DIY plastering

[imagineawittynamehere]

I'm fairly sure that the plaster in my hall and staircase is only held up by the wallpaper. It really needs redecorating but I can't afford a plasterer at the moment. I thought I might find a book and have a try.

Has anyone tried it themselves or is it a really stupid idea?

DH has had a go, it is bloody difficult, especially if you are going to be plastering above a stairwell.

I hoped to lurk here to see what was written. The plaster has completely fallen off where stairs meet hall (wallpaper and everything).

The plan is to patch with plasterboard then join the gaps up with a smooth plastery type polyfiller then woodchip over it all (to match the rest of the hallway).

I know in my heart that it will not look professional.

Are you going to do actual plastering?

I was considering it. Plasterboard would be easier I suppose. I actually thought about doing a course but, having looked at the website for my local college, have found it to be more expensive than getting a plasterer!

All the walls are in our house are shocking. We redecorated our bedroom last year and used 3 tubs of polyfilla. Luckily we've got a large chest of drawers to hide the very worst bits.

trixy - We've got a balcony style staircase so luckily don't have a head wall (or whatever they're called!) The downside is that the floor to ceiling on part of the stairs is a good 15ft. Might need to have a rethink . . .

I thought I would like to have a go as well I thought about doing a weekend course on it etc However, a short 'DIY Plastering' seminar at a Home Show soon put me straight on that idea! The courses are expensive and 6 weeks long for a reason

IF you have a garage and don't mind getting A LOT of plaster everywhere - then give it a go - but bear in mind, it's a well paid trade for a reason

Another lurker as DH has been told by various plasterers that it's not that difficult, just really really boring, so he is keen to give it a go.

My SIL did some in their last house and it looked fine, though I think it was patches rather than entire walls, plus she has DIYing in her blood!

I would happily do patches and small areas - but I am too fussy to be happy with an entire wall done to my skill level Getting it to stay on is one thing - getting it the same depth across the wall is another all together - I can see my walls gaining another inch or two as I keep 'evening it up'! Not to mention the ceilings....

I might be more keep to 'give it a go' if I had the gear and didn't want to keep the carpets!

I had a plasterer in today yesterday to plaster over my chimney breast. I will try some things myself, but I have to say there's no way I'd have managed anywhere near as good a job and for somewhere where you are going to notice the results you do need a good finish. Why don't you get a few quotes, you may be surprised - todays chap was telling me they are all undercutting each other like mad at the moment as there's not much work about due to the recession.

I like to think I'm fairly competent at DIY but I wouldn't touch plastering with a bargepole! I always understood it to be one of those things best left to the professionals (or maybe that's just what me plasterer told me...!). I just have visions of myself frantically trying to smooth down a bit of wall I've ruined, while the plaster gets drier and drier...shudder.

But good on you if you give it a go! Good luck!

Another one who says avoid: it is really difficult to get a good finish and, if you're not going to manage that, why bother? Also, having watched various plasterers at work (it is kind of mesmerising when they're doing a whole wall), you have to have really strong arms to hold the board all the time and get a big float-full of the stuff anything above waist level.