Patching and Plastering - skim coating walls and ceilings

greetings I am skim coating walls and ceilings over old painted plaster and sand. roller method doesn't work (atleast not until the surface is built up.) hock and 12' blade worked well on walls( although took forever) but cannot get same consistency on ceilings. also getting lots of bubbles in mud ( ready-mix put in tub then stirred up .. no extra water) when applying over both plaster and first coat. any way to apply this faster then pulling off? also using lite mud for final coat what is best method for the least sanding? How many coats should I expect? I have let each coat dry thoroughly and temp in those rooms is above 55. Why the bubbles? cheers Is this just a matter of unable to get around the fact that its lots of elbow grease? I defer to the more experienced

You need to add water to thin the light mud down some, it should be about the consistency of a thick soft serve ice cream. The bubbles, called pocking is from not mixing the mud enough. With a high speed drill and a large mixer paddle it takes a few minutes, 7-8 minutes I guess, never really timed it, but you've got to make sure it's mixed down to a smooth creamy mixture. With the mud thiinned properly you can apply it with a roller or by pan/hawk & knife. Not matter how you do it, it's more work than it looks like. HTH & Merry Christmas! :glocke:

Awesomedell said, "HTH & Merry Christmas! "

I've noticed you have signed off with the HTH several times lately.
Can't figure out what it means.
Hit the Hay?
Hang the Holly?
Hotter than Hell?
Hit the Head?
Hold the Hawk?
Honk the Horn?
Help the Hard up?

Help us abbreviationally challenged.

"Hope this helps" seems most likely!

:thinker: HouseofJoe wins the prize! Hope this/that helps.

Meaning that I hope I have correctly assessed the poster's question & given them useful information. I actually learned that one here on this site and like tightcoat, had to ask what it meant. :wall:

Learn something new everyday! :coffee: