We’re skimming some existing walls to bring the finish up to a high level 4 or low level 5 smooth finish. It’s ’50s plaster over 8’x 16″ gypsom backer boards and currently every ceiling joist and gypsom board edge telegraphs through.
With a normal 12″ knife the amount of flex will follow gradual contours quite well and requires some work to get the surface flat rather than simply well blended.
I picked up a Marshaltown 16″ concrete finishing trowel and wow has it increased productivity for this purpose–probably doubled in first 2 hours. It stays flat with light or moderat pressure, spans a good distance, and is easier on my hands than a big knife.
The only requirement is a hawk and moving mud from it to the trowel takes a little getting used to.
If you’ve ever wondered about using a long trowel I’d highly recommend it!
Now I’m taping with a 6″ knife, covering the tape with 11″ curved trowel to get a slight crown, filling the low points to either side of the crown with the big trowel, and skimming the topping compound with a 12″ knife.
In case you’re wondering, no, I’ve never been good with just a knife. Beat myself up for years trying to do smooth finishes prior to getting a curved trowel.
Happy trowels to you!
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn’t rule the world.
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Now I'm taping with a 6" knife, covering the tape with 11" curved trowel to get a slight crown, filling the low points to either side of the crown with the big trowel,
That's how I was taught almost thirty years ago.
Try telling the young ones coming up today to use those tools. Every one is using flat knives with clunky wooden handles that they bought at HD.
Few people use a hawk either.
Set with 6" knife
Coat with 14" curve trowel
Finish with 12" or 16" flat trowel
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What are you using for topping compound?
Justin Fink - FHB Editorial
Your Friendly Neighborhood Remodelerator
What are you using for topping compound?
I almost hate to admit it since it's probably not typical and it gives away the secret that I like a fourth coat...ok, 5th coat.
90 minute quick set spreads reasonably well so I like that for everything but the last two coats.
For the last coat prior to primer regular old USG topping compound works ok if thinned a bit, but some other brands are probably easier to use as they feel a bit more sticky and soft.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
I just got done skimming some '20 's plaster walls in my home with one as well. Screwed the spongy areas in w/ ceiling buttons, gouged out the cracks etc.
1st coat with Durabond and then topped w compound.(I dont trust my skills enough to use real plaster) And this surface Takes paint great.
Gypsum based products are often not a good match with lime based products (like plaster). Over time they often seperate.If you have to do it in another area, you might want to look into using plaster and learning to do it, or hiring a plasterer.
Well, might as well throw in my 2 cents .......always used curved trowel w/ hock for butts and for tapers.... for field,(screw heads) I use a 6" knife w/ trowel as a hock. ....
Flat trowel (16" or 18") is for floating skim coat veneer plaster (the next best thing to the old plaster finish).....thing is you're supposed to apply veneer plaster over Blueboard,.....but what I see is some variation of the system, like skimming w/ joint compound over regular greyboard, .....real plastering(even the veneer style) is a dying art.....I can't even find someone who knows what Blueboard is,let alone knows how to plaster........
Both trowel styles are readily available around here (drywall and finish) even @ HD....but I have to travel to find Blueboard and the veneer plaster...go figure!
never could understand how some of these guys(young bloods) could work with anything bigger than a 6" knife....gotta be tough on the wrist!!
Gypsum based products are often not a good match with lime based products (like plaster).
When plaster is covered with paint or primer it would seem there's little risk of harmful interactions.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
Don,
What is this "curved trowel'? I have no idea what that is. Post a pic or give a link?
I know my best taper of all time started out as a plasterer and always used trowles not knives for his work.
They make drywall trowels specifically for that. I have one at work. Hold on I'll dig up a Myron Ferguson video.
He doesn't get into the trowel until about 3/4 of the way through but it's a good example of it's use.
http://www.taunton.com/finehomebuilding/how-to/video/taping-drywall-seams.aspx?ac=fp
So what's your job? Sit on a fence post and crow like a Rooster when the Sheriff shows up?
http://thewoodwhisperer.com/
gunner, Thanks for the lead, Thanks to others for the link to Marshalltown , and the explanations.
Gunner is the BT Search King.[email protected]
It's been a couple years since I saw that video but I've always liked the trowel method so it stuck with me. And being a premo member makes finding it real easy.
Who dares, wins.
http://thewoodwhisperer.com/
A cruved trowel (I call it a butt joint trowel) is like a normal finishing trowel, but it has a slight curve along its long dimension so that, if you sit it on a straight edge, the center of the trowel is about 1/16" or so off the surface. It's used to run compound over the tape on butt joints, leaving a very slightly elevated strip of compound-covered tape. The next coat is laid on either side of this strip to taper the elevation of the butt joint out to the board. Mine is about 20 yrs old now. I went looking for another one recently, but none of the usual retail sources carry them.
Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PA
http://www.all-wall.com
They carry Marshalltown curved drywall trowels in 11" through 16" sizes.
Thanks for the link. Saved by the 'Net.
These things don't seem to be used much anymore since no local suppliers seem to carry them. My own self, for most finishing work, I prefer trowels & hawk to knives and pan.
Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PA
Curved trowel and a hawk for fill and finish was the way I was taught 10 years ago.
I haven't been able to find much locally bigger than a 12" marshalltown, but I know they are out there.
IMO, this makes butt joints and even tapered joints so much easier.
Apparently we have become dinosuars................[email protected]
Thanks for that link.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
Wow, am I getting a workout skimming these walls! Just on the ceiling of a 20'x30' area there is something like 950 linear feet that are getting skimmed since the telegraph lines are 16" oc both directions. 35 gal of mud and it's almost ready to sand.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
Great timing with this thread Don!
Been doing some taping of late......minimal to be sure....but it's the one aspect of remodeling I never really picked up.
I was always the guy with the power tools. No sense handin' me a knife.
When I started my own business, I had my brother who was a painter/taper to take care of that for me. He git while the gittin' was good. For large projects, I have guys I use. But for the little ones, such as the closet I built as part of a larger project last week, I was on my own. Came out fine....but DAMN, I'm slow as hell!
I work with knives and a hawk.....but my brother always worked with a trowel. He actually did without a hawk altogether....used the trowel as the hawk while he applied the compound with a six inch knife. Stuck the excess compound on the wall, troweled the joint, scooped the excess back off the wall and moved on.
He was (is) quite good, and quite fast.
I'd settle for less than slow.
Democrats.
The other white meat.
That's the way my drywall guy (38 years in the business) does it. If you don't use that curved trowel, you will usually see the recessed joints when the light is right.
An old family friend that was a painting contractor always used 'em. Swears by the method.
Mike
Yeah, did you get the 'pool' type trowel with the rounded ends? I recently used one to skim a wall that had been orange peel textured. First we scraped off as much of the orange peel--mostly just shaved off the higest points--then flattened by skimming and then went back over it with skip trowel to match the rest of the house. I think mine is 14" but I've used it a few times for skimming joint compound.
No, it's just a normal finish trowel. Now that I like it so much it will probably get thrown in with the other concrete tools and will get replaced with a polished stainless version.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.