here. :wonder: Are you a plasterer by trade, if not might have been worth getting someone in, although it would have cost a whole lot more judging by the amount you have done.

No longer by trade but used to - trying to keep costs down and I've seen some peoples work and it's not good. Whoever done some plastering on the house before I bought it makes my imperfections on these 2 seem very minor. All the other are spot on, most people would prob think nothing of it but it needs to be perfect and I won't settle until I'm happy

Cheers

I would have carlite bonded it to lose the artex, then put a nearly neat coat of pva over it to stop the skim drying out in seconds, and then two coats of skim.:thumb: job done! If you wont settle till your happy as you say, your gonna have to pva it and skim it again:cry:

I would have carlite bonded it to lose the artex, then put a nearly neat coat of pva over it to stop the skim drying out in seconds, and then two coats of skim.:thumb: job done! If you wont settle till your happy as you say, your gonna have to pva it and skim it again:cry:


PVA is going on tonight - going for re-skim

IS there anyway I can prevent the plaster drying out as quickly? this is a big ceiling and doing it myself with just a helping hand mixing up

You could use Thistle GypPrime instead of PVA.

Thistle GypPrime (http://www.british-gypsum.com/products/thistle_plaster_products/thistle_plaster_bonding_agents/thistle_gypprime.aspx)

Have not used it myself, but it promises to lengthen the working time of plaster. Pretty expensive though especially if your not gonna use a lot of it. Unless you know someone with a bit left in a tub.

PVA is going on tonight - going for re-skim

IS there anyway I can prevent the plaster drying out as quickly? this is a big ceiling and doing it myself with just a helping hand mixing up

You could give it two coats of pva to completely kill any suction, use multifinish rather than board finish as its slower, and maybe leave it longer than you normally would before you put your second coat of skim on. Oh and wash the bucket out between coats:thumb: Hope this helps!

You could use Thistle GypPrime instead of PVA.

Thistle GypPrime (http://www.british-gypsum.com/products/thistle_plaster_products/thistle_plaster_bonding_agents/thistle_gypprime.aspx)

Have not used it myself, but it promises to lengthen the working time of plaster. Pretty expensive though especially if your not gonna use a lot of it. Unless you know someone with a bit left in a tub.


Can't find any prices - how much is this stuff?

Can't you just give it a quick skim over with Easy Fill or hames and rub it down. I bet there's a far weight on the ceiling as it is without another skim with plaster.

1 Coat Artex sealer
1 Coat 50/50 pva
No suction at all then but do apply new plaster when pva tacky.

Why not buy a Tub premixed of Joint Cement , Its meant for fine coat work on drylining but it can be used to fill over most small imperfections and can either be troweled onwith skill so it is a finished job or it can be apllied by a lesser skilled person and be sanded down in a few days time. The stuff is that fine it will cover most fine holes without leaving and form or ridge

all sorted now. gave them a good rub down, face fill and 3 coats of high opacity matt white and now completely happy - cheers all