DIY tips thread

[The Tackle]

I looked back 10 pages and didn’t see this as a topic. 
 

I have been watching numerous DIY plastering YouTube videos with the intention of carrying out work in my house. 
 

Do you think it’s worth doing or should I just pay for a proper tradesman?

 

Is anyone else considering carrying out a large project on their own and if so are you confident of getting good results?

[Howdy Doody Jambo]

I like to do DIY but I'm thinking plastering could be tricky to a novice and is more of a specialised skill to master over time, like ceilings and full walls if it's just a relatively small area you could always give it a go first, what's the worst that could happen 😂

You do get some good tradesmen on YouTube with many hints and tips

If you don't try you will never know if you can do it everybody starts somewhere, you will always learn from mistakes and more often than not there is more than one way of doing something

Keep it simple 

Good luck 

[The Tackle]

6 minutes ago, Howdy Doody Jambo said:

I like to do DIY but I'm thinking plastering could be tricky to a novice and is more of a specialised skill to master over time, like ceilings and full walls if it's just a relatively small area you could always give it a go first, what's the worst that could happen 😂

You do get some good tradesmen on YouTube with many hints and tips

If you don't try you will never know if you can do it everybody starts somewhere, you will always learn from mistakes and more often than not there is more than one way of doing something

Keep it simple 

Good luck 

Yeah, had a discussion with the wife and I’m attempting the spare room first to see what the results are

[periodictabledancer]

1 hour ago, The Tackle said:

I looked back 10 pages and didn’t see this as a topic. 
 

I have been watching numerous DIY plastering YouTube videos with the intention of carrying out work in my house. 
 

Do you think it’s worth doing or should I just pay for a proper tradesman?

 

Is anyone else considering carrying out a large project on their own and if so are you confident of getting good results?

Gauranteed , after two hours your arms and back will be wrecked and the work will be an embarrassment.

Pay up. 

[Herbert.]

There's a place in Edinburgh that teaches you how to do it over 2-3days. It would still be cheaper than getting a plasterer in and you'll have a basic knowledge.

[Tazio]

If there’s one way to make you appreciate tradesmen it attempting to do their job. They’re better at it and will do it in a quarter of the time. 

[JudyJudyJudy]

I still have two floating shelves to put up but can’t find a tradesman for love or money 😎 I’d attempt it myself but I’d make a mess of it . I’m better at painting 

[brunstanejambo]

5 hours ago, Tazio said:

If there’s one way to make you appreciate tradesmen it attempting to do their job. They’re better at it and will do it in a quarter of the time. 

I understand what you're saying here, but they're not always better. 

 

I've had several painters/decorators do work that was indeed quick, but was absolutely appalling in terms of quality.

 

I once took a week's holiday to re-do our bathroom and ended up getting a mate who is a qualified tradesmen to tile it as I ran out of time and had to go back to work. It looks like Stevie Wonder did the job. Needless to say, he's no longer a mate after charging an arm and a leg as 'mates rates' and refusing to fix obvious errors.

I should have just taken a few days extra holiday and finished the job myself. 

 

My son in law is a qualified spark. Had him do some work on the house once as a way of giving him and my daughter some extra cash. Useless hibby that he is made an arse of things and I had to re-wire some lights and fix plastering. 

 

I get it that not all tradesmen are like these ones, but in my experience it's a 50:50 chance that they'll be any good. 

 

OP - if you have a bit of time and patience I'd say it's worth having a go at learning how to do it yourself. 

[Dazo]

9 hours ago, The Tackle said:

I looked back 10 pages and didn’t see this as a topic. 
 

I have been watching numerous DIY plastering YouTube videos with the intention of carrying out work in my house. 
 

Do you think it’s worth doing or should I just pay for a proper tradesman?

 

Is anyone else considering carrying out a large project on their own and if so are you confident of getting good results?

Don’t attempt plastering if it is full wall/ceilings. You will definitely make a ***** of it if you even manage to mix it properly in the first place. Plastering is relatively cheap to get done. I’d try most things in the house but wouldn’t dream of trying that. 

[il Duce McTarkin]

With yutube experience I stripped and re-rendered all of my garden walls during lockdown as a prelude to attempting some internal plasterwork. The results were good enough for the garden, as they are mosty now hidden in the summer months by boston ivy and virginia creeper. Called in plasterer for the internal stuff. 

 

I'd recommend anyone take on basic plumbing, wiring, joininery, etc, but plastering is one of those trades that's got a bit of the art to it if you want to get it right, and it's also messy AF.

 

 

Edited November 7, 2023 by il Duce McTarkin

[Tommy Brown]

8 hours ago, Herbert. said:

There's a place in Edinburgh that teaches you how to do it over 2-3days. It would still be cheaper than getting a plasterer in and you'll have a basic knowledge.

Any more info on this Herb?

[The Tackle]

I’m going to do one of the courses. If I make a James Hunt of it I’ll just get a Plasterer in to fix it. No harm done (except to my wallet)

[John Findlay]

10 hours ago, The Tackle said:

I looked back 10 pages and didn’t see this as a topic. 
 

I have been watching numerous DIY plastering YouTube videos with the intention of carrying out work in my house. 
 

Do you think it’s worth doing or should I just pay for a proper tradesman?

 

Is anyone else considering carrying out a large project on their own and if so are you confident of getting good results?

It's your choice. Bottom line if you firmly have confidence to do a good job yourself, then DIY. If not then pay a qualified tradesman for the job that needs doing.

[hughesie27]

Full room plastering is definitely not a DIY job.

[Herbert.]

1 hour ago, Tommy Brown said:

Any more info on this Herb?

https://tradestraining.co.uk/plastering-courses/

 

They try pass it off as you'll be ready for work at the end of some courses which I doubt but it'll be good enough for DIY.

[highlandjambo3]

11 hours ago, The Tackle said:

Yeah, had a discussion with the wife and I’m attempting the spare room first to see what the results are

Why does the room need plastered?  

[il Duce McTarkin]

18 minutes ago, highlandjambo3 said:

Why does the room need plastered?  

 

Put up a false wall to hide the body in the chimney breast.

[highlandjambo3]

I tiled my bathroom a few years ago….didn’t find it too difficult.  
My pre planning thoughts were, if I got really large tiles it would mean there were much less “edges” to line up/keep straight etc and……it worked out well.

 

I did some research on adhesives and found out a “cement” based adhesive is the strongest….these come in dry powder form bags you need to mix up…..it’s grey cement looking but the colour doesn’t matter as it’s hidden behind the tile…..scrape on a fairly decent amount on the back of the tile (not the wall) say 5mm and spread it to within 1 inch of the tile edge (you don’t want the grey stuff seeping out the gaps in between the tiles…..you’ll grout these later.  These tiles are now solid…..there’s no way they’re coming off.

 

Bit of plastic trim around the edges….job done

 

Plumb line, spirit level and tile cutter is all you need.

 

 

Edited November 7, 2023 by highlandjambo3

[henrysmithsgloves]

3 minutes ago, highlandjambo3 said:

I tiled my bathroom a few years ago….didn’t find it too difficult.  
My pre planning thoughts were, if I got really large tiles it would mean there were much less “edges” to line up/keep straight etc and……it worked out well.

 

I did some research on adhesives and found out a “cement” based adhesive is the strongest….these come in dry powder form bags you need to mix up…..it’s grey cement looking but the colour doesn’t matter as it’s hidden behind the tile…..scrape on a fairly decent amount on the back of the tile (not the wall) say 5mm and spread it to within 1 inch of the tile edge (you don’t want the grey stuff seeping out the gaps in between the tiles…..you’ll grout these later.  These tiles are now solid…..there’s no way they’re coming off.

 

Bit of plastic trim around the edges….job done

 

Plumb line, spirit level and tile cutter is all you need.

 

 

Be nice once it's finished 👍🏻

[highlandjambo3]

5 minutes ago, il Duce McTarkin said:

 

Put up a false wall to hide the body in the chimney breast.

Would have been easier under the patio………assuming you have one.

[highlandjambo3]

1 minute ago, henrysmithsgloves said:

Be nice once it's finished 👍🏻

😂😂🤬

[henrysmithsgloves]

1 minute ago, highlandjambo3 said:

😂😂🤬

😁

[JudyJudyJudy]

1 hour ago, highlandjambo3 said:

I tiled my bathroom a few years ago….didn’t find it too difficult.  
My pre planning thoughts were, if I got really large tiles it would mean there were much less “edges” to line up/keep straight etc and……it worked out well.

 

I did some research on adhesives and found out a “cement” based adhesive is the strongest….these come in dry powder form bags you need to mix up…..it’s grey cement looking but the colour doesn’t matter as it’s hidden behind the tile…..scrape on a fairly decent amount on the back of the tile (not the wall) say 5mm and spread it to within 1 inch of the tile edge (you don’t want the grey stuff seeping out the gaps in between the tiles…..you’ll grout these later.  These tiles are now solid…..there’s no way they’re coming off.

 

Bit of plastic trim around the edges….job done

 

Plumb line, spirit level and tile cutter is all you need.

 

 

Looks fantastic . Well done . I painted most of my house and you get a great Sense of satisfaction doing it 

[Americana]

13 hours ago, The Tackle said:

I looked back 10 pages and didn’t see this as a topic. 
 

I have been watching numerous DIY plastering YouTube videos with the intention of carrying out work in my house. 
 

Do you think it’s worth doing or should I just pay for a proper tradesman?

 

Is anyone else considering carrying out a large project on their own and if so are you confident of getting good results?

 

My first job was an apprentice plaster , consider myself quite technically skilled but along with carpet fitter and gas work its something I would always get someone in for.