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Property Maintenance Tips –
Plastering
Plastering is one of those jobs that always looks easier than it is! A good technique and
plenty of practice is required for perfect results. Unless you are experienced at plaster-
ing, it may be better to leave ceilings and larger jobs to professionals such as Berkeley
Property Group, but it is possible to tackle smaller areas yourself. Here are a few tips
to get you started.
“Skimming” refers to the technique of applying a thin coat of plaster to a wall or ceiling
to provide a smooth uniform surface. The amount of plaster needed can be calculated
by area/weight. 10kg should be sufficient to cover about 5 sq m at a thickness of 3mm.
Only buy plaster when you need it, as the shelf life is minimal, and ensure it is kept in a
dry room away from damp. To add a plaster skim coat to a new plasterboard wall, you
will need a plastering trowel, bucket, a larger bucket for mixing, a paddle accessory for
your power drill, a paintbrush, multi-finish plaster, angle beading for external corners
and scrim tape for any board joints.

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Before starting, you should clear out the room and
dust down the plasterboard. The idea is to get rid of
as much dust as possible since all surfaces need to be
kept clean. Dirt and dust can cause problems later and
it only takes a short time to clean up.
Clear the area of furniture and spread plenty of plastic
sheeting over the floor. If you are plastering over new
plasterboard, press scrim tape over all the board joints
and screw metal reinforcing angle bead to all external
corners.
Mix your plaster according the instructions on the bag.
Always add the plaster to the water and use a clean
mixing bucket. It’s essential to mix the powder and
water thoroughly so that you have a thickish, creamy
consistency with no lumps. A paddle accessory fitted
to a corded electric drill is the best method of mixing.
Plaster can set in minutes, especially in the summer,
so only mix as much as you can use immediately. Don’t
add new plaster to an older mix and don’t add water to
the plaster to try and make it more workable.
Scrape a trowel full of plaster off the mixing board and
onto your hawk. Next, transfer half the plaster to your
trowel. Keep your trowel wrist straight and use a flick-
ing action with your ‘hawk hand’ to move the plaster
from hawk to trowel.
Working from the bottom of the wall, use smooth
strokes to press the plaster onto the wall. Gradually
narrow the gap between the trowel’s top edge and the
wall as you move the tool upwards. Always keep the
trowel at a slight angle to the wall at the end of the
stroke. If the trowel is flattened against the surface it

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may pull the new plaster away from the wall.
Work over the whole area aiming to apply a base coat – don’t worry about any un-
even areas or holes at this stage. This coat should be around 2mm thick. Use the angle
beading as a guide when plastering up to external corners. Clean around the edges of
the wall with a wet paintbrush to remove lumps and lines of plaster that are on the
ceiling or adjacent walls.
The next stage is to level and smooth the surface but this can only be done when the
plaster has hardened slightly but is still pliable. This working time will vary from a few
minutes in summer to twenty minutes or more in very damp cold environments. Use
your trowel at a very shallow angle to the wall and work over the surface smoothing
the surface. You can add a thinner skim of more plaster to fill holes and even out de-
pressions.
Leave the plaster to dry once more – for around 30 to 40 minutes. Now the plaster
can be polished. Wet the face of your trowel and flick water onto the wall with a large
paintbrush. The idea is to provide just enough lubrication for your trowel to float over
the surface and fill tiny holes and imperfections. Work in regular sweeping strokes and
finish with long continuous strokes across the wall.

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Wash your mixing board and tools as soon as you’ve finished work. Don’t keep opened
plaster bags for more than a couple of weeks.
Achieving the perfect finish does take skill, and Berkeley Property Group’s experienced
personnel are available for plastering and all other building works in your Spanish
home. Inspections and quotes can be arranged quickly and accurately.
For more information, contact us:
Berkeley Property Group
Tel: +34 951 778 034
Moblie: +34 687 755 477
Email:info@berkeleypropertygroup.com