Skim Coat over Horsehair Plaster

[Unregistered-drf82274]

Just bought a 100 year old house. Scraped every wall of the 4 layers of wallpaper down to the horsehair plaster. Professional Painter I hired now says I need to skim coat over all walls and sand. Also said something about taping cracks and caulking holes.

Can anyone give me step by step directions and what products to use to do this as quickly as possible?

Much appreciated.

[tomh]

Rather than reinvent the wheel, take a look at this site and video. If you still have specific questions, check back and ask. Skim coating is something within the grasp of most DIY homeowners, but it does take some practice. Careful application of thin coats of drywall compound or setting plaster where you need more fill, will minimize your sanding work.

http://www.plaster-wall-ceiling-solutions.com/skim-coat.html

[homebild]

Skim-Coating horse-hair plaster can be a huge waste of time and money.

First, horse hair plaster walls will normally be painted with lead based paint.

Second, skim-coating horse hair plaster can result in an inferior final product.

You BEST approach when encountering horse-hair plaster can often be covering the plaster with a thin coat of 1/4-3/8″ drywall.

It will provide a stable surface to be taped and painted and encapsulate any existing lead paint issues.

[Author]

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