www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

I'm a beginner plasterer, only done 5 or 6 walls but the past 2 that I have done have had some sections of the wall set before I have even finished getting plaster on the rest of the wall. takes me around 10 mins to do a small wall.

The right hand side of this window has had its final polish but I'm still waiting for the rest of the wall to set up enough to give it its first trowel! - edit, its been on the wall for around 40 minutes now and I've just given the rest of the wall its first towel.

I prepared the wall with a mix of 50/50 ish PVA and water.
Its currently 10C and cloudy outside.
Clean cold water for the mix
Clean mixing tools


Anyone got any ideas why this is happening? I have tried mixing slower and a bit less and also having a wetter mix since it last happened yesterday but the same thing has happened today.

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Mike

Setting quick can be attributed to plaster that has been opened or old. Generally drying too quickly is because the wall is sucking the water out of the plaster and it sets off too fast. It is normal to do a PVA mix coat, let it dry and then prior to plastering you go over again with the dilute PVA and then plaster while it is wet. That is how I have seen it done, but I am by no means a plasterer myself.

DWD

Thanks dewaltdisney, I will try an extra coat of PVA on the next well. I had ruled out old plaster as the rest of the wall dried fine - slow if anything.