Does this need filler or plaster? (Piglet John or any others advice?)

[Wheresmychoc]

Dear all - have removed tiles from bathroom and all walls are good except for around the window. Does this look like it can be patched up with some kind of filler or does it need proper plastering by a professional?

Obviously am hoping / praying you'll say the former .

Pics attached.

[Wheresmychoc]

That should be "any others' advice", apologies. (Apostrophe nerd)

[PigletJohn]

If you are going to retile, it doesn't matter. Though if it is a house without cavity wall insulation you could hack all the plaster off the external walls and use insulating tile backerboard (a competent tiler will know how)

If you are not retiling, get a plasterer. It may only cost two or three £hundred. It is better to hack off than to skim over old.

[PigletJohn]

If you have to patch it yourself, try Gyproc Easifill.

[Wheresmychoc]

Thank you PigletJohn!

Yes, we are not planning to tile over, unfortunately. Just paint it.

If funds don't allow for a plasterer (it really is tight at the moment), do you mean we could have a go with this Gyproc Easifill instead?

If so, do you have any tips re how to go about it (DH sadly not a DIY fan, and I'm not much cop either, but will have to have a go).

If the end result is a bit uneven, could we perhaps make things better with some lining paper over the top? (Not sure if that's great for a bathroom, of course, though perhaps there are bathroom friendly ones).

Any thoughts greatly appreciated!

[PigletJohn]

I would use a plasterer's trowel.

Practice is what you need.

Somebody who has done it a hundred times before will be a hundred times better.

There might be some utube videos.

[Wheresmychoc]

Ah, good advice. Will try Youtube. Here goes!

[shaska]

I reckon I could do it, and I'm not brilliant at filling. Youtube definitely, but if you're as inept as me, I find this system works (eventually)

• do the first fill with big flat trowel. Try to pay attention to getting the corners right as they're bastards to sand, and get the rest as flat as you can but don't stress too much.
  

• sand the living crap out of it to get it as close to flat and wall-like as possible. Marvel at how you've just sanded off half your filler.
  

• notice that somehow despite your best efforts you've got loads of gaps and holes and a couple of quite uneven dips.
  

• re-fill said manky bits (I find a small spatula type scraper thingy handy here)
  

• repeat the sanding part.
  

• repeat the gaps and holes part.
  

• once you're happy with your flat and even wall, give it a mist coat with watery paint.
  

• notice a million dents and holes that escaped your notice until you put the paint on.
  

• fill those.
  

• sand those.
  

• paint again (I tend to use proper paint at this point)
  

• repeat filling/sanding/painting as necessary.
  

Remember though - when you spend a day an inch away from a wall, small imperfections seem much more of a problem than they will seem in a months time once the wall's fully painted and part of the room as a whole.

[Wheresmychoc]

Ha - thank you shaska! Very helpful and just the kind of guidance I needed.

Helpful to know that it may take a couple of goes at it.

Much appreciated!

[PigletJohn]

I like a wide metal filling knife, and a wide metal scraper (not sandpaper) (100mm to 150mm). Press very hard with the filling knife.

In both cases their width will bridge across the existing plaster so you will get a flatter surface rather than grooves.

use less filler than you think, because it is wasteful to put it on and scrape it off.

[Wheresmychoc]

Thanks PigletJohn - that's very helpful indeed!

Much appreciated. I now feel (almost) up to having a go!

[Davesonfire2023]

Hi, is there a way to bridge the layers in paint for an even finish without having to sand or scrape it all off?? Its a very large wall.ive used zinsser to stoo the peeling but don't know whether to filler it. Hope you can help.

[PigletJohn]

Broad metal filling knife and fine surface filler. See above. If you want to say more, better start your own thread.