DAMP GUYDAMP SPECIALIST · CUMBRIAFree survey
DAMP GUYDAMP SPECIALIST · CUMBRIA

YOUR HOME. IN GOOD HANDS.

BIG ON CARE.
TOUGH ON DAMP.

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PLASTERING, EXPLAINED

SKIM OR REPLASTER?
CUMBRIA PLASTERING ADVICE.

A skim can transform a tired room in a day, but only if the plaster underneath is sound. Here’s how to tell what your walls and ceilings really need.

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Written and reviewed by Damp Guy, damp and plastering specialists in Cumbria for 8 years ·

What each
job means.

A skim is a thin finishing coat, only a few millimetres thick, over a sound surface. It can’t hold up failing plaster underneath, so a skim over a weak background often cracks or comes away.

Skimming

Quick and cost-effective when the plaster is solid. It gives a smooth, fresh finish over sound walls, old painted plaster that’s been prepared properly, or new plasterboard.

Replastering

Removing the old plaster back to the brick or stone and building it up again. It’s the right answer when plaster is blown, crumbling or spoiled by damp, and it usually takes longer to dry.

Boarding

Fixing new plasterboard and skimming it. Common for sagging lath-and-plaster ceilings in older Cumbrian homes, and sometimes the quickest route on badly damaged walls.

Further reading +

Check your
walls.

A skim is usually fine when

  1. The wall sounds solid when you tap it all over
  2. There are only fine surface cracks or dents
  3. The paint is firmly stuck and not flaking
  4. The surface is intact after removing wallpaper
  5. There’s no sign of damp or salts

It may need more when

  • Patches sound hollow or drummy when tapped
  • The plaster is soft, sandy or crumbling
  • There are white salts or damp staining
  • Cracks are wide, long or keep coming back
  • A ceiling sags or has come away from its laths

What happens
next.

See the surface

We check the walls and ceilings in person, tapping for hollow areas and looking for damp, before recommending a skim, replaster or boarding.

Prepare properly

Loose material is removed, surfaces are treated so the new plaster bonds, and corners are beaded where needed.

Finish & aftercare

You’ll get a smooth finish and clear advice on drying and painting.

When can I paint?

Plastering advice
across north & west Cumbria.

Send your postcode to confirm availability, including nearby towns and villages.

Check availability

Carlisle & the north

Carlisle, Brampton, Longtown, Wigton

West Cumbria & the coast

Whitehaven, Workington, Maryport, Silloth, Aspatria, Egremont, Cleator Moor

Penrith & the northern Lakes

Penrith, Keswick, Cockermouth

Skim or replaster?
FAQs.

Can you skim over painted walls?

Often, yes, if the paint is sound and the surface is prepared so the plaster bonds. Flaking or glossy paint needs more preparation first.

Can you skim over wallpaper?

No. Wallpaper has to come off first, and any damage underneath is repaired.

Can you skim over Artex?

Often, after preparation. Textured coatings applied before 2000 can contain asbestos, so get them tested before anyone sands or scrapes them.

Will skimming hide cracks?

It hides fine surface cracks. Cracks caused by movement can come back, so larger or recurring cracks need investigating first.

How long does a skim last?

On a sound background, a skim lasts for decades. Problems usually come from what’s underneath, which is why checking the surface matters.

Is plasterboard better than plaster?

Neither is better in every case. Plaster on solid walls is hard-wearing; plasterboard is quick and gives a fresh background. The right choice depends on the wall.

HOW WE CAN HELP

MORE DAMP ADVICE

YOUR HOME. A CLEARER WAY FORWARD.

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SURVEY OR QUOTE.

Damp, ventilation or plastering. Tell us what you need and arrange a free, no-obligation survey or quotation.

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The installation, up close.

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