Walls and Ceilings - Skim Coating
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Rob A
09-17-04, 09:43 PM
Hello everyone. New member here. I'd like to know if anyone can give me the entire process of the right way to skim coat walls and ceilings. Everything from the right trowels and/or spackle knives to the best compound to use. Also how many coats would be sufficient. Thank you in advance for all replies.
Rob A
Rob A
Snoonyb
09-17-04, 11:37 PM
Are you doing this for a new experience, or is there an underlying condition in the existing surfaces that need to be addressed?
awesomedell
09-18-04, 06:27 AM
Hi Rob and welcome to the forums.
If you're starting out with a taped drywall surface, you just need a wide drywall blade, 10"-12" is a good size, the wider the blade the more area you can cover. As far as mud, for a skim coat I always go with lite joint compound, thinned with water until I have a nice creamy consistency. I hold the knife with my thumb and pinky finger wrapped around the handle and the 3 middle fingers extended out straight behind the blade, this will allow you to feather each pass.
Hope that helps.
If you're starting out with a taped drywall surface, you just need a wide drywall blade, 10"-12" is a good size, the wider the blade the more area you can cover. As far as mud, for a skim coat I always go with lite joint compound, thinned with water until I have a nice creamy consistency. I hold the knife with my thumb and pinky finger wrapped around the handle and the 3 middle fingers extended out straight behind the blade, this will allow you to feather each pass.
Hope that helps.
joneq
09-18-04, 10:59 AM
The most important thing to do is GET THE STUFF CREAMY. use a power mixer if you have to but get it creamy,But not too thin that it slides off the knife. Second thing is GET RID OF ANY DIRTY MUD, do not put it back in the bucket or tray if you use it. Keep the lid on the bucket and use drop clothes. Take your shoes off when you leave the room
I use a 12" knife and do stripes 8" apart. I do not use a hawk. I use a tray [plastisc in the depo][less chance of accidents] Do 1 stripe and feather the edges skip 8" and do another. When it dries fill in the bare stripes.Do 1 side of the corners at a time. I find this method much less stressful on me and everyone around me. Put a fan or 2 in the room and let it blow on what you just did. Bty the time you get done and take a little break you will be ready to put on the next coat. Keep putting on coats till tour satisfied. Sand and prime I guess. You never said what you had planned for the walls.
I use a 12" knife and do stripes 8" apart. I do not use a hawk. I use a tray [plastisc in the depo][less chance of accidents] Do 1 stripe and feather the edges skip 8" and do another. When it dries fill in the bare stripes.Do 1 side of the corners at a time. I find this method much less stressful on me and everyone around me. Put a fan or 2 in the room and let it blow on what you just did. Bty the time you get done and take a little break you will be ready to put on the next coat. Keep putting on coats till tour satisfied. Sand and prime I guess. You never said what you had planned for the walls.
Rob A
09-18-04, 09:37 PM
The most important thing to do is GET THE STUFF CREAMY. use a power mixer if you have to but get it creamy,But not too thin that it slides off the knife. Second thing is GET RID OF ANY DIRTY MUD, do not put it back in the bucket or tray if you use it. Keep the lid on the bucket and use drop clothes. Take your shoes off when you leave the room
I use a 12" knife and do stripes 8" apart. I do not use a hawk. I use a tray [plastisc in the depo][less chance of accidents] Do 1 stripe and feather the edges skip 8" and do another. When it dries fill in the bare stripes.Do 1 side of the corners at a time. I find this method much less stressful on me and everyone around me. Put a fan or 2 in the room and let it blow on what you just did. Bty the time you get done and take a little break you will be ready to put on the next coat. Keep putting on coats till tour satisfied. Sand and prime I guess. You never said what you had planned for the walls.Thanks for the useful info.....Rob A
I use a 12" knife and do stripes 8" apart. I do not use a hawk. I use a tray [plastisc in the depo][less chance of accidents] Do 1 stripe and feather the edges skip 8" and do another. When it dries fill in the bare stripes.Do 1 side of the corners at a time. I find this method much less stressful on me and everyone around me. Put a fan or 2 in the room and let it blow on what you just did. Bty the time you get done and take a little break you will be ready to put on the next coat. Keep putting on coats till tour satisfied. Sand and prime I guess. You never said what you had planned for the walls.Thanks for the useful info.....Rob A
Rob A
09-18-04, 09:45 PM
Are you doing this for a new experience, or is there an underlying condition in the existing surfaces that need to be addressed?Actually it's for both. For the experience and the condition of the surfaces. A couple of rooms in my mother in law's house are in pretty bad shape. For example, the walls are "bumpy" and the ceilings are cracked and peely.
Rob A
09-18-04, 09:51 PM
Hi Rob and welcome to the forums.
If you're starting out with a taped drywall surface, you just need a wide drywall blade, 10"-12" is a good size, the wider the blade the more area you can cover. As far as mud, for a skim coat I always go with lite joint compound, thinned with water until I have a nice creamy consistency. I hold the knife with my thumb and pinky finger wrapped around the handle and the 3 middle fingers extended out straight behind the blade, this will allow you to feather each pass.
Hope that helps.Thanks for the reply awesomedell. Another question that I have is; Is using plaster a bad idea?
If you're starting out with a taped drywall surface, you just need a wide drywall blade, 10"-12" is a good size, the wider the blade the more area you can cover. As far as mud, for a skim coat I always go with lite joint compound, thinned with water until I have a nice creamy consistency. I hold the knife with my thumb and pinky finger wrapped around the handle and the 3 middle fingers extended out straight behind the blade, this will allow you to feather each pass.
Hope that helps.Thanks for the reply awesomedell. Another question that I have is; Is using plaster a bad idea?
joneq
09-19-04, 06:21 AM
I don't do plaster but I believe it needs to have a proper substrate like the blue board for proper adhesion. I would not use it here. Besides the fact that it dries fast and is hard to sand if you really screw up.
I forgot to mention that all surfaces should be clean and remove all loose material. I like to use "soilax pro" in the paint store not the depot. If your walls are shiny you could either use tsp or lightly sand the walls AFTER you clean them.
I don't know what these bumps are that you are talking about but if it is junk in the paint this should be removed prior to skimcoating solving one of your reasons for doing the skimcoating
If the wall have actual cracks in then and you are not talking about the paint cracking these will also have to be repaired proir to Sking. Seems pretty much like you will be doing this for the experience. I don't envy you
I forgot to mention that all surfaces should be clean and remove all loose material. I like to use "soilax pro" in the paint store not the depot. If your walls are shiny you could either use tsp or lightly sand the walls AFTER you clean them.
I don't know what these bumps are that you are talking about but if it is junk in the paint this should be removed prior to skimcoating solving one of your reasons for doing the skimcoating
If the wall have actual cracks in then and you are not talking about the paint cracking these will also have to be repaired proir to Sking. Seems pretty much like you will be doing this for the experience. I don't envy you
Snoonyb
09-19-04, 07:28 PM
The "bumpy" walls could be from previous patches which need to be redone.
The cracking and peeling can be anything from peeling paint to the actual purging of plaster putty coat caused by previous roof leaks. These areas will need to be scraped and all loose material removed to bertermine the extent of the damage and the appropriate method of correction.
The cracking and peeling can be anything from peeling paint to the actual purging of plaster putty coat caused by previous roof leaks. These areas will need to be scraped and all loose material removed to bertermine the extent of the damage and the appropriate method of correction.