Plastering chased out walls

RobDogDog

RobDogDog

RobDogDog

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The electrics are now done in the house (complete rewire). But with that there are 16 chases to be filled in (mostly all the same size). As we've just spent money on electrics and a new bathroom to come I'm thinking of having a go at filling in the chases in one of the rooms to see how I get on. If it goes well, great, if it goes terribly I'll just suck it up and get someone in. Loads of people have told me don't bother, but I'm having a go in a room that doesn't really matter.

Do we have any dab-handed plasterers here who can point me in the right direction of what I need?

I see a lot of people brush diluted PVA over the chases first and wait to dry. Then a bonding undercoat or two (depending on how many are needed). Do I then put a finishing coat (skim) on or can I just orbital sand it back?

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Personally I wouldn't bother. It's a real art to getting it to look right, even if you get a fairy nice finish you'll never get it perfect as an amateur and you'll be able to see the chase which will look rubbish and be really annoying. If you want to learn have a go at doing a whole wall in the back of an airing cupboard or something that isn't seen and doesn't need to be smoothed and matched in with existing plaster, paint etc....

I'd expect my plasterer to be able to do all 16 chases in a day. His rate is £200 + materials (probably £30-£40) so it's really not a big cost for a professional finish.
 
Should be able to just sand it back, you can put a dab of pva as you said just pick the right plaster.

It's not really rocket science just getting a smooth level finish is the trickiest thing.

I'd say try it what have you to lose.
 
Absolutely have a go. Either get some ready mix or some powder and mix yourself and fill it.
It’s complete nonsense that you need a pro to get a good finish, it’s simple, you only need to sand down any bits that are raised, you don’t have to fill it so it’s totally flat and smooth. Just make sure you don’t put too little in and end up with it shrinking and you have to put more in after it’s dried.
 
i do quite a bit of plastering, remove any loose plaster first, looks like you have a bit in your pic. then a coat of watered down pva and no need to let it fully dry, its only to stop suction. then fill flush with bonding which will sink back a little. i don't bother skimming over them as its quicker and easier to then just put a thin coat of filler over it and sand flat.
in my own house which is getting rewired, after bonding the chases i'm green griting the whole wall and skimming the lot(even walls with no chases) as the existing plaster is not the best.
 
Get some Gyproc Easifill, this stuff is easy to use and sand back with varying grades up to very fine. PVA/Spray water first, do a coat, smooth it off as best as you can and leave it to dry and shrink back, then add finishing coat and sand back to smooth, repeat as needed. The main thing I learnt was not trying to do it all in one coat as it shrinks back as mentioned.
 
Top tip

after doing this myself, my 9yr old son at the time said,

"daddy, why don't you get a piece of string with a battery stuck on the end, and push it through a hole in the top, then fish it out from a hole in the bottom. Then stick the cable to the string and pull it through.

so I did....worked wonders. I've managed to get all sorts of cables pulled through walls without chasing out.
 
TheOracle said:
Top tip

after doing this myself, my 9yr old son at the time said,

"daddy, why don't you get a piece of string with a battery stuck on the end, and push it through a hole in the top, then fish it out from a hole in the bottom. Then stick the cable to the string and pull it through.

so I did....worked wonders. I've managed to get all sorts of cables pulled through walls without chasing out.
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Great idea.
Won't work with solid walls though.
 
to the ones saying easifill, thats what i would finish it of with but that chase is to deep to do fully with it, would take to may layers, much easier to bond them first, just make sure its not proud and then easifill
 
Easyfill will only fill a couple of mm at most.
You need to spray each track with water, fill with mortar (sand/cement) leave a couple of mm gap. Continue spraying a bit of water into the gaps every few hours so it doesn't dry out too quickly.
Next day add your easyfill, sand down with 120 grit sandpaper.

There are loads of videos on you tube!

Is that a bare cable in that wall with no conduit :(
 
IYou could use the electricians trick. Fill the chase with plasterboard adhesive, wait for it to dry (it will shrink back slightly) then skim with a surface filler. I did it this way and it worked brilliantly.
 
Showboat said:
Easyfill will only fill a couple of mm at most.
You need to spray each track with water, fill with mortar (sand/cement) leave a couple of mm gap. Continue spraying a bit of water into the gaps every few hours so it doesn't dry out too quickly.
Next day add your easyfill, sand down with 120 grit sandpaper.

There are loads of videos on you tube!

Is that a bare cable in that wall with no conduit :(
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You don't need conduit unless cables are out of zones.
Easifill will easily fill that, mortar is most definitely not the correct material to use.
At most you'd use an undercoat plaster such as bonding or hardwall, but easifill is easier and quicker. Only downside to easifill is it's expensive compared to plaster.

a1ex2001 said:
IYou could use the electricians trick. Fill the chase with plasterboard adhesive, wait for it to dry (it will shrink back slightly) then skim with a surface filler. I did it this way and it worked brilliantly.
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You have just described easifill which is what most people have already recommended.

"Easifill for both bulk filling and finishing of joints"
 
depending on the depth id use some bonding first and then easifill after.

but as others had said, easifill is really only for a few mm of filling, it is wonderful stuff though, sands super easy and super smooth.
 
joelk2 said:
depending on the depth id use some bonding first and then easifill after.

but as others had said, easifill is really only for a few mm of filling, it is wonderful stuff though, sands super easy and super smooth.
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Yeah, think they probably will need bonding first. PVA watered down, bonding, easifill. If only it was easy as that :D (maybe it will be haha!).
 
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