The purpose of rendering is two-fold, namely to weatherproof the building wall and to provide pleasing finishes of various textures. Plastering is a skilled trade and an expert plasterer should be employed wherever possible, as there are many points that can only be learnt by experience.

However, if skilled help is not available, it is necessary to know the elementary principles involved, that is, how to prepare the surface, choose the mix, proportion the materials and apply the plaster. The proportions of cement, lime and sand to use depend upon the purpose of the plaster and the nature of the building surface to which it is to be applied. A pure lime plaster is comparatively soft and weak and is slow setting, so it is usually gauged with cement to increase its strength and hardness and to shorten the period of hardening.

The strength increases and the period of hardening decreases as the amount of cement increases in proportion to the amount of lime, until with a pure cement plaster with no lime, the strength is a maximum and the hardening period the least. However, as the proportion of cement is increased the plaster becomes less workable and more difficult to apply. The proportion of sand should not exceed three times the combined proportions of lime and cement. A stronger plaster should not be applied to weak porous backing or a strong finish coat to a weak first coat. For external building plastering or ‘rendering’ on a dense material such as concrete, dense concrete blocks and hard clay bricks of low porosity, the best proportions to use are 1 part cement, 1 part hydrated lime and 6 parts sand by volume.

On exposed building walls subject to driving rains the proportion of lime may be decreased and the cement increased to say 1 :: 6 mix or a 1:4 cement plaster to which up to 10% of lime by weight of the cement is added to make it workable. On external building walls of low strength and high porosity such as low quality breeze concrete blocks the external rendering should not be stronger than a 1:1:6 mix as above and a strong cement mix with little or no lime should not be used. For internal plastering the best proportions are 1 cement, 1 lime and 6 sand; or 1 cement, 2 lime and 9 sand; or a lime mix only of 1:3 or 4 may be used, remembering that the cement increases the strength and hardness and reduces the period of hardening. For water containers such as fishponds only cement plasters should be used. The weather during  plastering and rendering  may have considerable influence on the finished work. External rendering should be started on the shady side of the building to keep it unexposed to the sun as long as possible. No plastering should be done in frosty weather. In cold weather plaster hardens slowly and a longer period of time between coats should be allowed. In very hot weather the successive coats must be kept damp and protected from drying out for at least two days after application. Draughts and local sources of heat may cause too rapid drying out. Gentle heat and moderate ventilation are the best conditions for plastering. Author: Michael Russell Michael Russell Your Independent Building guide. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell

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Learning to plaster can be fun and very rewarding and is certainly less hard work than most people seem to think.

In fact  quality plastering  can be taught and learned in just a few hours providing you have had good instruction and had the correct plastering formula explained to you. For the DIY enthusiast or for those unable to afford to employ a plasterer, there will be times when you are faced with the dilemma of whether to repair the damage to your internal walls using filler or learn to plaster properly by purchasing one of the plastering DVDs available on the market.

The distinction between choosing to repair a wall as opposed to re-skimming is an important one to make. Obviously, as a plasterer and author of a plastering DVD course myself you might think I would always take the "always plaster" route but you would be wrong. I don’t see any need to create work where its not needed. For example, if we are only dealing with 2 or maybe 3 small and minor dings or holes, for example a couple of nail holes and a chip caused by a flying object that your wife thought you might want a closer look at one night when you had been at the bar until later, then you might not want to re-skim the entire wall. However, if the wall surface itself was of a generally poor appearance and the previous plastering job was less than perfect then you might see it as an opportunity to learn to plaster. As already mentioned,  learning to plaster  can in fact be more painless than you had imagined and compared to sanding down a large area can in fact be a lot less work. There are a couple of good "how to" plastering DVDs on the market including my own to choose from which can teach you to plaster for the cost of just a few bags of plaster. In either case, if you are facing a large hole in the actual plasterboard / drywall then you will need to consider the following stages: Plasterboard Repairs: Holes in plasterboard are the most common. Plasterboard is very strong but can be punctured with enough force.

Unless the hole is very small, it is usually best to replace a section of plasterboard than to try and plug a big hole and fill it. Don’t make the age old mistake and stuff the hole with newspaper as this is a fire hazard. To replace a section of plasterboard you should follow these steps… 1. Locate the studs (vertical joists that the board is nailed to) either side of the hole using either an electronic joist finder or by inserting a mirror into the hole. 2. With a pencil, mark out the  location of the studs   either side of the hole and then connect these up to mark out a square around the hole. 3. Use a bolster chisel or hand held drywall saw to cut out the section of board you have marked ensuring that you reveal some area of stud either side of the cavity to nail to. 4. Measure up and cut a new piece of plasterboard of the same thickness to fill the hole and fix this in place using clout nails (do not apply scrim tape to the joins). 5. You can now apply the PVA and water bonding mix to patch up the hole using the techniques mentioned above. Without a doubt, the best filler for a plastered wall is plaster itself as it mixes well, dries quickly and can be applied to a greater thickness than commercial filler.

I would always recommend re-skimming the entire wall where you have replaced a section of plasterboard. This is a couple of hours work but the results will be much better. As I have often said, since you can learn to plaster a wall in a couple of hours from a plastering DVD course or book and then have a wall perfectly skimmed in another couple of hours, why waste days filling and sanding plaster only to be left with the nasty work of cleaning up the dust after wards. Author: John Winter John Winter is author of Mastering Plastering DVD, an online plastering course and expert in all things plastering. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Winter Sell: Expanded Metal Lath [DeZhou, Shandong, China] Expanded Metal Lath We can supply expanded metal fabricated metal lath for construction. Stucco gets a brown coat and the fireplaces get a coat of mud I have been working on covering the expanded metal lath on the fireplaces with a mix of sand, clay, and finely chopped straw. Metal Lath Testing Every project that I have visited, after close inspection to the fastening devices (screws, nails, or staples), I have found that the fastener forces the metal lath through the water barrier. Drywall and detailing for stucco I have been working on creating the shape of the two fireplaces using 1/2 inch electrical conduit and expanded metal lath. I made CAD models of the fireplace shape and used these to

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To mix  cement plaster , the cement, with or without 10% of lime, should be mixed thoroughly with sand until the colour is uniform.

The water is then added gradually while mixing continues and until the required consistency is obtained or until it is just plastic enough to be spread and to hold to the building wall. It must be used within 45 minutes of mixing and no plaster  that has begun to set should be remixed with water and used. To mix cement-lime plaster, the cement, lime and sand may be mixed dry in the required proportions, then mixed wet with sufficient water to give the required consistency. With this method, the plaster must be used within 45 minutes of mixing and no re-tempering of partly set plaster should be attempted. More often, the lime and sand are mixed together first, to form what is known as the ‘coarse stuff’, this allows for further hydration of the lime before using and makes it easier to apply,  more plastic and quicker setting . With this method mix 1 part of lime with 6 or 41/2 parts of sand (depending upon whether the mix is to be 1:1:6 or 1:2:9), first dry and then with sufficient water to give a stiff mix, adding the water gradually.

The mortar should then be formed into a heap, covered with wet sacks and left for a week to 10 days. Then, immediately before use, the coarse stuff should be mixed with cement, using 1 part cement to 6 or 9 parts of coarse stuff, adding water if necessary to bring to a workable consistency, just right for plastering a building. After the cement is added the mortar must be used up within 45 minutes and no re-tempering of partly set mortar should be attempted.

To mix lime plaster, mix 1 part of lime with 3 or 4 parts sand, first dry and then with sufficient water to make a stiff mix. Heap, cover over and keep damp and allow it to mature for 7 to 10 days. Then work up again, adding water if necessary and it is ready to use. Lime mortar, if kept damp may stand for 3 or 4 weeks before using. Sometimes, up to 10% of cement is added to the coarse stuff to quicken the setting, in which case the mortar must be used up within 45 minutes of mixing. Another method applicable to either cement plaster or cement-lime plaster is to mix the lime with water to a thick cream and allow to stand for 24 hours to seven days before mixing with the sand. The building surface to be plastered must be cleaned free from paint, oil, dust, dirt, etc. As it is difficult to make plaster adhere to a very smooth surface, it is advisable on brick and block building walls to rake out the joints about in. to provide a mechanical key, or to strike off the joints roughly with the face of the building wall relying on the roughness to form a key. Joints should be raked while the mortar is still soft.

Dense concrete blocks should have a rough surface, which is best obtained by wire brushing while they are still ‘green’ and the moulds should be treated with whitewash instead of oil. Dense in-situ concrete should also be wire brushed while still ‘green’, since, if allowed to harden, the surface will probably be so smooth that it will have to be hacked to provide a satisfactory bond for the building plaster. If a key is not formed by roughening or hacking the surface of dense concrete, either cast-in-situ or in blocks, a ’spatter-dash’ coat of mortar should be applied. This consists of a mix 1 part cement to 1 parts of coarse sand first mixed dry and then with sufficient water to give a fairly wet mix. This is dashed onto the building wall in an uneven manner, usually with a coarse brush, using a strong whipping motion at right angles to the face of the building wall. This coat should be kept damp for at least two days and then allowed to dry out. New brick and concrete walls should be allowed a reasonable time to dry out before plastering. When the wall has been prepared by cleaning, raking joints, roughening or given a ’splatter-dash’ coat, it is ready for plastering. If the building wall is irregular and out of plumb and it is desired to have the finish plaster surface a true plane, it is necessary to ‘make up’ or ‘dub out’ the low spots by successive making-up coats, each about 3/8 in. thick. These should not be carried to a ‘feather-edge’ but should stop back forming a ledge about 1/8 in. thick. When the making-up coats have brought the building wall to a reasonable plane surface the actual plaster coats can be applied. Author: Michael Russell Michael Russell Your Independent Building guide. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell

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A Plastering Contractor is expected to have knowledge of several types of plastering like internal plastering,

external plastering, plaster slabbing, metal studding, spray plastering, skimming, floating, screeding and dry lining. Some special services offered by some are pebbledashing, rendering, coving , damp course installation or Tyrolean. This is a special kind of mix called the Tyrolean mix and is a white or coloured cement based mix. It provides a decorative and protective rendering. It is often applied by power operated machines and sometimes by hand. The effect that it provides is of an open honeycombed textured finish. Find a good Plastering Contractor to do the repair and renovation in your home. Find one from the local builders with a good reputation and you may talk to a few of them.

After narrowing down your search check out their completed jobs and take the opinion of the customers. Since he works for the local builder, it will be easy to check out the job in the neighbourhood. First and foremost, make sure that them that you are hiring is a skilled and experienced plaster repair guy. You need somebody who has experience and is good at his work, if you want to get a reasonable amount of plastering work in your house. Look up the useful sites and Trade Organizations which include a Federation of Plastering and Drywall Contractors. They belong to the largest commercial plastering companies in the UK. Some local web sites of the UK will give you information about any specialized plastering that you may be looking for. Local companies are also good for appointing a Plastering Contractor for the work at your home. If it is in your neighbourhood, it is convenient for you to establish a contact. It is easy to get references and check out some of the jobs that have been done by him. For a follow-up, a local contractor is always better. If the job is done by a Plastering Contractor from a well-known company, there are more guarantees for the job done, but you end up paying more for the company’s services. A company like J&S Plastering would carry out all types of plastering work for the interior and exterior of your house.

They generally do it for commercial properties. They have good and professional craftsmen to do the job. They generally work quickly and tidily and cause minimum disruption. The end product that they deliver has a high quality finish and they are prepared to do any type of plastering work, right from the smallest repair to a completely new house. If you need a Plastering contractor to do a drywall finish for your home, there are again specialized companies who offer this service. Drywall installation and drywall repair is done by experts and you should be careful to choose one who has a good knowledge of the drywall technique. BidClerk could help you to find one for you. The right Plastering Contractor will make all the difference to the renovation in your house. A good one will give it a great finish and once the walls are painted, it will all look like new. Author: Clive Jenkins Read more about the hottest plastering topics right now by visiting http://www.learnhowtoplaster.com. The internet’s leading plastering forum for plasterers. Check out the site right away and ask all the questions you like! Lots of info available. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Clive_Jenkins SoChicInteriors.com My visit to the Surface Design Show 2009 The Expanded Metal Company, Twentinox, manufacturers of metal fabrics for architecture and interior design for such applications as facades, wall panels, ceilings, sunscreens, furniture, meta… GSD Materials Collection: Expanded Metal Facade: An Interview with … We ended up using a very flexible mesh, with a thickness of around 4mm, manufactured by the Expanded Metal Company. The anodizing company is from UK, and also anodized the Selfridges Department… The world is flat (updated and expanded) the expanded metal company supplier of expanded metal mesh the expanded metal company pioneering manufacturers of expanded metal mesh and mesh components worldwide for engineering, archi… Surface Design Show Decorative interior and exterior surfaces show … Exterior facades will be on show through a number of companies including the Expanded Metal Company and first time exhibitor Twentinox, the Dutch architectural metal mesh specialist. Also makin…

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A Guide to Drywall Anchors

This article discusses the various types of anchors that can be used to hang heavy items – such as speakers and mirrors – onto just about any wall in your home. Most of us enjoy hanging things; from shelves to speakers, the ability to put fixtures and frames on our walls opens up our home and gives us additional space.

Unfortunately, this is not always as easy as simply putting a couple of nails in the wall, especially not if one has a great deal of  drywall  that they are attempting to deal with. If you aren’t careful, this can soon turn into a disaster of worthless holes and loose nails that won’t support any kind of objects. The use of drywall anchors can alleviate this stress and make your drywall seem just as capable as a wood wall, when it comes to supporting things on its surface. Continue reading, if you’d like to learn more about drywall anchors, including what they are, how to find the right ones, and how you can put them to use for you.  What is a Drywall Anchor?  Drywall anchors can be found at just about any local hardware store and are fairly inexpensive.

Usually made of plastic, these are pieces that you place in your drywall, providing a more solid base that a screw can then be put into. They come in various strengths and can hold anywhere from 20 to 60 pounds as a rule, with some even being capable of supporting more. These small anchors, such as Hercules Hooks allow us to hang pictures, shelving, or even electronic equipment, such as speakers, without having to worry that the nail will pull free from the wall and send our prized objects crashing down onto the floor. Fortunately, drywall anchors are also very easy to install, making them a project that you needn’t worry will be too difficult to master. Plastic Anchors Perhaps the most common and easiest installation of the different types of anchors, plastic anchors only require that you drill a hole, that is smaller than the size of the anchor, into the drywall and then drive the anchor into this hole. When you purchase your anchor, there should be a screw included with it, and this can be screwed right into the anchor for you to hang objects. That’s all there is to it! Plastic anchors come with various weight support limits, so be sure that you get the proper kind for the work that you want it to do.

Drill Point Anchors Like their plastic counterparts, drill point anchors require that you drill a hole into your drywall that is slightly smaller than the diameter of your anchor and then drive this anchor into the hole. Little teeth in the anchor will help to grip onto the drywall, providing you drive it in flush with the wall. Once this is done, you then screw your screw into the anchor and continue turning it until the anchor has tightened into the wall, nice and snug. The screw can then be removed, replaced, or used to hang your objects. Drill point anchors are a bit more complex than the plastic ones, and are designed for different thicknesses of walls. Be sure to ask a sales representative, if you don’t know the proper ones to purchase.

Drive Point Anchors Unlike the plastic and drill point varieties, drive point anchors do not require that you first drill a hole in your wall (though it won’t hurt if you decide you want to). To install these anchors, all that one needs to do is simply drive the anchor into the wall and, using the accompanying screw, finish screwing the anchor in, until it feels tight. This causes a part inside the wall to mushroom out, thereby locking the anchor securely into your wall. When you’re done, you simply unscrew your screw a bit and you can use it for hanging. Drywall anchors are available for various wall thicknesses and are capable of handling different weight limits. The main thing to keep in mind is how heavy the objects are, that you are attempting to hang, and simply going from there. None of the anchors are difficult to install and, thankfully, all the different varieties are usually easy to locate. If you’re having difficulties, be sure to ask your local hardware sales representative and they’re sure to be able to help you out.

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Before learning to plaster or purchasing any kind of  plastering course , it is essential to explore some of the long held myths that are banded around about plastering courses.

Plastering Myth 1. You Cannot Achieve a Good Finish with DIY Plastering You’re most likely to hear this particular myth from people in the building trade and, of course, from many plasterers themselves. It’s true that most general builders who can turn their hand to anything won’t touch  plastering.  I’ve known builders who can do brickwork, joinery, roofing, plumbing and even build an entire house who won’t do their own plastering. Why? Precisely because they can turn their hand to anything they rarely need to learn how to do anything text book style – and plastering MUST be done text book style. Here are 2 important golden rules about plastering that we should understand right now… Golden Rule 1: Plastering is 100% about following a set recipe and set of techniques and you should follow them to the letter. Golden Rule 2:. Plastering cannot be improvised. You should not try and improve or simplify the processes of plastering demonstrated in your plastering course (at least until you are a true master of the trade). So, if you are the kind of person who can turn your hand to anything, then you have most likely already discovered that whilst most jobs can be done successfully without knowledge or experience providing you approach them sensibly, plastering is not one of those kinds of jobs and needs to be learnt properly.

Providing you follow a quality plastering course, then plastering can be learnt and you can get truly excellent results only when you follow the time honoured methods. Plastering Myth 2. It Takes Years to Learn to Plaster to a Professional Level You’re most likely to hear this particular myth from time-served plasterers and in a sense they are right but it’s mainly a misunderstanding. Yes, it can take many years to make plastering effortless and 100% bang on every time, but to learn to plaster to a competent professional level can be learnt in just a few days of practice providing you have been given the correct instructions and follow a precise formula. What does take years to develop are techniques that bring you greater speed and efficiency. A relative novice using the correct techniques can achieve a perfectly flat and smooth wall under normal conditions. But the ability to complete the same wall to the same level in half the time to "max-out" your daily rate and allow early retirement takes more practice. plastic angle Also, although most new plasterers can plaster over plasterboard very well they may encounter some problems when dealing with more irregular real world jobs such as plastering over less ideal surfaces or conditions such as plastering in a heat wave. The fact remains, that most plasterers are taught on 3 or 5 day courses, so please don’t just take my word for it that you can indeed learn to plaster to a competent pro level in less than a lifetime. Of course people don’t spend years learning to plaster before doing it for a living because there are no courses in plastering that last for years. In other words, plastering takes days to learn from a plastering course but like any skill takes years to master fully. Plastering Myth 3. Getting a Smooth Plastering Finish Requires Sanding or Heavy Manual Labour plastic angle This particular myth is both hilarious and utterly untrue. I have even seen some of the better DIY books teach this. Trust me please, if you feel your plastering requires sanding then you need to re-watch your plastering DVD and ask yourself which part of the plastering stages you have overlooked. Do not ever sand plaster, it is futile and does not give a good finish. The sheer amount of dust will swamp your home, destroy carpets and furniture, damage your health and take longer than fully plastering the room properly. In Summary You can learn to plaster by studying a plastering DVD or attending a good plastering course providing that you follow the advice exactly and practice skimming plasterboard a few times. When we developed our own plastering course on DVD and book we understood that laying out a very prescriptive and easy to follow formula of plastering steps, timings and stages would be the real key to learner success. Whatever plastering course you choose, ensure that its clear, easy to follow and includes a very weighty take home manual and better still a DVD. Author: John Winter John Winter is author of Mastering Plastering DVD, an online plastering course and expert in all things plastering. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Winter

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Plaster Stop Bead

This plasterstop bead manufactured from glavanised steel is ideal for use wherever a finished plaster edge is required. Available in two standard lengths: 2.4 linear metres & 3.0 linear metres. 3mm, 10mm, 13mm, 16mm and 20mm depths available.

  Standard Angle Bead

Manufactured from galvanised mild steel, this 90 degree  Standard Angle Bead provides a straight arris that will not easily crack and reinforces the plasterwork where impact damage is most likely to occur. Available in three standard lengths: 2.4 linear metres, 2.7 linear metres & 3.0 linear metres.

Plasterboard Edging Bead

 Plasterboard edging bead  is used to provide a 3mm plasterstop and to protect the edge of the plasterboard at it’s most vunerable point. Available in 3.0 metre lengths. 10mm, 13mm, 15mm depths available.

Thincoat Bead Thincoat bead can be used on plasterboard or directly onto aerated block and is used as a stop bead for skimming. Available in three standard lengths: 2.4 linear metres, 2.7 linear metres & 3.0 linear metres.

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If you have any questions regarding the content in this website, about the products that are mentioned, or just any questions at all don’t hesitate to contact me at the following address. I’d also love to hear any feedback on the site if you’ve found it helpful or have some ideas about how I can improve the site in some way.

I will reply to all messages as soon as possible.

Phil Lidgerton

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www.edge-bead.co.uk  is dedicated to providing quality information on the subject of  drywall beads

Here you will find helpful reviews, informative information and tips and much more. This site is in the format of a ‘weblog’ so that each time I post new information, it will come to the top of the front page. This means that you can check back here frequently to see new updates to the information found here.

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I hope you find the information I provide valuable and helpful.

All the best,

Phil Lidgerton

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