What's The Difference Between Plastering And Skimming?

Whats The Difference Between Plastering And Skimming?

Deciding to plaster or re-plaster your home or property building to rejuvenate it is a big task; however, the details of what the job may entail can get lost in translation. When people say they want their walls and ceilings plastered and painted, most people don’t recognise the term skimming, which is what they may require.

As numerous home and property owners need clarification about the definition of the two, we’re here to break down their difference and explain them plainly, so that you can decide exactly what procedure the interior of your building requires.

What Is Plastering?

Many people may perceive plastering as simplistic, applying plaster directly onto walls and ceilings, perhaps with some sanding beforehand. However, plastering is far more in-depth than that and includes many jobs that encompass the work. Plastering is a term utilised to encompass and refer to the entire trade.

Still, skimming is a technique plasterer professionals use to apply plaster to the interior walls of your home. Plastering and skimming are not necessarily separate terms, yet skimming is a part of the whole plastering process. When looking to renovate your environment, we do not recommend selecting any plasterer in your local area at random.

You want to specifically search for those well-informed professionals with experience in performing numerous variations of plastering jobs within the whole trade. Homeowners should consider those that are trained and knowledgeable of all elements of the plastering industry.

It’s best to pick a professional with a wealth of experience working in different environments that favour various materials. Several existing materials require more than one coating of the plasterboard solution to be durable and aesthetically pleasing.

Completing the job to the highest industry standard sometimes means relying on different methods, so it’s best to double-check that you have an experienced, qualified plasterer onboard for your renovation project. The following types of plasters are the most common throughout the UK:

Different types of plastering service

There are many ways to enhance the appearance of your household or property; you may redecorate and paint it, reconstruct aspects of it or even extend it. You can choose to implement new wallpaper or install brand-new carpets, etc.

However, a complete replastering service is one of the most beneficial and visually pleasing ways to rejuvenate your space. You may have never thought about replastering your walls or ceilings, or you might not have heard a great deal about skim or skim plaster and how it can affect the look of your property interior.

Whether a brand-new home or an old house, knowing the difference between skimming and plastering and the numerous plastering services you can receive to renovate your property is helpful. There are various types of plastering that you can invest in for your household or property building that will improve its overall look and make it appear fresh and new. They include the following:

General Plastering
Skimming
Drywall
Bonding
Coving
Dot & Dab
Plaster-Boarding / Boarding
Plastering Over Artex

What Is Skimming?

Plastering a wall with a thin coating is a technique many industry professionals call skimming. The coat is usually applied onto a smooth surface of an existing plastered wall. Professionals must install new plaster into your property or home and sand it down, or, should you already have a relatively untouched layer of existing plaster, they can apply the coating directly.

Skimming can be tricky, so we highly recommend hiring a trained professional instead of attempting to DIY the job. If you get the plastering technique wrong, it can obstruct the entire wall or ceiling and make it appear worse than it previously did before plasterers completed it.

Skim coats are essentially white layers of lime that are applied over rough cement of traditional plaster to make the surface smoother than it would be with sanding alone. Plasterers use a wide range of techniques to apply the wet coating solution, depending on their level of expertise.

For those searching for the best way to make the walls of their home or property more attractive, we recommend painting the skim-coating a shade or colour that matches your interior. Skimming is often seen as the sunset of plastering; it’s predominantly utilised to decorate a wall and improve its durability.

The main difference between this part of the process and pure plastering is its ability to upgrade old buildings, whereas plastering occurs when renovating brand-new buildings. You’ll find that skimmed surfaces are generally smoother than those of plastered surfaces.

Cost of skimming a room

For those with walls in tip-top condition, the rooms of your household or property may only need to be re-skimmed.

Reskimming typically involves adding approximately 5-8mm layers of finishing plaster over your existing walls, which is far cheaper and more cost-effective than plastering the entire room from scratch.

The cost of re-skimming a room of medium size is typically around £480. The labour involved in a re-skim will often take about one or two hours to complete, and such prices include the materials needed to carry out the job, which usually sits at around £20-£25 per wall.

On the other hand, re-skimming isn’t always an option for home or property owners, as many rooms require much more work to improve and enhance the environment.

Walls and ceilings may require their own layer of skim coating from scratch. In that case, you may wonder how much it costs to skim-coat a room entirely.
COST OF SKIMMING A ROOM

Suppose your professional plasterer has to remove the plaster and begin again due to extensive, irreparable damage or cracks, the skim coating job that will follow the decision to do so will take approximately two to three days to finish.

Professionals will often start the process by creating a brand-new base to successfully skim the walls or ceilings and add a smooth finishing coat over the top to seal it.

Medium-sized rooms will cost approximately £755, so expect to pay a little more than you would for a re-skim.

If the rooms inside your property are much smaller, you may be able to save money; however, please bear in mind that often it can be more challenging for even professional plasterers to complete.

The job will still take around two to three days to finish; however, the cost may be around £636, allowing you to save at least £119.

What’s The Difference Between Plastering And Skimming?