Find a Plasterer you can trust in West Kilbride.

Cutting a plasterboard is a relatively simple process requiring only some basic tools. Unfortunately, the lack of knowledge serves as big deterrent for many people who wishes to put it to good use. Plasterboard can actually be sawn using an ordinary timber saw that’s fine-toothed to get a cleaner edge. However, the basic tools you may also need includes a sharp knife (Stanley Knife), pencil, a fine sandpaper, a straight edge and measurement tape as well as a wall board saw. Let’s have a look at the cutting process!

✓ Firstly, you need to put the plasterboard sheet flat on a firm surface.

✓ Use the tape measurement to measure the cut you wish to make.

✓ With the help of a pencil, simply mark out the part you wish to cut on the plasterboard’s front side.

✓ Once marked, place a spirited level over the marked spot on the plasterboard sheet you want to cut.

✓ Cut a shallow mark into the plasterboard sheet using the Stanley Knife to cut along the edge.

✓ The cut should be slow and gradual to ensure you do not wander off the edge of the marked area.

✓ Once the shallow cut has been made, turn the plasterboard sheet on its edge and deliver a quick and sharp push towards the plasterboard’s back and on one side of the cut.

✓ Place the plasterboard sheet backing against a flat surface ensuring the line of the cut is over an edge. Once done, give a quick and sharp push towards the back of the plasterboard sheet and on the part of the board is reaches beyond the edge.

✓ Using a fine sandpaper, remove all forms of paper burrs.

The process of cutting plasterboard requires a lot of practice. If you lack the training and experience, the cutting process is best left to a proficient professional who can guarantee the best results the first time and save you some additional costs due to potential damages.

If you’re looking to plaster your ceiling, one of the most essential parts of the process is cutting the plasterboard. Once you’re able to master this skill, the rest of the plastering is quite easy. This is a task that can be done by any competent DIYer but with a little bit of patience and confidence. If you lack any of these attributes, we’d strongly recommend you call in a reliable professional who can guarantee the best results for help. In this guide, we’re going to take you through the plasterboard ceiling cutting process. Let’s take a look!

To cut plasterboard ceiling, you don’t need any expensive tool which is usually not the case when it comes to carpentry. If you won’t be cutting a lot of plasterboard, all you really need would be just an old handsaw or plasterboard one, a Stanley knife as well as a straight edge. However, if you’ll be cutting lots of plasterboards, you’ll require the following to make your task a lot easier:

✓ An old handsaw

✓ A Stanley knife and many spare blades

✓ A straight edge like a long spirit level

✓ A surform

✓ A battery drill and oh2 screwdriver bits, with specific plasterboard screws.

To cut plasterboard to length, you’ll have to first score a line on the face side of the board with a straight edge and Stanley knife. Once done, simply lift the sheet off the ground and snap it along the score line. Then, you can run your knife down the other side of the board , cutting the back of the plasterboard backing sheet. Upon completion, your plasterboard is now ready to be fitted on your ceiling.

Installing a plasterboard to a ceiling is not the easiest of tasks, and even though it can be done by one person, it’s usually a lot easier when done by two people. If you’re an experienced DIYer, this task becomes a lot easier to undertake, with both confidence and patience needed to ensure a successful outcome. If you lack these essential attributes, we’d strongly recommend you call in a reliable professional who can guarantee the best results for help. In this guide, we’re going to take you through the processes involved to plasterboard your ceiling. Let’s take a look!

✓ Take a measurement of your ceiling. Knowing the length and width of your room is crucial here. You have nothing to worry about if it’s not a perfect square as that’ll only mean more cutting.

✓ Make the necessary plasterboard cuts. Cut the plasterboard sheet with a utility knife in accordance to ceiling space measured.

✓ Remove existing plaster. Once done, examine the trusses and beams to ensure they’re still in a great condition before you proceed. Also, make sure there’s no loose plaster that can compromise your new installation.

✓ Apply construction adhesive. For a better fit, you’d have to apply adhesive along the beams while also avoiding the edges as this could affect your screw placement.

✓ Start in a level corner. You have to start the installation from the most level corner.

✓ Work along the outside edges. Secure it using a screw along the outside edge. This will make your plasterboard held to your ceiling perfectly. It won’t bend or break as your proceed with the installation.

✓ Complete the installation. Install the plasterboard on your entire ceiling and complete the installation by taping the seams and plastering for a smooth surface.

Artex is a type of interior surface coating, similar to plaster. It’s used to create decorative textured finishes on ceilings and walls, so it takes longer to dry than plaster.

Artex is actually a brand name, but it’s used to refer to similar products made by other manufacturers too. It was particularly popular in the 1970s, but is still used to create attractive wall and ceiling finishes today.

Can You Plaster Over Tiles?

Yes, it’s absolutely possible to plaster over tiles but just because is possible doesn’t mean you should. Plastering over tiles is an option but it’s not recommended by experts due to several reasons. A good example is the fact that a tiled environment is in no way a suitable environment that can serve as a good bonding surface for a plaster. For the success of a plastering project, there’s the need for the surface to be able to bond to the PVA base coat. Due to fact that most tiles are slippery in nature and also lack of the ability to be able to absorb moisture, the PVA base coat layer will not be able to bond to the tiled surface, which will ultimately make for a weak surface upon the application of the plaster. Consequently, the plaster will easily flake and fall from the wall.

The inability to drill into the tiled wall surface after plastering is one of the major disadvantages that also arises when you decide to plaster over tiled surfaces. Most tiled surfaces are found in kitchens and bathrooms which are going to need appliances such as sinks, lavatories, kitchen counters and lots more. These appliances are designed to be installed on solid surfaces which would not be an easy task to carry out on tiles knowing there would definitely be great cracks or damages.

The best tip you’ll get if you’re considering to plaster on a tiled surface, is that detaching tiles from a surface can easily be done with a hammer and chisel, and that would save you a host of problems later in the future. However, if you still wish to plaster on your tiled walls, then you best bet would be to get a Blue Grit bonding agent. It works better than PVA and only needs one coat.

The short and simple answer to this question is, it depends. Artex surface coating was manufactured with white abestos ( until the mid 1980’s ) in order to strengthen as well as harden it. In other words, this implies that all the ceilings and walls coverings made by Artex Ltd and other manufactures at the time are highly likely to contain asbestos. Although Artex Ltd stopped using asbestos as early as the mid 1980’s, there were still other manufacturers who continued using it until 1999 when the laws and regulations covering the use of asbestos changed in the year 2000.

Asbestos, however, is only harmful when disturbed and releases its deadly fibres. For instance, when it’s being sanded and removed as it usually poses no risks when left undisturbed. Since it’s not possible to identify Artex containing asbestos fibres with the naked eye, it’s strongly recommended that you hire the services of a qualified person or company to help determine if you have asbestos in your ceilings or walls especially if your house was constructed before the year 2000. The professionals will be able to advise you on the best course of action as well as if it’s dangerous.

To be sure if your Artex contains asbestos, you’ll need to have the artex sampled by an asbestos surveyor. If you’re planning to have a construction or maintenance work done on your property, and the artex is likely to be in the way or disturbed, there’s a need for you to have a refurbishment or demolition asbestos survey done. This will ensure that all the areas that’ll be disturbed by the work is properly tested to determine the presence or otherwise of asbestos. If found, the artex will have to be addressed and either removed or protected before any work can take place.

Artexing a ceiling can be a tricky job, but whether you’re considering hiring a professional or DIY, it’s helpful to know how it’s done.

Artex is available either in a paste or powder form. The paste is ideal if you’re making small repairs or additions to an existing ceiling. But, if you have a whole ceiling to cover, the powder is more cost effective. When you’re ready to get started, you’ll need to mix the powder up with cold water according to the instructions.

It’s possible to artex over plaster, plasterboard or paint. If you have a plasterboard surface, you should tape and fill any joints or cracks before you begin. Plaster and plasterboard both require a coat of sealant or primer first. You can usually artex straight over paint, but any gloss paint should be sanded down, and any dark paints covered with a layer of white.

Artexing can get quite messy, so make sure you empty the room you’re working in as much as possible, lay down sheets and wear protective clothing and glasses. You might want to practice on a piece of board before you start on the ceiling.

Start by using a brush or roller to cover a 500 square cm area with a generous layer of artex. Then use a brush, comb or roller to create your chosen texture. Every time you do a new section of ceiling, try to blend it with the other sections you’ve done. Don’t be tempted to cover the whole ceiling before you start adding texture – the artex will dry too quickly for you to do it all in time.

Artex usually needs 12-24 hours in a well-ventilated space to dry completely.

Can You Plaster Over Artex?

The short and simple answer to this question is yes, you can plaster over Artex. However, you must also note that plastering over Artex may not be the best choice as Artex is porous and as such, you’d have to detach the stripping so as to get a smooth and even coating. In the event whereby your ceilings or walls have Artex on them, you’ll have to smooth the Artex in order to obtain a plaster of solid coat.

✓ Preparing Artex for plastering. First and foremost, you’ll have to detach any bumps before you can plaster over the Artex. Do note that you don’t have to completely remove the Artex, all that’s needed is just enough to get a coat of plaster. Make use of a scraper to get rid of the bumps on various Artex designs like swirl and bark. Once you’re through getting rid of as much bumps as possible, there’s the need to seal the Artex due to the fact that it can absorb the moisture out of the plaster which will cut the time to get a good finish to little or nothing. You can use a PVA and water mix to do the job!

✓ The PVA mix. This is done to seal off the porous Artex in order to stop it from absorbing moisture from your plaster which can make it start to crack and crumble. To do this, simply mix half PVA and half water, then use a brush to paint the mixture over the plastering area. Once done, you can give the plastering surface about two to three coats and wait for the solution to dry off within a hour or two.

Plastering over Artex is not as hard as it seems, but if you lack the confidence to complete the task, simply contact a professional for help.