I Care About The Environment

At Plastering 4u I am committed to the following:

• Complying with all relevent environmental legistration, regulations and approved codes of practice
• Protecting the environment by striving to prevent and minimise our contribution to pollution of land, air and water
• Seeking to keep wastage to a minimum and maximise the efficient use of materials and resources
• Managing and disposing of all waste in a responsible manner

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Caring For The Environment

I'm a firm believer in trying to do my bit for the environment. So instead of just throwing away used plasterboard and leaving it for the landfill - I now make sure it is 100% recycled. www.plastering4u.com

Solutions to Plastering Problems

• Cracks caused by inadequate backing such as old wooden laths; it's best to remove the laths and replace with plasterboard
• Moisture from plumbing leaks or water penetrating from outside; contact a reliable contractor and get them to find the cause, and repair
• External vibration leading to cracks, caused by heavy road or rail traffic; by removing the damaged plaster and using EML (expanding metal lathe) or scrim (a fibrous mesh) before re-plastering. If this fails, then consider moving to a quieter area!
• Expansion and contraction with studwork due to varying hot and cold weather; always ensure your house is well insulated to prevent this problem occuring
• Foundation weakness or subsidence; an engineer should evaluate the situation before plastering repairs can be carried out

If your ceilings or walls have large open cracks (more than simply hairline) and running some distance along the surface, I'd always recommend you get an engineer to inspect and make a report on the damage.

However, not every crack means you have major plaster problems. Most of the plaster problems I encounter involve cosmetic cracks and other defects. www.plastering4u.com

Causes of Plaster Problems Like Cracks, Holes & Bulges

Anything that causes movement in the underlying structure can lead to cracks and other problems showing up in the ceilings or walls.
Here are 5 Causes              

•   inadequate backing such as old wooden laths
•  moisture from plumbing leaks or water penetrating from outside
• external vibration - heavy vechicle traffic, near railway, sonic booms
• foundation weakness or subsidence 
• expansion and contraction with studwork due to hot and cold weather 

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Another Frequently Asked Question

Should a newly plastered surface be sealed with PVA first before being painted?
If you're painting a kitchen or bathroom, where there's a lot of moisture, then it's a good idea to use an oil based paint such as eggshell. Before applying the paint, the surface should be sealed using a solution of PVA adhesive, normally 4 parts water to 1 part PVA.
But if you're painting a typical plastered surface in normal conditions then the plaster should be sealed using a watered down emulsion paint instead of PVA. The reason for this is because the newly plastered wall is so dry it will just suck all of the moisture out of your quality paint. That's why I'd recommend applying a cheap watered down emulsion first. www.plastering4u.com