bit of plastering

[CRAIG G]

anyone no a bit about plastering? ive been weighing up my options an artexed room which has been painted. it will eventualy be getting tiled, could be next week could be next year but it would good to no just how easy it would be to skim with plaster, does the paint need to be removed, etc

[Dave]

wait you will see... Cue forum plasterers.

[doug boardley]

not a big fan of skimming over artex, if I was you I'd be trying to steam it off.

[whitebeam]

As above steam off, someone put a link up about gear where you paint on the artex, leave, then peel off but could'nt find the link..

[TF Ed]

i agree with doug.
if your tiling the wall, then its safer and more professional to hack it off and ensure the substrate is stable AND can take the weight of the new tiling!!

but if your intent on doing it anyway then this will help you along a bit...if its your fisrt attemp, then dont expect it to be easy??

if the artex is stable - ie not chalky or flakey, then scrape the high spots of the artex off (wear a respirator for gods sake!!) and give it a coat of thistle bond it or wickes priming agent /knauf beta contact etc.
this will make it easier to skim without going off on you too quick and it will give it a good chemical bond too!
if your skimming over 5mm thick, then id give it a coat of thistle bonding, apply as if your skimmng a wall, then rule over it, fill in the hollow points and finally key it up with your devil float.
skim it about 3-4 hours later when its turned colour. if you skim it the following day, just roll the wall with some water till it stops sucking.

hope this helps mate ;0)
ed

[paul78]

Dont attempt it if youve never tried it before, guarantee youll end up with it everywhere other than where you want it.

If your brave and going to attempt it then get a permashape (worn in) marshall..... bit pricey but youll have a better chance of success getting the trowel lines out than a £2.99 trowel.

Skim whilst 2nd coat of pva is tacky.... less suction. Use multi-finish also not board finish as it gives you that littel bit longer.

Think carefully though about your chesen tile weight before attempting to skim.

Gave a quote last week to a chap who just had a new bathroom fitted and a nice shiny polished skimmed wall, then he says hes getting 600x300 porcelain tiles.

After explaining weight ratios problems etc trying to help the chap out...... guess what i never got the job (or maybe i was too expensive)

[whitebeam]

Shiny polished plaster would need to be sanded anyway, not with them tiles though.

[user123]

As above steam off, someone put a link up about gear where you paint on the artex, leave, then peel off but could'nt find the link..

That was me, it's from ecosolutions, they make other good products, too, I have used it, it does what it says on the tin, and I didn't even get itchy skin from it
Removing Or Plastering Over Artex

[JDFMMosaics]

Yes, water based X-tex textured finish and paint remover. I used this myself to remove some artex
we had on a wall, most of which came off after a couple of coatings. It's like a blue gel which you simply paint on as per instruction.
Good stuff!