I need a wall/ceiling re skimmed. (INFO)

We all know what Plastering is!

Its the finished wall or ceiling within a property, but the purpose of this blog is to explain what different types of plastering their is within your properties. We have countless calls where potential customers don't understand what type of work they need doing. This will give you an insight into what to expect when a plasterer surveys your job.

Do I need a Re Skim?

Generally, we have plastering carried out to leave us a nice flat smooth surface to decorate onto.

This is what we want.

My Advice would be to check walls and ceilings for cracks or bulges. If a wall has cracks the best way to check if it is still bonded to the background is tap the plaster to check is it sounds hollow. Over time plaster does lose its bond with a background which creates more work in leaving you a nice finish providing you want the nice finish to last!

If you live in an older property one thing to keep an eye on is cracks which run diagonally across ceilings. Older properties have the ceilings constructed using lath and plaster. This is thin wooden laths which are nailed to the jousts within the ceiling and lime plaster is applied by squeezing it through the gaps which is how it bonds.

Over years of homes heating up and cooling down the timbers expand and shrink which again, over time causes the lime plaster to lose its bond with the laths, creating an unsafe load on the ceiling.

It is best to check cracks that run diagonally and if 3 cracks meet on an area of ceiling it tends to mean that section of ceiling has come away and needs work.

I would always be wary of anyone who suggests re skimming a lath and plaster ceiling, as if you have a ceiling in a room sized 3x3 metres you would be adding approx 25kg in weight to a ceiling which could already be a problem.

It is best to check these things to make sure the work your having done lasts.

Now back to the Do I need a re skim? If you find that you have areas which are lose it is best to get these sorted before the finishing plaster is applied and finished.