To resolve this issue, before applying any plaster, dip a paint brush in some fresh clean water and run the brush over any such edges to wet them down. Before you can begin any form of plastering it’s essential that you first prepare the area and also the surface that you’re going to plaster: Painters brush - just for the PVA, so 1.5 inches or more will do and it doesn't matter if it's a rubbish brush - we're going for coverage, not quality here. When plastering corners, don’t plaster into the corner, get your trowel into the crease of the corner and trowel away from it. This will give a much easier and more even coating. Clear room, protect floors: Finally before getting going you will need to clear out any moveable furniture and items from the room you’re plastering and anything that can’t be moved, including any floors, should be covered with suitable dust sheets. Laying on plaster is a messy jobs it can go everywhere so ensure all surfaces are suitably protected

Get the second coat on in the same way as the first, by scooping from your hawk and then trowelling over the surface, holding your trowel at roughly 20° or so.Sweep and remove dust: Once scraped over, use a stiff bristled brush to brush the entire surface over and remove any remaining dust or debris Once the flat surfaces are flat and smooth, if you have any corners it’s time to sort these. Using a small paintbrush, dip it in clean water and shake off any excess and then, with internal corners, gently run it down the apex of the corner. This will help to remove any trowel marks and also define the corner and make it much cleaner. Board finish plaster is used as a skim coat plaster for providing a smooth finish to plasterboard walls and ceilings, creating an even surface that is ready to decorate with paint or wallpaper. Bond Coat Plaster Once down to about a third of the tub left I decided to chance my arm with an idea and added a small amount of water to thin it somewhere between double and single cream consistency. This was extremely easy to apply and much better to manipulate. I did the entire ceiling and thankfully due to thinning it out I was able to smooth it over with plenty of time. It dried well and though I've had to do a fair bit of sanding it finally looks good only through my own improvisation. Every subsequent mix you make should match this consistency and also the amount it slumps as this will signify that the mixes are the same.

If you can get yourself a scraper with a metal plate on the end of a handle, like the one above, this'll help as you can tap the end with a hammer and use it like a bolster. Once everything is prepared, the next task is to then mix up some plaster ready to get it on the wall.You may be doing the same, or you may just be skimming over little bits, leaving most of your existing plaster exposed. Either way, I have covered how to skim coat in another post. Here's a link to it which will open in a new tab for you. In accordance to the preparation list detailed above, prepare the wall or walls that you are going to plaster carefully and correctly. This technique can also be used for external corners, however you should run the paint brush down each side external side of the corner. Once you are confident that the entire surface is smooth, take a spirit level place it across several areas of the wall. If the surface truly is flat, every part of that level will touch the wall and if it doesn’t there will either be a high spot or depression. If you get it right, doing your own skim plastering can save you a lot of money. If you get it wrong it can cost you a fortune putting it right, so if you’ve never done any skim plastering, before doing it for real on a given wall in your home, practice first to perfect your skills.