To think I can do the plastering myself?

[CochonDinde]

I'm fancying getting my downstairs rooms re-plastered. I'm fairly handy when it comes to DIY (single mum too so no partner to assist), but admittedly plastering is never something I've done. AIBU to reckon I can have a crack? Or am I likely to balls up my house? Anyone here do their own plastering?

Plastering is hard. And it’s important to get a good finish- it can make or break the quality of a room. My husband had a go at my bathroom and he’s ace at DIY having helped build our extension. You could tell the difference between his work and the professional plasterer. I was glad it was just a bathroom

Plastering well is a real skill. A patch job in a cupboard, by all means have a go. But I think you'd be crazy to think you could do whole walls well with no training or experience.

I'd say plastering is a difficult skill to master and requires training. Painting and decorating, everyone can do to a certain extent but I'd leave the plastering to a professional.

Try plastering a big cardboard box and see how that goes....I think you'll regret doing your house.

You’re likely to balls up your house. Plastering is a trade and every man to his trade I say.

I think you could do it. I do all sorts of building work. I have only plastered one wall and that was many years ago. I would definitely do it again. I’m a perfectionist too. That’s why I do all my own work!

Plastering is much, much harder than it looks. Dh is pretty handy at diy and tried to plaster a small bit of wall once. I've rarely heard him swear so much and it ended up quite a mess!

Patching up and area or even managing one wall is one thing but doing whole rooms is on a different level.
We do most things ourselves but plastering is one thing we pay for, it's a very skilled job. We've recently had a room plastered and seeing the guy work made me realise just how much effort and skill goes into getting a good finish.

No its so hard you will make a mess.

Yabu.
It only looks easy because it's being done by professionals.
You will end up paying to get it fixed anyway.

Plastering is like cake decorating; way more difficult than it looks!

Definitely not. It's hard. My DH tries most things but wouldn't attempt plastering.

Plastering is all about processes, its a multi-stage job and requires a lot of skill to get right first time, nobody wants to bend hours with a sander trying to correct issues. Plastering say 40m2 of wall with a 10m2 ceiling would take two days, the cost of materials and tools may outweigh the cost of having a professional do it for you, Although, it is enjoyable skill to learn i would look for someone to do it if its just for a single room. Depending on your location, expect to pay around £220/day for labour and to provide/remove waste.

My Dad was in the building trade for years and I've never come across a DIY task he won't do... electrics, plumbing, installing bathrooms, building extensions etc... EXCEPT for plastering. He thinks it's the one job where it's worth paying a plasterer rather than do it himself, to save the hassle and get a decent finish.

I tried once and never again. What makes it funnier (and I know MN frown upon using your DP) is my DP is a plasterer of over 10 years.He told me it wasn't as easy as I thought. I wanted to prove him wrong - I didnt.

I wouldn’t bother. Some jobs are just better done by a professional.

I can fill in and skim a small area easily enough but a whole room? Noooooo.

Get a professional :)

I've plastered every room that we've so far redecorated in our house, ceilings too. It's by far my favourite DIY job.

First room I did was an upstairs bedroom, with the thought that I'd give it a go, and if it didn't work out we were only down 50 quid or so of materials, and if it worked out we'd save ourselves hundreds.

Doubt it.

Yabu, plastering is a job that should be left to a professional

I know people who are really good at DIY who have tried it. It looked home done

My DH taught himself from youtube vids on the garage walls. He is a pen pusher so not linked to trades. If you are practical I would say yes. DH has done the whole house and is a perfect finish. The ceilings are tricky and you need to be fast and it is very physical work.

It’s really hard to do well. My dad tried many times to teach me, I can manage a small patch but wouldn’t attempt a room.

YABU.
In the words of a plasterer, you've got no fucking chance.
Don't even attempt it. You won't ruin your house but you'll make a right old mess and cost yourself a load of money.

I wouldn’t even attempt it, it’s a skill and not as easy as you’d think. OH is in the building trade and has done everything in our house, one wall needed plastering and he decided to have a go at it. To be fair he did do an ok job but it definitely wasn’t up to the standards of a professional and if it had been more than 1 wall needing doing then I would of called someone in to do it.