View Full Version : DIY help UPDATED!
whitewash
05-03-2007, 21:53
ok bare with me, im trying to do up my living room and im a bit stuck.
basically ive gone from this-
http://www.whitewashimages.co.uk/junk/house/livingroom2.jpg
http://www.whitewashimages.co.uk/junk/house/livingroom1.jpg
the shelves were made out of mdf, were flimsy and couldnt cope with books and things, that picture actually makes it look alot better than it is. so i ripped the shelves down, the backing of the shelves was horrible wooden paneling stuck on which just had to go, as i cant stand it (myhouse is unfortunely full of it and its all gotta go!). so i ripped it out, unfortunely removing it damaged the plaster behind it which along the whole wall and chimney breast is this horrible deep textured plaster.
and now im left with this and im unsure where to go from this-
http://www.whitewashimages.co.uk/junk/IMG_0191small.jpg
http://www.whitewashimages.co.uk/junk/IMG_0192small.jpg
the wall to the right left is ok, it just needs steaming and repapering whcih isnt a problem.
i need to replaster the wall and chimneybreast preferably so its nice and smooth and ready for paper, is plastering that hard or am i best cutting my losses and getting someone in to do it and how should i go about it, should i chip back the texture as much as possible and skimming over the top or is it all gonna have to come off?
i also aim to reduce the fireplace aperture and replace it with modern gasfire and surround, i was going to do with on metal partition studding and fireproof plasterboard with a skim of normal plaster over the top, ill obviously have to get a corgi registered person into get the fire all plumbed in and stuff.
i dont know much about plastering so it would be nice to have a bit of advice
thanks.
jamie
photostar_1
05-03-2007, 21:59
Send for DIY, SOS?? (BBC prog).
Plastering is very hard to do properly and not that easy to do badly if you haven't had some practice. Skimming over texture is something pros do all the time. What would take me all day a pro would do in an hour - and it would still be flatter than I could do.
Different plasterers will have different methods of working so get them in for a quote and ask if you can do any prep to save some money. prices will probably vary quite a bit. Up to you to guess if they are worth it.
whitewash
05-03-2007, 22:09
thats exactly what i was thinking robert. i just dont have a clue what kind of price id be looking at!
Johnny1982
05-03-2007, 22:10
Stereo Fishtanks!
Don't even think about trying to plaster an area that large without some experience. Plasterers make it look easy, but it isn't!!!
whitewash
05-03-2007, 22:12
Stereo Fishtanks!
saywhatnow?!
If you get a quote for more than £120 for that go elsewhere .... £100 a wall is the norm I would think ...
Phone the ads in the local paper, describe the job and ask for an idea of price while on the phone?
....or get a recommendation. Have a walk around your area, you are bound to see a local builder renovating, ask him to recommend one?
whitewash
05-03-2007, 22:22
what do you all this sort of textured plaster (apart from ****ing awful..) does it have a special name?
http://www.whitewashimages.co.uk/junk/IMG_0195small.jpg
"botched" I would have said!
Reminds me of our first flat - when we moved in we had a front room which the previous occupants had decided to 'sponge' the walls in. The problem was they'd clearly never done it before, nor had they practised before they started, and the colours they'd chosen was a bright cerise pink onto brilliant white. Truly awful!
Whatever you end up doing with yours I wish you luck - do bear in mind that artex isn't the easiest stuff to remove either!
Artexed walls were a fad a few years back which has now largely gone out of fashion. The stuff is a pig to get off!
whitewash
05-03-2007, 23:14
it doesnt look like artex though (which is a coating right?) it looks like someones just gone mad with the plastering trowl, im gonna investigate tomorrow by trying to chip it off, ill still need a skim over the surface anyway, but if i can remove the highest peaks then the plasterer willl surely have to use less material and thus save me some coins
it doesnt look like artex though (which is a coating right?) it looks like someones just gone mad with the plastering trowl, im gonna investigate tomorrow by trying to chip it off, ill still need a skim over the surface anyway, but if i can remove the highest peaks then the plasterer willl surely have to use less material and thus save me some coins
Hard to tell but it does look like Artex. It's a sort of plaster applied as a thick paste which stays malleable for a while and people use all sorts of ways to pattern it while it's wet including just heavy trowel work, fine combs - sponges - all sorts.
If you can remove the high points I agree the job should be easier for a plasterer. :)
madmitch
06-03-2007, 16:51
Knock off high spots and stick plasterboard to wall fill edges and paint
Mitch
whitewash
06-03-2007, 21:21
you see i considered that but then realised that id have to continue it onto the chimney breast and id meet complications around the fire (fireproof plasterboard required and sealing from the rest etc). best do it proper eh and get it replastered, ill have to get a good chisel to knock it all off, LOADSA DUST!
be careful. some artex contains asbestos iirc
If it is artex and not been sealed or painted over it should wash off EVENTUALLY! failing that a decent sander to flatten it, It will make a hell of a mess though and take "forever" trust me on this, been there got the T-shirt etc. :bonk:
It really depends on your buget, having done it once I would get it done professionally "next time"
Chris
Waterworx
07-03-2007, 01:17
Hi, I've been in the building trade for 17 years, all be it plumbing & heating. Still pick up alot of skills from mates I've worked with, I would seriously get someone in to do the work, to get a really good finish to the plaster is an art. I've renovated 2 houses myself and only plastered 1 chimney breast (gravity is a bitch, ended up with loads on the floor :bang: ), since then I always get a mate to plaster for me. Brummie is correct in saying some artex contains asbestos- so be careful. But it does look like someone has just done a rough finich plaster. £100 seems about right per wall but you have a few corners to do there. maybe a little more, any if their anygood shouldn't take more than a day to skim it. Ask family, friends colleagues if they know of any good plasterers. Also, check that the corgi gas fitter is qualified to install gas fires, the amount of people that never ask me is astonishing, they should have their card on them and it'll say on the back of it what their qualified to do.
Anyway, best of luck, and don't forget to show us the finished product.
Cheers
Al :thumbs:
whitewash
07-03-2007, 18:27
waterworx- how would you see as the best way to reduce the size of the fireplace aperture? is my idea of using metal studding and plasterboard ok (would i need the plasterboard to be fireretardent stuff?) and then when i get the plastering done have a skim put over it to join it seemlessly with the rest of the wall? is this acceptable.
as you say i think its just rough plaster, part of the wall isnt painted so ill tkae a picture of it now
having a bit of a problem finding a recommendation as no one seems to want to recommend anyone around here so ill have to keep searching, i dont really want to have to pick someone out of the yellow pages.
Waterworx
07-03-2007, 18:51
If you pick out of the pages go for someone who belongs to 'federation of master builders' or an equivalent association. At least you have some kind of come back and someone to go to if you don't get the service you want.
As for the builders opening I personally would brick/block it up to the required size and skim over the top, for the sake of a few bricks it'll be sturdier. You may have to use a 4" concrete lintel for top, just depends what size opening you have there. The average opening size required is Height=565mm ish width=450mm ish and the depth needs to be a minimum of 215mm.
http://www.valor.co.uk/valor/website.nsf/consinstinstruct?readform&nav1=consumer&nav2=literature&count=-1
This link should take you to the installation instruction pages for Valor fires, click on the fires and you'll get a pdf giving all the installation instructions including builder opening dimensions.
Hope this helps :thumbs:
whitewash
07-03-2007, 19:59
aperture in the wall at the moment is (WxHXD) 830x850x260mm so obviously needs reducing by a fair margin
ill have to look into it.
im stuck in a way as i dont have anyone to refer to about things like this, my parents dont know about stuff like this and if something occured they'd pay someone to fit a fire and smooth the wall but not being financially able to do that in its entirity i have to do alot of it myself and while im reasonably practical (im a mechanic/engineer) ive never really done any house stuff so im a bit stuck
thanks very much for your help :)
Waterworx
07-03-2007, 20:12
Well the blocking up is easy, that'll save alittle. As for the plastering, I would honestly get someone to do that, it can look raelly dire if it's done wrong and cost more to put right afterwards.
Just PM, email me if you want any advice or ideas.
Al :thumbs:
whitewash
07-03-2007, 20:39
fanku!
whitewash
21-03-2007, 21:32
quick update
ive got all the bits i need to sort the wall and fire so i thought id post a pic or 2 of what im doing
i put the backpanel and hearth in place to show what it would be like, im planing not to have a mantlepeice as its just another surface for clutter and its tricky to find one in keeping with what i want that doesnt cost a small fortune!
http://www.whitewashimages.co.uk/junk/house/fire1.jpg
tonight i started bricking up the fireplace to reduce it down to the required size, i havent done any bricklaying since i was about 14 and that was with old bricks to create a rustic looking steps in the garden so this is a bit different to what ive done before, this actually needs to be straight, true and level! but its going well, i should be upto the point where i fit the lintel tomorrow night.
http://www.whitewashimages.co.uk/junk/house/bricklaying1.jpg
im away after next wednesday for rally portugal and after that its easter and im off to paris so i want the bricklaying and everything done by then so i can get it plastered after easter. all is going well :thumbs:
ill keep you all uptodate with the progress of my project!
chuckles
21-03-2007, 23:35
I fink your spirit level's a bit off! :lol: Marianne reckons you ought to adjust the levels in PhotoShop!
Oh dear ! This is a madhouse sometimes. :chortle:
Might of been a good idea to use halfs too so as to get your bond.
ie - half then full and above that full then half if you see what i mean.
minimeeze
22-03-2007, 07:46
Must have missed this thread before....
Looks like you're doing a decent job there!
Re the plastering, as others have said, I would always use a plasterer. We were in the same predicament in not knowing any decent plasterers or anyone being able to recommend someone. In the end, we plumped for a few advertised in the local paper to gives us quotes, which varied quite a lot price-wise, so make sure you get at least 3 quotes (we also found out that getting hold of a plasterer is easier said than done!). Anyway, the guy we chose did a fab job. They make it look so easy, but it's an art.
whitewash
22-03-2007, 18:01
Might of been a good idea to use halfs too so as to get your bond.
ie - half then full and above that full then half if you see what i mean.
as soon as i get above the lintel i will be doing more conventional staggered brickwork, but for the side bits around the fire i didnt see the point, its not under any load other than the weight of the bricks so i just saved myself the hastle of cracking bricks in half etc, it'll more than suffice and effectively this bricklaying is just a framework to plaster over, it doesnt really matter if its straight or anything as no one will see it when its done.
gonna have to play the yellow pages lottery after easter and find a plasterer and then a corgi registered gas fitter, fun and games!:gag:
Waterworx
22-03-2007, 18:11
It's looking fine, totally agree, no need for the hassle of half bricks atm, so long as there well bonded to the original fire opening.
Good luck with the YELLOW PAGES
:thumbs:
whitewash
22-03-2007, 18:14
cheers, i should get somebricks layed now!
whitewash
22-03-2007, 21:36
just for chuckles i sorted the levels out!
http://www.whitewashimages.co.uk/junk/house/fire2.jpg
I think you need a vent in your brick work , if that is a chimny breast.
Phone the Federation of Master Buildersfor advice. I am an ex member,
but my trade was Joinery. Get a Plasterer in to do your plaster work,
it would be better in the long run, there again i would ask the FMB as
they will have people on their books .
Good Luck with your DIY.
Dave P.
Plasterers don't charge per wall.
I've not long had my kitchen done, and the plasterer I used charged £10 per square metre.
We got a plasterer to skim the new bathroom. Ceiling and 4 walls.
He came on a Sunday, worked like a looney from 10am 'till 6pm.
Didnt stop for lunch, just drank tea by the gallon, didnt stop to pee either .. couldnt the loo wasnt fitted.
Did a very good job (nearly perfect).
Took 18 crisp tenners from my hand and left me his number incase he could do "any more .. odd jobs", and toddled off down the path to the local pub.
:thumbs:
whitewash
26-03-2007, 20:18
I think you need a vent in your brick work , if that is a chimny breast.
Phone the Federation of Master Buildersfor advice. I am an ex member,
but my trade was Joinery. Get a Plasterer in to do your plaster work,
it would be better in the long run, there again i would ask the FMB as
they will have people on their books .
Good Luck with your DIY.
Dave P.
there is a vent in it.... its called the big hole in the middle :razz: :lol:
http://www.whitewashimages.co.uk/junk/house/fire3.jpg
only need a vent if your bricking up the fireplace completely, i intend to put a fire in gap, which obviously needs to be completely sealed so it vents up the chimney and out not back into the room.
ill have a look on the internet for this association you speak of though, might be useful, ill have a look, thanks for bringing it to my attention :D
Waterworx
26-03-2007, 21:59
It's looking good. CORGI also have a database of registered fitters http://www.trustcorgi.com/findinstaller/findaninstaller.htmx Just make sure that they are qualified t install gas fires, it'll say on the rear of their card.
:thumbs:
whitewash
28-06-2007, 20:20
plasterer coming on saturday :D
currently moving and adding plug sockets where the tv will go :)
i knocked the frame out between the stairs and the living room, opens the stairs up more and looks alot nicer. so thats getting skimmed as well! moved some light switches as well
digitalfailure
28-06-2007, 20:32
and the pictures are where ?
:)
whitewash
28-06-2007, 20:33
ill have pictures post plastering, girlfriend has nicked the compact!
theres not much to see yet, apart from a load of bare brickwork!
plasterer coming on saturday :D
currently moving and adding plug sockets where the tv will go :)
moved some light switches as well
Hope you have a ticket to do all that :lol:
whitewash
28-06-2007, 20:56
Hope you have a ticket to do all that :lol:
i think your ok to do plug sockets and lightswitches although by rights you need to get them inspected but its hardly rocket science! Its just another peice of beurocratic bullshit to insure that you cant do anything yourself and as such the tradesmen get more money!
Its just another peice of beurocratic bullshit to insure that you cant do anything yourself and as such the tradesmen get more money!
How true, but then I've a degree in Electronics and common sense.
Ive visited the next door neighbours a few times and have seriously considered increasing my fire insurance....
whitewash
28-06-2007, 21:08
How true, but then I've a degree in Electronics and common sense.
Ive visited the next door neighbours a few times and have seriously considered increasing my fire insurance....
ive got common sense as well, its a great thing
I've heard it said that the sum total of common sense in the world is a constant, but the population is increasing.
Hang on to what you've got and try to teach your kids.
whitewash
01-07-2007, 21:02
pictures as promised
chimney breast (previously bare brick after chipping off the artex)
http://www.whitewashimages.co.uk/junk/house/plastering01.jpg
back wall
http://www.whitewashimages.co.uk/junk/house/plastering03.jpg
bay window
http://www.whitewashimages.co.uk/junk/house/plastering04.jpg
fireplace
http://www.whitewashimages.co.uk/junk/house/plastering05.jpg
stairs
http://www.whitewashimages.co.uk/junk/house/plastering02.jpg
just got to let it dry properly and then seal it and paper it :)
really pleased with the plasterers, really nice bunch of chaps and they did some extra bits i hadnt asked them to do while they were at it :)
Looking so much better..when's the TP house party :p
whitewash
01-07-2007, 21:13
it'll happen in the summer, gotta get suzie moved in at the end of the month, get the paper on, paint 3 rooms and the hall, flooring down in the living room, bedroom, hallway and office and then ill have the housewarming party a year and a half after i moved in!
Have a painting party!!!! Kill two birds with one stone..still have yet to meet Suzie properly..all I know is she's hot..but never really got to speak to her :(
Ladybird
02-07-2007, 09:35
:woot: looks like you are doing well! wanna visit Northamptonshire next week to help me? :D :D :D
minimeeze
02-07-2007, 11:48
Looking forward to seeing the end result(s)!
whitewash
09-07-2007, 22:56
just waiting for the plaster to dry, i think 2 weeks should sort it, its all gone very pink already but i want to be sure by leaving it another week. ive passed the time by finishing the wiring (i now have 4 dimmable halogen spots beside the chimney breast) and replacing the floorboards in the room above, ive also painted the ceiling in that room and im starting the walls tomorrow, got a carpet ordered for the bedroom as well.
its all moving forwards :)
Dont forget to pre-treat (extra thin coat of paint/glue first) your plaster before hanging paper or painting or it'll suck the moisture out of it and it'll fall off/crack.
whitewash
09-07-2007, 23:03
got my tub of pva handy already oldgit :) 10 to 1 mix is what i used on another wall and it seems to have worked well :)
whitewash
19-08-2007, 21:05
still not finished but ive moved back into the room, still needs flooring, fire fitting and skirting boards fitting
heres a few pics
http://www.whitewashimages.co.uk/junk/house/house01(small).jpg
http://www.whitewashimages.co.uk/junk/house/house02(small).jpg
gonna phone a few folks about getting the fire fitted this week and ill order the flooring. the main focus now is to get wallpaper back onto the bedroom walls and get them painted ready for the carpet
busy bunny, but you would not believe how satisfying it was to get the dining room table back together and to have a sit down meal :D
It's all getting there then :) I can't wait to get myself a house and attempt DIY, though i have a feeling it would take me a very long time to actually achieve anything :lol:
Wow..It's looking ace now! Not so long till the house warming party woo! :)
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