Plaster Coving and installation

limerickbuild

Happy new year to all.

considering putting up coving in hallway and sitting room, just wondering if anyone has recently put up some and if so about how much did it cost?
is there a per m/per ft charge to supply and fit it?
waiting for local suppliers to come back from xmas holidays to get quotes.
i understand price will vary based on detail of coving, but guideline is a help.

smashey

Moved to Gardening/DIY.

Kashkai

Why don't you do it yourself???? I put it up in my last house and it definitely adds a bit of class to a room (and hides the expansion/settlement cracks between the ceiling and walls in a new build;)) The only difficult bit is cutting the corners but if you buy a mitre box, then you'll get around this. If some of your corner joints are a little off, some pollyfilla goes a long way which can then be overpainted and then no one will ever know. Why pay someone to do what is a relatively easy job once you start into it.

rebel.ranter

Just bought the whole kit today for a 60ft circumference room. Artex 6 pack of 2m long 127mm wide plain coving costs €31.99 at Woodies , there's 15% off this and all the prices below.
I got two of these packs for my room. Then a tub of coving adhesive €15 , gap filler €5, mitre block €15, a scraper for "keying the wall" €5. Pack of sandpaper for finishing. Some brass panel pin nails to hold the coving in place while the adhesive dries.
Not sure whether or to buy the primer or not. Any comments folks?

Will start the prep work tomorrow (marking, keying surface, measuring & cutting). Possibly fit on Saturday.
Total cost ~€85 plus paint, was quoted €250 - €300 to have it done.

Have a look at this link:
http://www.artoftexturing.com/fitting_coving_and_cornice.htm

Wertz

Primer? Just lash two coats of chosen colour in matt emulsion onto it. Only time you'd need primer is for real moulded coving ( ie. the fancy stuff from moulds that the professionals put up) where there may be residual moisture and staining from any wooden templates used in the moulding. Get yourself some caulk for your mitred corners too....much easier to work with than joint filler.

rebel.ranter

Thanks for that. A friend of mine actually makes the good coving himself but I couldn't be bothered waiting another 4 months for him to do the job (even though he said he'd do it for free)!! You know who you are!

limerickbuild

Thanks for all the info.
Rebal.ranter - the coving you bought in woodies, is that plastic?
was hoping to get the plaster coving, have been told its a better product long term.
will shop around and see how much it is to buy and consider putting it up myself.

Wertz

Artex covings are all plaster, some with paper facing, depending on the price.

MayoForSam

Have you considered getting the plastic corner pieces (for both internal and external corners)?

They add a bit to the cost but cutting your own mitres might be difficult to get perfect first time out. I have used them in conjunction with the lightweight coving available in Woodies (paper-faced PU foam) and they look really good in our sitting room.

rebel.ranter

Hi, well I fitted it all today. I used one of these mitre blocks:

http://www.drywall-emporium.com/Coveasy_webpage.htm

It helped get the cuts right for perfect 90 degree angles, sadly none of mine were 90 degrees!! My house is less than two years old & the walls were all over the place. Thought the coving was warped initially. It was tough going but I got there in the end.
Oh yes, the coving I used was the paper coated plaster one.

One final question for those in the know. I used the Artex Multipurpose adhesive to hold the coving up. Should I have used a few screws too? I can always add these now (countersunk). They seem to be held in place quite firmly.

AckwelFoley

nope no need.

That adh u used or Gyproc joint filler will hold fine.

Nobody uses screws, besides, you couldnt counter sink them.. as soon as u break the paper u are into chaulk