Plasterer in North & North West London — Skimming, Dry-Lining & Cornice Repair

What do you need?

Choose the job. Each one says what to send, and whether to call.

• Skimming

  Tell us you need skimming, and send photographs of the existing arrangement. The scope is confirmed in writing.

  Send this in a brief

• Dry-Lining

  Tell us you need dry-lining, and send photographs of the existing arrangement. The scope is confirmed in writing.

  Send this in a brief

• Cornice Repair

  Tell us you need cornice repair, and send photographs of the existing arrangement. The scope is confirmed in writing.

  Send this in a brief

• Bonding

  Tell us you need bonding, and send photographs of the existing arrangement. The scope is confirmed in writing.

  Send this in a brief

Identify the substrate before choosing a plaster system

A plastering brief should record whether the surface is plasterboard, gypsum plaster, lime plaster, render, masonry, lath, painted finish or an unknown layered build-up. Photograph whole walls and ceilings as well as cracks, hollows, blown areas and previous patches. Skimming, bonding, overboarding, dry-lining and traditional repair solve different problems. A smooth-looking sample area does not establish adhesion across a room. The accepted method should follow substrate condition, suction, movement, thickness and intended finish rather than defaulting every wall to a thin gypsum skim.

Resolve active moisture before closing the surface

Staining, salts, soft plaster, mould or repeated failure can indicate a roof, plumbing, drainage, condensation or penetrating-moisture problem. Plaster replacement does not remove the cause. The brief should state whether the source has been identified and repaired, how dryness is being assessed and whether further investigation is required. Damp-proofing, roofing, plumbing and ventilation can sit on the critical path before finishes. A decorator’s stain block or a harder plaster is not evidence that the wall is ready. Where moisture remains unexplained, diagnosis and remedial work should be separate from the final plaster scope.

Choose lime, gypsum or board from the fabric evidence

Traditional solid walls and historic plaster can behave differently from modern cavity construction and plasterboard. Lime-based materials may be appropriate where compatibility, vapour movement and retained fabric require them, while gypsum and board systems may suit other sound backgrounds. Material choice should follow the surveyed wall and project requirements, not an assumption that every period property needs one recipe or that modern plaster is always suitable. The proposal should identify coats, reinforcement, beads, junctions and finish and explain any trial area. Listed or protected fabric may also require an address-specific conservation decision.

Treat cracks and movement as evidence, not filling work

Record crack width, direction, location, recurrence and any relationship with openings, ceilings or previous alterations. Fine stable surface cracking can belong in local preparation, but stepped, widening, displaced or repeatedly returning cracks may require building or structural assessment before plaster is removed or replaced. Covering a crack with mesh does not establish its cause. The plastering scope should state which cracks are considered decorative, what local reinforcement is proposed and which conditions trigger referral. Any engineer’s detail, movement-joint requirement or repair sequence must be incorporated before the finish coat hides the background.

Coordinate boards, fire, acoustic and service requirements

Dry-lining and ceiling work can affect fire resistance, sound separation, thermal build-up, room dimensions, fixings and access to services. Identify board type, layers, framing or adhesive method, junctions, openings and required performance from the accepted design. Penetrations, recessed fittings and service routes need coordination before boarding. In flats, separating walls and ceilings can form part of a wider building strategy that a generic plastering page cannot determine. Electrical, plumbing and structural alterations should be completed and inspected at the correct stage rather than cut informally through newly finished work.

Control gypsum, silica and general construction dust

HSE notes that sanding taped and covered plasterboard joints can generate high levels of gypsum dust and advises reducing sanding and using suitable on-tool extraction where it is needed. Removing old plaster, chasing, mixing and preparing masonry can create other dust and debris risks requiring task-specific assessment. The method should isolate occupied areas, control dust at source, use suitable cleaning and manage waste rather than relying on dry sweeping. Suspect asbestos-containing coatings, boards or textured finishes should not be disturbed until the appropriate information or assessment is available.

Sequence plastering with services, joinery and decoration

Before plastering starts, confirm which chases, first-fix services, structural repairs, windows, doors and wet trades must be complete. Protect retained floors, joinery and fittings and identify straightness or profile tolerances that matter to later cabinets, tiling or skirtings. Drying depends on material, thickness, substrate, ventilation and conditions, so decoration dates should follow the accepted system rather than a universal promise. Forced drying or premature coating can create problems. The programme should also allow for inspection of prepared backgrounds before they disappear behind boards or finish coats.

Compare plastering proposals by preparation and finish

A comparable quotation lists rooms and elevations, removal extent, background preparation, repairs, beads, mesh, boards, coats, profiles, protection, access, waste and exclusions. It should state which areas are provisional pending removal and how unexpected loose material or concealed services are handled. The specified finish should be appropriate for the next trade, not described by an undefined promise of perfection on irregular historic fabric. Handover should identify completed areas, drying and decoration information, any retained movement or substrate limitations and the written snagging position before other finishes obscure the work.

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