Can you just fill the gaps in plasterboard?

Howdy do folks.


Let's say you want to stick up a partition wall. You want to do it on the cheap. You get the wall made up, you stick your sheets of plasterboard to it, and then you have to finish it off..


If you're trying to save a few euro, can you get any kind of half decent finish at all, by:


1 - Putting on some skim tape
2 - Using a generic 'filler', filling in the gaps between the plasterboard (and where the new wall meets the existing walls, ceiling etc.)
3 - Overfilling it so it sits proud.
4 - Using a fine grit sand paper to sand it down
5 - Paint it




Reason I'm asking is because I want to do this on the cheap, and I recall a painter telling me i was 'mad in the head' for getting a plasterer in to fully skim every wall and ceiling in a new extension (about 2 years ago). He thought it was mental because he was the main painter on a new development of houses, and he said those plasterers didnt skim the full walls, just the seams, as it was quicker and cheaper.


So I'm using that (possibly untrue?) anecdote, and coupling it with my general inexperience, to think the filler idea might work?




I know a good plasterer, and i've used him extensively around the house, but just working on a shed project and dont want to spend unnecessarily. He's €200 a day, and I just can't justify it for this particular little project of mine.




Cheers for any insight here.

riemann

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Howdy do folks.


Let's say you want to stick up a partition wall. You want to do it on the cheap. You get the wall made up, you stick your sheets of plasterboard to it, and then you have to finish it off..


If you're trying to save a few euro, can you get any kind of half decent finish at all, by:


1 - Putting on some skim tape
2 - Using a generic 'filler', filling in the gaps between the plasterboard (and where the new wall meets the existing walls, ceiling etc.)
3 - Overfilling it so it sits proud.
4 - Using a fine grit sand paper to sand it down
5 - Paint it




Reason I'm asking is because I want to do this on the cheap, and I recall a painter telling me i was 'mad in the head' for getting a plasterer in to fully skim every wall and ceiling in a new extension (about 2 years ago). He thought it was mental because he was the main painter on a new development of houses, and he said those plasterers didnt skim the full walls, just the seams, as it was quicker and cheaper.


So I'm using that (possibly untrue?) anecdote, and coupling it with my general inexperience, to think the filler idea might work?




I know a good plasterer, and i've used him extensively around the house, but just working on a shed project and dont want to spend unnecessarily. He's €200 a day, and I just can't justify it for this particular little project of mine.




Cheers for any insight here.

If it's a shed and the finish doesn't matter go for it

Glass fused light

If its just in a shed / workshop and flat walls are not required work away. You are not going to get the near the same finish as a professional. But you are not likely to be hanging art work on the walls or doing mood lighting. PS invest in a corner tool and a good electric/battery sander.

listermint

Have done this myself. If it's a walk that gets light bounced across it it would show up easily.

But as it's a shed fire away. Be prepared to go over it about 4 times feathering the plaster wider as you go to make it look smooth .

I've done two walls like this they aren't bouncing light so looks well. But never expect to get the finish off a fully plastered wall.

Corner tolls are a waste. Don't bother they will hinder your work. Do one corner at a time left first then dry the. Right. That will give you a better finish.

The wall is going into a shed, but the shed itself has been fully skimmed in the past by a plasterer.

So although the finish doesn't have to be 100% perfect or amazing, I'd still like it to look at least presentable (in other words, I don't want it to stand out like a sore thumb that the walls have been half assed).

If I could get away with it looking okay to, in that it won't actually take my attention when I look at it, then I'd happily go for that.

Maybe I might need to make a tiny stuf wall and join two sheets on the just to see how it looks in real life. Can't see eek to find images online of this approach.


Cheers for the replies folks.

Redrocket

My whole house wasnt skimmed, just the joints between the plasterboard filled a little and painted over. It's hard enough to notice if you're not keen eyed, when you are refitting things like skirting or painting the corner between ceiling and wall you will notice. It's really not that bad looking how-ever your mileage may vary if doing yourself. There might also be a special joint filling compound to use instead of skim coat.

hesker

There are loads of videos on youtube showing how to tape and skim. Have a look through them and give it a go.

I’ve plastered full walls and ceilings before and the finish was good enough that nobody asks any questions about it. I can tell the difference but it’s only because I know where to look.

I’ll be in the same boat with a shed in a few months and I plan on giving it a go.

mfceiling

It's called "taping and jointing" OP.