In his article on skim-coat plaster, Sam Singer uses blueboard instead of drywall, due to better ‘absorbtion and bonding’. He also uses standard ‘setting’ type compound for all the joints, before starting to apply plaster. We know that this mud works well on normal drywall, and apparently also adheres well to plaster.
So, my question is, what if one did a scratch coat with setting compound onto drywall, with plaster on top of that?
Blueboard isn’t normally stocked in my neck of the woods.
Any other nuggets on the subject? I only want to attempt the skim-coat if I can incorporate the finish colour in it, avoiding painting over it.
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There's a primer that's used on drywall before applying USG Diamond Finish interior plaster. You can get good plaster info from the tech people at USG... check their site for a phone number.
owner... skim coat is great but no way will you get the finish color into it..
dave meiland is correct ,, in order to avoid sucking all the water out of the plaster before it sets, you need a retarder primer on the drywall..
the drywall paper has a higher absorption rate than blueboard so you have to prime it to get the correct setting time
in any case.. trying to incorporate the finish color is going to be well-nigh to impossible
I don't know if you can tell from these pics, but this is a veneer coat with intregal color. my plaster guys used mortar colors to tint it and then I put a coat of Okon on to protect it.
This is not a sooth coat, it has a slight texture to it, which may be why the tinting worked. It's kind of a swirl finish.
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Barry E-Remodeler
pretty elegant , barry... do you think the average plasterer can get those uniform results ?Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Thanks Mike, This was a 3 room gut and remodel.Could you get a uniform color on smooth plastered walls? It would be tough, I suppose. You would have to get each batch perfectly matched and work like lightning. Like I said this has a slight swirl to it and if I remember right the HO wanted a little variation.. it's been 5 or 6 years since we did this one. On this job The HO stood behind my plaster guys and okayed the walls as they were doing each section. Iwasn't sure what effect the OP was after, I may have some pics that show the overall effect better.
Barry E-Remodeler
Edited 5/14/2005 9:02 pm ET by Barry E
A guy that I know is making quite a bit of money by coloring plaster. He puts it on without color, but uses pigments dissolved in various carriers (one of them is Thompson's Water Seal) to do the color. It looks extremely good... sort of a Tuscan look... and HOs where he is definitely want it.
I have also seen plasterers tint their plaster and then trowel it on. A clear coat over that and it's done.
Thanks, guys; the consensus seems to be that, yes, you can plaster over drywall, if you prime it with a retarder.As far as incorporating tint, that's basically a different story: possible, but not simple.Any experience with Behr's Venetian plaster finish?Thanks again for taking the time to post.
No experience with the Behr's. See if you can find Excellent Coatings colors.
Sorry for my ignorance, David, but I've never heard of it. Is 'Excellent Coatings' a brand name?
Yes.... somewhere in CA I believe
There's no such thing as an average plasterer anymore. You either is or you ain't. The tough thing about doing color is getting the exact color measurements into the mix every time, also, you can't go back over it to fix things up. Once it's on, it stays on. It's not for the inexperienced hand.
Venetian plaster is a wonderful finish, also Marmorino or Encaustica. They moreless produce the same finish. It makes for a lot of depth.