Skimming is the term used when the finish top coat of plaster is applied to walls and ceilings that already have a base to apply it to.

It is just a thin layer of fine smooth plaster which is too thin and fragile to be applied directly to brick by itself. A base for the skim plaster to be applied to is therefore needed which can either be plasterboard, solid plaster or existing old plastered walls.

Once skim plaster is applied to a good solid base an experienced plasterer can trowel it up to produce a beautiful strong, smooth and flawless finish that can just be painted to look stunning.

Re-skimming

This is when a new coat of skim plaster is applied over existing plastered walls to give it a nice new smooth finish. It is generally used when the base is still very solid but the top coat of plaster is looking tired and beginning to flake off.

In the majority of cases a re-skim is all that is needed to bring the room back to life.  Plastering over artex would normally also just involve re-skimming as long as the artex was solid and the pattern not too prominent.

Skimming over plasterboard

Plasterboard is one of the bases used for the skim plaster to be applied to. It is the most commonly used one today and if done correctly can provide a very good base for skimming which produces beautiful straight walls that are not so easily achieved with a solid plastering base.

Wet plastering

Wet plastering means that the base is applied as wet plaster rather than dry plasterboard. It is also known as rough and skim, float and skim or solid plastering.

The plaster skim coat is only as good as it’s foundations so it is important to ensure the base is good. A good plasterer will know how to check this and will carry out the correct preparation prior to skimming.

So if you would like lovely smooth plastered walls and ceilings just contact us we will be happy to help.