The Off Topic Topic

[Crazy_Ivan80]

Soon to be seen again on the dinbass front I guess

[Josquius]

Today I learned Americans don't get their walls plastered. 

[Grey Fox]

Today I learned Americans don't get their walls plastered. 

There's no need. Modern walls material is a thick layer of plaster between two sheets of cardboard screwed into a wood or metal skeleton.

[Josquius]

Today I learned Americans don't get their walls plastered. 

There's no need. Modern walls material is a thick layer of plaster between two sheets of cardboard screwed into a wood or metal skeleton.

This sounds like plasterboard.
We have that too. In nice rooms (didn't bother in my office) you're then meant to plaster over the top.

[Grey Fox]

It does, why plaster over it? Just paint it.

[crazy canuck]

Today I learned Americans don't get their walls plastered. 

There's no need. Modern walls material is a thick layer of plaster between two sheets of cardboard screwed into a wood or metal skeleton.

This sounds like plasterboard.
We have that too. In nice rooms (didn't bother in my office) you're then meant to plaster over the top.

If you mean plaster the joints then yes.  If you mean plaster over the whole surface, just for the sake of doing it, why?

[Josquius]

It does, why plaster over it? Just paint it.

It looks rough and unfinished, the joins stand out in particular.

[crazy canuck]

It does, why plaster over it? Just paint it.

It looks rough and unfinished, the joins stand out in particular.

Everybody plasters the joins.

[Josquius]

It does, why plaster over it? Just paint it.

It looks rough and unfinished, the joins stand out in particular.

Everybody plasters the joins.

Which makes them standout.

Also I think plaster is better wearing.

[Barrister]

It does, why plaster over it? Just paint it.

It looks rough and unfinished, the joins stand out in particular.

Everybody plasters the joins.

Which makes them standout.

Not if you do it right.

[Josquius]

Not if you do it right.

It's always going to standout. Its putting an extra layer on just one part.
Also if you're taking all that time to get that bit precise you might as well have your guy do the lot.


So US and Canada seem not to do this.
It is everywhere else that does right? The UK isn't the odd one?

[Barrister]

Not if you do it right.

It's always going to standout. Its putting an extra layer on just one part.
Also if you're taking all that time to get that bit precise you might as well have your guy do the lot.


So US and Canada seem not to do this.
It is everywhere else that does right? The UK isn't the odd one?

Jos - you're just wrong.

I'll admit it takes some skill - a skill I don't have.  We call it "mudding and taping" here.  But between putting in drywall tape, "mud" (drywall compound aka plaster), plus sanding it down it can be perfectly smooth without having to plaster the entire surface.  And once paint is applied you can never tell.

[Josquius]

Not if you do it right.

It's always going to standout. Its putting an extra layer on just one part.
Also if you're taking all that time to get that bit precise you might as well have your guy do the lot.


So US and Canada seem not to do this.
It is everywhere else that does right? The UK isn't the odd one?

Jos - you're just wrong.

I'll admit it takes some skill - a skill I don't have.  We call it "mudding and taping" here.  But between putting in drywall tape, "mud" (drywall compound aka plaster), plus sanding it down it can be perfectly smooth without having to plaster the entire surface.  And once paint is applied you can never tell.

I'm not just wrong. I remember when I was doing this house I asked this same question of my dad who has decades of experience in construction. He said the idea of not plastering first was daft, the house would look crap.
Plastering is one of the core construction professions for a reason. It isn't just done for shits and giggles.

Also; science. Think about it logically. You put tape and a layer of plaster over just one section. Its always going to stick up more than the wall. Argue if you like its by microns and unnoticeable thus unimportant. But it will stick up.

[Barrister]

I'm not just wrong. I remember when I was doing this house I asked this same question of my dad who has decades of experience in construction. He said the idea of not plastering first was daft, the house would look crap.
Plastering is one of the core construction professions for a reason. It isn't just done for shits and giggles.

Jos - how old is your dad?  When did he first start in construction?  I have no doubt that's what he was taught, and I have no doubt he's a great carpenter/builder/whatever.  But there's a reason why nobody in north america does it that way.

Also; science. Think about it logically. You put tape and a layer of plaster over just one section. Its always going to stick up more than the wall. Argue if you like its by microns and unnoticeable thus unimportant. But it will stick up.

Thats why you sand it.

[HVC]

Dry wall has indented edges so that after taping and plastering (mudding) the seams are flush. Even where that's not the case, say on cuts, a good job is unnoticeable.

That being said, sometimes a level 5 finish is used where they skim coat the whole wall. This is done in unusual circumstances like long halls finishing in a large sunny window, but pretty rare.