Why I Started Sponge Float Plastering AGAIN!…Is It THAT BAD??
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.ค. 2024
- In todays video we’re going to discuss whether Sponge Float Plastering is as bad as all the plasterers make out.
Sponge Floating gets a lot of bad press in the Plastering world. So I want to find out if it’s warranted!
We’ll discuss the process, talk about the pros and then see what’s the big problems are. Then you can make your own choice afterwards!
If you like this video then please like and subscribe. And feel free to leave a comment - we’d love to hear from you.
Cheers.
Blaine Gray
Plastering For Beginners
#construction #diy #plastering #plasteringwork #home #stucco #spongefloatplastering - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
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before I even watch the video I am going to let the viewers know - you cannot beat the finish the sponge gives you. It's more hassle getting it out van and takes a stage or two extra but TRUST me, it is worth it
Just want to say thank you for your advice on your video about 7 tips to rendering. We had some work done by a “professional” and the render was really bad! It fell off our outside planter the other week. I used Webber one coat on a 5mm bead. Your advice really helped and it’s made a massive improvement 👍🏻 wish I could send a pic, I’ve never rendered before, always scared me! Not anymore 👌🏼 cheers Blaine
Well explained, yes i use the sponge. I'm after the best finish possible i can get for the customer. Don't really care how i get there.
The biggest problem is cleaning the bloody thing.
Use a wickes green dustpan brush it has nice thick bristles
That’s the worst part of the process mate!
Not sure if you've tried it but I use another sponge to clean it! (Cheap yellow ones) works a treat!
As a DIY plasterer of over 20 years I’ve gained so much good advice from your videos Blaine. I tried sponge floating a couple years back. It went ok but I applied it after a thick single layer, then left it a little late to float up so I was left with sponge swirls that looked a bit like artex, lol.
2nd time I tried it was much better. Whatever works for each person. I think pros might scoff at it because it takes more time and time is money after all.
blaine ur a pro, i love the way u have perfect polo shirt on haha i end up covered, but ur videos have saved me 1000s no joke, thanks for all ur tips for beginners vids ur a legened to me,
I've always liked the finish the sponge float gives and its used often in NL with Knauf MP75. How about a video on plastering wood fibre insulation with traditional lime based plaster?
For the tradesperson that does not plaster all the time I think it's a useful tool. Equally there might be times when just having it as an available option because the plaster is setting too quickly due to background or temp it could be useful.
You never find out anything new just following the accepted wisdom so I'd give it a go.
Great video as always.
Very good point about keeping one in the van. The amount of times the plaster turned and I wished I had one…it’s good for back up.
Thanks for watching! Really appreciate it mate
It’s all about the timing with sponges was speaking to someone I work with I was shown old way and they said it’s the new way for a reason the finish of them is just spot on compared to the old way
I used to grease my joints in , nice thick one coat layed on the walls , quick flatten and then sponge floated finish ., trowel and cross trowel ... all day on price ...
I always sponge float. Walls come up like glass and it always dries nice in 1 uniformed colour. It’s the best way 👌🏻
Thanks for sharing. I need to finish the bottom of a large bulkhead. Spraying is not practical. What is an alternative to wet the plaster. Thanks.
It goes back to when we used to scour up sirapite with a cross grain
Hi mate, ive tried it before and did get a decent finish with it but my only vice with it is having to clean the bloody thing and i didnt do a great job either 😂 I think a video on how to clean one would be good 💯
All the older lads I worked with before I went into carpentry used a well worn in wooden float... its the way they learned it... and it was awful on the elbow
I was taught to float angles with my pine float back in the day
Just started to sponge elbows were shot to pieces and I love it never had a problem
I know you’re not a fan of patch plastering, but I re-wired my entire house. I made all the chases good with bonding and multi finish, and there were a few areas where the plaster had blown. Sponge floating it gave a great finish, and needed very little attention before painting.
Fair assessment given does the job same results as normal Plastering! The point brittish gypsum made about compromising strength of plaster well they supply universal one coat plaster u have to sponge before final set so that means they don't guarantee that plaster doing the same using multi finish what's the difference they are hopless when confronting them with issues they make rules up ad they go along! Your video proves after final polish no problem with hardness no issues! I agree with the sponge floats not lasting nothing wrong with design just sponge not glued properly like everything quality all over with things nowadays is crap cheers Tam
sometimes being versatile is good trait for any plasterer every wall and room / house is different. But as a rule of thumb, traditional for small areas and sponge floating for larger areas.
Sod sponges, speed skims and flex trowels 🤮 carbon or stainless trowel and a 7 inch brush is 👑
Haha old school!
Do u still do 1 coat then another layer or so u just go 2 layers with the same mix , as I’ve seen the other day other plastering were really old school , I prefer using the same mix and doing fisrt coat and second straight away
I always put one coat on and then mix up a fresh one for a second unless I’m doing a small hit then I remix. In my eyes if you just put the first and second coat on in one go your just giving it one thick coat with no time in between.
Calm down uncle Albert 🤣
@@Lats2490 i agree with the way you do it man , but maybe try the new ways , stick to old school plastering but change the way u put it on , means u get 2 big hits a day , 3:5 bags between 2 people , ear decent money and make a nice job , it’s crazy ain’t it bro how everyone does it differently now
Back in the day We would use a cross-grain wooden float to flatten and true-up the finish - The sponge float is the modern version and those that criticize need to get back to college - Or check their Trade History 🙂 .... We also Three-Coated everything back then ... Steel - Wood - Steel ... Not too much Faff! .... Just creating 'Perfection' 🙂
Ive started doing one thick coat flatten with pladtic Speedskim leave 20 min ish, spongefloat, trowel with an Ox ultraflex wait to firm up then trowel up with the ultrflex. Great finish but I will be trying my steel trowel to trowel up after spongefloting to see if there is a diffrrence in the finish.
Is it a medium or fine sponge you use ??? Also is the sponge done after you use the speedskim on the 2nd coat ???
use a medium pal
Hey Blaine, any chance of a video on how to prime lime plaster (or limewashed) ceilings or walls?
Lots of lines of thoughts out there.
1. SBR; 2. Blue Grit; 3. PRE- Grit; 4. PVA, even; 5. Reboard the whole wall/ceiling.
It'd be good to hear your opinion on the matter, as lime is a very common background to deal with.
I’m a diy plasterer and I get a better finish by a mile using sponge floating 😊😊
I'm getting back to using a sponge more and more, lways get a good finish and deffo helps on walls/ ceilings that are sucking a bit!!
I'm not against using a sponge but the best argument against sponge floating finish is that it essentially puts a layer of weak "fat" over the surface, just like with the traditional method when you do your first wet trowel you get a build up of fat that is useless and has no body to it and can't be used to fill in any misses or knocks, so what most dislike and why gypsum are against sponge use it that weak layer spread over the surface and from my experience it requires extra polishing otherwise when the wall has completely dried you stroke the wall with your hand you can get plaster dust but not with a traditional trowel up.
im going to try it
Excelente trabajo 👌👌
I've experimented with sponge floating.
I find I can sponge float before the second flatten if you lay it on neat enough then flatten after it picks up slightly.
It definitely helps with flattening down any of them nuisance bubbles u get from time to time
We always add colorant to our Diamond Finish. Sponging and wetting ruin the color.
I spent many years as a full time fibrous plasterer and the most irritating thing that solid plasterers do is trowel out from the corners too much as they are only concerned that it's not too shiny for the painters, so the next wall ceiling that you do, think about the cornice fitters who need a nice level wall and ceiling in the corners, thanks
I’ll bear this in mind! Respect for your time served 👍
I only lay on what i can handle i got caught outbon a big celling once and the stress it caused me was unbearable so I thought never again😂😂
I also applied this sponge float, but afterwards the wall remained powdery!
I love sponge floating. But don't usually do it anymore as can't be arsed washing it out
Good videos I would say slow down apply a little more pressure and explain how different pressures work throughout the gauge without using plastic trowels, use you're metal trowel start to finish show how the fat at the end really works to fill any imperfections.
Sponge float is only good if the sun is shining down a wall half the day . The likes of a staircase.
Love the videos well in for showing people ..
What brand and type of trowel do you put on with buddy ?
It’s a Nela Premium Carbon Steel Trowel. Great bit of kit 👍
Good vid pal I’ve had go before and to be fair it’s not to bad and regards BG the multi finish is absolutely crap at the min just putting out there thanks pal
Yeah the finish from bg is terrible now. Causing so much grief, as regards stress on the body, and struggling to turn out good work. They really need to sort it, finish used to be way easier to use, and we had consistency with every batch
I think if u get a great finish with or with out sponge doesn’t matter really as long customer is happy one guy iWorked with didn’t like them but it’s easier with the sponge for sure
back in the 70’s 80’s we used wood floats to float plaster
Was it good??
Yeah the oul boys I worked with used them and it's the way I learned from them... you need more water I found and your elbow was hanging off ya more compared to the sponge.. just don't over wet it...
Sponge is common on site where you have a large wall or ceiling to do it does help
I’ve heard it’s massive for site work
It also dries a lovely block colour.
That’s a very good point to be fair
@@PlasteringForBeginners I got shown a similar technique where I use the centre (convex) section of the trowel to break down the top layer of skim, then after a couple of up n downs with the trowel I use the blade to draw the fatty plaster created over that section filling any pits or tiger strips. I'll do this for the second trowel(wet trowel) adding a little water with your brush in a strip at the top of the pull and repeat the technique. All subsequent "trowls" I just add water to the blade of the trowel unless the set goes more quickly than desired then I'll flick a bit of water on the wall to lube the trowl.
The method is like a hybrid between normal plastering and sponge float, all my work dries in a dark block colour slightly more mat finish.
The consistency of my finished has dramatically improved and shortened set times by about 30 mins as you get on the plaster quicker.
It took me 3 months to master the technique and I'll never go back.
I plaster both ways back and forth.
But where sponge floating can have a edge is the colour consistency.
Just saying about the gypsum crowd not covering a warranty with a sponge.. in Ireland a lad I do a bit of work done MF ceilings and slabbed in a big house .. the plasterer skimmed the house but it got cracks in the joints and one lad blamed the other....gypsum came out and said the metal ceilings were done correctly but the plasterers used skrim tape instead of paper tape with joint filler... the plasterers were at fault because they aren't covered to use skrim on gypsum products.. so the plasterers had to sort it out of there own pocket.. an older plasterer reckons skrim should be in the skimming not stuck to the board..
Bg talk shite. All board work is scrimmed and then skimmed. I had 10 years straight skimming new builds doing it. Mf ceiling or not. In fact it’s been the same during my 30 years of plastering. The old guy probably meant jute scrim, an old fashioned method using a cloth scrim. Bg have an excuse for everything, I think the plasterers as long as they put scrim on all joints did nothing wrong
They probably meant the tape and joint method where you sand the joints and just paint the plasterboard. But nobody wants that really, and skimming it the normal way is just as acceptable if not preferred
I think the only problem with the plasters it’s when they price the job to cheap ,after they try to do a lot of walls in one go ,after that so many trowels ,sponges , speed skimms just to save the ass , if you price 680-750 one double room and you spend 2 days there you can do amazing job only with the MT
How would British gypsum know if you sponged float
Finish is good walls are flat??? Where is the problem. I sponged floated for a good few years I have had no complaints from any customers.
Been sponging for 35 years Team sponge
@@yoyobutler9577 get in 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻
Haha good lads 👍
@@PlasteringForBeginners when you sponge your finish flatten with a refina plastic trowel you will be amazed 🤩🤩🤩
@@jameshaweso you sponge then take the lines out with the plaziflex? Been wanting to try one of these for ages what’s the best size bud?
Can’t beat traditional finish
Sponge for me is only good for small gauges when using same mix for 2nd coat to speed process up. Apart from that 99% of plasterers I know that use it the finish (once painted!) isn’t as good as traditional method.
Much easier all round though.
Couldn’t agree more, eco everything you said completely. Finish isn’t as good as 2 coats traditional, especially on an egg-shell corridor say. Handy for the small sets 2 coated with the same gear.
@@shaunbrennan8739 I’ve seen blokes on site 1 coat and use a sponge and get an immaculate finish. I don’t do it, never watched fully as was busy myself, but I couldn’t deny the work looked excellent
👍👍
Always spongefloat 1st coat then steel best way to flatten the surface and take out imperfections too many plasterers these days just skim over existing with 2-3 mm only to just follow the shape below absolutely fine on new work but not on old crappy walls. We used to work with true old pros and they would always float skimming guess it comes down to price now.
6:05 ROFL...hahaa BGipsumhaha
Sponge floating is the best thing I ever did perfect finish
With sponge the finish is better and control is better.
British gypsum say if you skim on render products you must wait at least 6 weeks to cure . Or they won't guarantee the product.
I sponge on a regular basis and you can't beat the nice even finish it leaves I now use a sponge boy to clean my sponges got sponges that last me 6 months easily
Do you one coat? And how long would you leave it before troweling if you have a big hit on? I’m interested after seeing some really good work by another site plasterer. I sometimes get hits on over 40m square, I use cream of tartar to slow it down to get around that, but am interested in your method
I don’t one coat myself, but the guy who sponged did. And to be fair his finish looked better than mine
Nothing wrong with sponging in my opinion. The reason yours isn't lasting very long is your using it flat on the wall. Use it the same way you do a trowel and you won't pull the sponge off the handle
nothing at all. You cannot better the finish it gives and also, British Gypsum talk utter nonsense. The first coat is basically set
Using a sponge or a brush like spreads do no problem. sponge is easier ,everybody should know your getting it flat with your two coats n flatten then sponge is the winner 🎉
Makes sense pal
I wouldnt be without my sponge float.
First uploaded 11 seconds ago. Liked it before i watched it
Ha cheers matey!
@@PlasteringForBeginners hoping you get your youtube money before your shoulder packs it in.
British Gypsum. hahahahaha - the same folk who think 12.5 litres goes to a bag of plaster. Absolute criminals
They obviously love a good arm breaker gauge 😂
@@George-of8ib yeah the wankers are killing me with the shit finish they keep turning out now
Sponge float every time for me
I hear people banging on about carbon steel trowels all the time ?? Who the fucks got time to piss about with vinegar and shit on a trowel full of rust ? I don't understand
What are you on about? You don’t have to soak it in vinegar (clearly an evening in vinegar is too much effort for you), and unless you leave it soaking wet overnight or constantly they are never fullof rust. And that’s coming from someone who owns 4 of different sizes
@@NiktheEnglishGreekCypriot yeah like I said I've no time for pissing about with vinegar. So yours have no rust on yours then no?
@@adamcunningham2511 you don’t have less than a minute to pour vinegar in a tray and place a trowel in it? Busy boy. And no, they end up with the same plaster residue on them as stainless trowels do
@@NiktheEnglishGreekCypriot I think I have said more than once I don't have time for messing around with vinegar
@@adamcunningham2511 I know you have. And I’ve also said I can’t fathom how someone can’t have 30 seconds one time. Not a dig just to clarify
Never used one, there again i don't have the requirement being the exceptional plasterer that i am😃
I need all the help I can get. 30 plus years of mainly pricework. I’m fucked