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The problem ain’t the flexi it was the spread using it to lay on the first and second coats u should only use em once I’ve flattened in and it’s more or less set that’s when u can use them cos they smooth out any minor imperfections but ur right u can’t use them at the start of the set otherwise u will just follow all the contours that ur trying to remove
At last somebody who knows plastering game 🤔Why would you want to put on with a flexible trowel,,,,,,.let the plaster go off then polish up only with a flexible don't blame the trowel it's the person behind that has a lack of knowledge
Your videos are great, you explain the stuff most others don’t , your a real artist, and do such lovely work, you show the most difficult jobs , that most people would have to deal with on a refurb or own house, the others just show how to plaster a perfect wall.
I'm new to this channel, my main experty is concrete and sealing, but I like your content bcz you know these jobs always have things in common and more importantly I liked it bcz of your humble character and your will to share your knowledge to help starters
Kirk your quality mate, I’m DIYer going over Artex and got loads of good techniques from you. It’s definitely not easy but I must say my mrs is happy so happy days our kid.
I'm still here still learning I watched 1 your videos Friday your a big help man thank you the way you explain stuff is crystal clear and really does help me
Great videos, I spread on with my Marshall trowel, then use the ox speed skim, 2nd coat then speep skim, leave it to pull in the quick spray and trowel over with nela black edition flexi, spot on. Use flexi too soon and yes you will get ripples
Another great video Kirk. I do a few small ceilings and walls as a painter and decorator. Ive seen some hideously badly plastered walls in my time that will never be quality unless replastered. Marshalltown carbon trowel and speed skim are the only tools I use. Lay on. Flaten with speed skim. Second coat and finish with trowel.
Lay and flatten your 1st and 2nd coats on with a steel trowel. When its nice and flat leave it to pull in.... give it a sprinkle of water then one with the flex then a dry one with the flex .. Nice easy work and a top shiny finish. Flexes are a finishing trowel just like a plastic , we only ever bring them out at the very end of the process
Great work, I was doing all coats with my flexi and found the same, back to traditional, speedskim first coat, trowel ups with traditional and flexi for final polish seems to be working for me. Ty! 👌 Oh and binned off PVA for SBR. 💪
Thats like saying that range rover killed my dog lol. It wasnt the flexi it was the person using it. I use marshalltown flexi for final cross trowel with water and its mint. It dosent leave my trowel case anytime before that stage
I've been plastering for 15 years and still find im learning new things. This video has helped me realise that i need to get rid of my flexi's. I've always felt I've had trouble with them. I never had any problems with my Marshalltown until all the hype about the flexi trowels started up. I, like you got sucked in and jumped on the band wagon, ordered one and thought it was the bees knees to start with. Although I did at first struggle with timing and at exactly what point to use it and even now after a couple of years, I'm not totally on board with it. I have a 14" nela superflex and a 16" nela mediflex but i use them less and less these. I've mainly worked for myself by myself all these years so not had the privilege of learning from other plasterers experience very often. But watching your videos, for me, is like being on site with another plasterer. Thank you for being so generous with sharing your knowledge.
So is the Flexi trowel on used on the wet trowel stage of the set? I use my stainless steel Marshall town for as long as can be and then finish off with Flexi trowel with water when its pretty much dry.
Hate doin jobs when new carpets doors does my head in had some fella get new kitchen fitted then wanted it skimmin absolute ball ache charged him tho for his stupidity 😂
I agree with the issues with the flexible trowels as i used to used a really flexible nela trowel and had this exact issue. Iv switched to the refina flexi trowel which is flexible but a lot stiffer than most of them and never had a problem. Also i have seen many plasteres get ripples using the Marshall towns as well, i think it has a lot to do with how much water is used and when you use it.
Would it be ok to final trowel with a flexi trowel do u think once mine is done with wont be useing em no more but think coz it cost me money im just gonna final trowel with it thanks kirk love the advice my mate 👍
Love the videos mate learning alot after completing a skimming course. I bought a flexi trowel and found my finish was rippling slightly. Would you recommend as a beginner to just stick with the 1 trowel for everything? Thanks
Slightly different subject but are you using SBR or pva on those painted walls ? Personally I can’t on with that grit stuff. The knife/slice action to take a trowel edge of material is excellent when you get the knack.
Can we see some vids of your finished work, painted in silk? Can definitely understand principle of flexi causing low spots/following contours of existing surfaces, but how often do you get to self-check as well? Wonder if its not just flexi but how consistently you work each coat (pressure-wise)? Uneven pressure with any trowel will cause undulations, especially if coat isn't cured enough to flatten or uneven pressure is applied along the wall? Flexi is probably more prone to this than stainless/carbon steel though? And looks like you spend a lot of attention evening out the low spots to avoid inconsistencies throughout your coats from application to polishing. Maybe the previous plasterer has no idea this is what his work looks like painted? Paint is the ultimate end product of a plasterer 9/10 unless its being papered over... so is the real business lesson to go back and quality check your work every so often to gauge your trowel consistency? or is it that we all just expect too much perfection these days (Customer and Tradesman)? Bring back the wattle and dorb applied by hand eh 🤣🤣🤣. You've a cracking personality, and a good teaching persona on camera mate... colleges should have people like you inspiring the youngens with your level headedness on camera.
Nothing wrong with flexi trowel it should only be used at end of job if you haven't got the skill try using a stif trowel then use midi flex then use a plastic for matting ceiling or wall.
Sometimes when skimming on to pva that has not picked up can cause awful ripples . Spongle will get them out though. But yeah iv flexied to soon and it does cause ripples
I've gone bk to my carbon steel nela I like you noticed the bad results from flexi trowel just got caught up with how good it felt towelling up an the nice finish it leaves
What’s your thoughts on this though Kirk people say don’t use flexi trowels for flattening in ect but then flatten in with a speed skim which are flexible as well so no difference 🤔
In my opinion a speed skin is just to do a quick flattening. The angle is important too. Too sharp and it pulls too much off. Too slight and it will just follow the curves.
had a massive celling to do in a 45 million pound Manchon few years ago ... one of the spread i got into help was in his 50s ..dangerous Dave .... he used a marshall town flexi i payed him on the day its cost me £1500 to the decorators to fill it .. was all up on towers looooooool never again i use carbon steel proper trowels only on my jobs lol learnt the hard way too..... love the videos up the spreads
It hasn’t helped that the customer has gone for silk emulsion … the devils paint! Any imperfections in the plaster and that stuff shows it up … I’m a decorator of 41 years and try to advice all my customers to do matt … not silk !!!
I think alot of people including myself have been taken in by the Flexi trowel ok for board work but on an overskim or uneven surfaces you can't beat a stiff trowel. Ive got what I think is the same trowel as yours but it kept pullin tigers in my work. Obviously my technique was wrong because your work looks sound. What's happened to Keiran?
Maybe artex was thick and could have done with bonding coat on first? Do you think your skim would be easier then his? I love sorting out other peoples plastering, look like a hero 😂 there are some rough plasterers tho pal. I think personally flex trowels ok for final trowel
Hard trowel first always don't touch it with a Flexi untill the end that's what happens when the flexible trowel comes out to early 😂
Worst thing to do with dodgy plastering is a shiny paint finish ..... Matt covers a multiplicity of sins
Merv the perv is on it with his heavy breathing today, sounds like he's snoring while awake😂😂😂😂😂😂
Only use flexi trowel for final polish . It's all flat and firm at that point. Gives a nice finish. Good on the joints too.
Great video . Important to highlight the dangers of using some tools for the wrong jobs. Flexi only for final polish.
I did this on a job years ago thought the flexi towels was the nuts untill we had painters in 😂 lucky it was turnt into arcades 😂
The problem ain’t the flexi it was the spread using it to lay on the first and second coats u should only use em once I’ve flattened in and it’s more or less set that’s when u can use them cos they smooth out any minor imperfections but ur right u can’t use them at the start of the set otherwise u will just follow all the contours that ur trying to remove
At last somebody who knows plastering game 🤔Why would you want to put on with a flexible trowel,,,,,,.let the plaster go off then polish up only with a flexible don't blame the trowel it's the person behind that has a lack of knowledge
13:44 “Have a good look down the back”! I am….
All I see is a huge crack!
😂🤣💀
🤣🤣
@@Onthetrowel Nice one, great channel! 👍😂
They are sound for finishing on a final. but you need to spread and lay in with a steel trowel and both flatteners .
Its great how you can find humour in everything, such a chilled bloke 👍🏻
You got to smile mate 😁
Another great video Kirk. Thank you.
Brilliant video Kirk, thank you.
Great instructional vid as usual
Your a proper tradesman and that plastic scraper tip is the best, it shows how much pride you have in your finsished work 👍
Your videos are great, you explain the stuff most others don’t , your a real artist, and do such lovely work, you show the most difficult jobs , that most people would have to deal with on a refurb or own house, the others just show how to plaster a perfect wall.
I've seen enough in this video to realise I need to leave plastering to the professionals! Good Vid!
thats a lovely mix
I'm new to this channel, my main experty is concrete and sealing, but I like your content bcz you know these jobs always have things in common and more importantly I liked it bcz of your humble character and your will to share your knowledge to help starters
Kirk your quality mate, I’m DIYer going over Artex and got loads of good techniques from you. It’s definitely not easy but I must say my mrs is happy so happy days our kid.
I'm still here still learning I watched 1 your videos Friday your a big help man thank you the way you explain stuff is crystal clear and really does help me
For narrow areas I use a multi size pack of filler spreaders from tools station . Only £3.90
You have excellent floating skills - wrist pivot ( 👍🏼 )
Good for you in blending it in. I tried doing that and it took me forever and had to sand it down again and again.
Been using Nela super flex for years and never had this problem before or after painting an absolute chancer did that ceiling
Great videos, I spread on with my Marshall trowel, then use the ox speed skim, 2nd coat then speep skim, leave it to pull in the quick spray and trowel over with nela black edition flexi, spot on. Use flexi too soon and yes you will get ripples
very good video kirk !
Kirk, I don't know how the hell this slipped my gaze, but I shall be watching right now!
Brilliant work Kirk, I must agree with you I never liked the flexibility trowel idea I prefer the old way
Another great video Kirk.
I do a few small ceilings and walls as a painter and decorator. Ive seen some hideously badly plastered walls in my time that will never be quality unless replastered. Marshalltown carbon trowel and speed skim are the only tools I use.
Lay on.
Flaten with speed skim.
Second coat and finish with trowel.
Lay and flatten your 1st and 2nd coats on with a steel trowel. When its nice and flat leave it to pull in.... give it a sprinkle of water then one with the flex then a dry one with the flex .. Nice easy work and a top shiny finish. Flexes are a finishing trowel just like a plastic , we only ever bring them out at the very end of the process
Watch all your videos mate , top job as usual.quick question can you use a flexi trowel for you very last final stage with the trowel. Cheers .
Great work, I was doing all coats with my flexi and found the same, back to traditional, speedskim first coat, trowel ups with traditional and flexi for final polish seems to be working for me. Ty! 👌
Oh and binned off PVA for SBR. 💪
Just a had a media wall plastered and it was an absolute nightmare, wish I called you in to fix his work
Hi mate great trowel control
Thats like saying that range rover killed my dog lol. It wasnt the flexi it was the person using it. I use marshalltown flexi for final cross trowel with water and its mint. It dosent leave my trowel case anytime before that stage
At least someone with common sense.
I use the marshalltown flexi occasionally, last pass only though
Good content brother ❤
Also right time for the flexi
They make life easier also speed skim would of made this ceiling so much easier and quicker
He's probably forgotten more about plastering than you know, I don't think he needs advice
Multi tool my fav
I've been plastering for 15 years and still find im learning new things. This video has helped me realise that i need to get rid of my flexi's. I've always felt I've had trouble with them. I never had any problems with my Marshalltown until all the hype about the flexi trowels started up. I, like you got sucked in and jumped on the band wagon, ordered one and thought it was the bees knees to start with. Although I did at first struggle with timing and at exactly what point to use it and even now after a couple of years, I'm not totally on board with it. I have a 14" nela superflex and a 16" nela mediflex but i use them less and less these. I've mainly worked for myself by myself all these years so not had the privilege of learning from other plasterers experience very often. But watching your videos, for me, is like being on site with another plasterer. Thank you for being so generous with sharing your knowledge.
Don't get rid of your Flexi, just don't use it on your first passes. They are nice for your final pass once the wall is nice and flat
So is the Flexi trowel on used on the wet trowel stage of the set? I use my stainless steel Marshall town for as long as can be and then finish off with Flexi trowel with water when its pretty much dry.
I remember that text, like a siren blasting out, im sure it was on a sunday at like 3 or 4 pm.
Unless there were more.
Nice toyota hilux outside 👍
You’ve done it again! No, outdone yourself! 🎉🎉
Thanks again!
Hate doin jobs when new carpets doors does my head in had some fella get new kitchen fitted then wanted it skimmin absolute ball ache charged him tho for his stupidity 😂
Defo not the flexis fault plasterer clearly troweled up with it after his second coat 🤦🏼🤦🏼
I agree with the issues with the flexible trowels as i used to used a really flexible nela trowel and had this exact issue. Iv switched to the refina flexi trowel which is flexible but a lot stiffer than most of them and never had a problem.
Also i have seen many plasteres get ripples using the Marshall towns as well, i think it has a lot to do with how much water is used and when you use it.
Agree. Even my own work I’ve painted has had the occasional ripple from a carbon trowel
It's not the flexi it's trowelling when it's still to wet.
I use a Nella and find it's the best flexi out there for me
Looks like they only one coated 😮
Would it be ok to final trowel with a flexi trowel do u think once mine is done with wont be useing em no more but think coz it cost me money im just gonna final trowel with it thanks kirk love the advice my mate 👍
Love the videos mate learning alot after completing a skimming course. I bought a flexi trowel and found my finish was rippling slightly. Would you recommend as a beginner to just stick with the 1 trowel for everything? Thanks
Yes 100%
Is it bad with flexes when used to soon
I use a flexi on every single job. And the plastic trowel and the finish is ridiculous. But you cant use any of them until you've fully laid in
Slightly different subject but are you using SBR or pva on those painted walls ? Personally I can’t on with that grit stuff.
The knife/slice action to take a trowel edge of material is excellent when you get the knack.
SBR m8 he only uses sbr
kirk wields his light saber trowel while darth films the force 🤣 how do you sign up.... great vid butt
Can we see some vids of your finished work, painted in silk? Can definitely understand principle of flexi causing low spots/following contours of existing surfaces, but how often do you get to self-check as well? Wonder if its not just flexi but how consistently you work each coat (pressure-wise)? Uneven pressure with any trowel will cause undulations, especially if coat isn't cured enough to flatten or uneven pressure is applied along the wall? Flexi is probably more prone to this than stainless/carbon steel though? And looks like you spend a lot of attention evening out the low spots to avoid inconsistencies throughout your coats from application to polishing.
Maybe the previous plasterer has no idea this is what his work looks like painted?
Paint is the ultimate end product of a plasterer 9/10 unless its being papered over... so is the real business lesson to go back and quality check your work every so often to gauge your trowel consistency? or is it that we all just expect too much perfection these days (Customer and Tradesman)? Bring back the wattle and dorb applied by hand eh 🤣🤣🤣.
You've a cracking personality, and a good teaching persona on camera mate... colleges should have people like you inspiring the youngens with your level headedness on camera.
Cant beat mt carbon steel trowel all you need another good video Kirk 👍
27:30 onwards, full Darth Vader mode 😂
Nothing wrong with flexi trowel it should only be used at end of job if you haven't got the skill try using a stif trowel then use midi flex then use a plastic for matting ceiling or wall.
Why use a flexi at the end instead of a steel trowel?
What's the benefit?
I've seen people laying on with them 😂😂😂
Great job sounds like you employed Darth Vader as your cameraman 😂
marshalltown do a narrow angle trowel that would fit in there a treat
Sometimes when skimming on to pva that has not picked up can cause awful ripples . Spongle will get them out though. But yeah iv flexied to soon and it does cause ripples
Loll warm water brilliant
I've gone bk to my carbon steel nela I like you noticed the bad results from flexi trowel just got caught up with how good it felt towelling up an the nice finish it leaves
Carbon trowels will always leave the best finish .might not look like it when drying but after painted always does .
The other plasterer really made a mess of that wall!! Someone needs to show him what a speed skim is
Also no stop bead how comes ?
Are you plastering straight onto the painted wall here, or did you seal with SBR/PVA first?
Thanks for you excellent videos!!
Always seal mate
I notice you don't put any dustsheets down to cover anything over just wondered why?
Knowing when to use flexing trowel never had an issue, down to plasterer
Great vid again though u made the proverbial silk purse out of the old pigs ear
Another great video Kirk. However, the cameraman sounds like he's asleep and snoring
Well I must say, frankensteins monster was very well behaved on the camera
Hall wall looked like a real moody wall to sort out
All these trowels and best finish will always come from a well looked after carbon .
Using board finish to reskim ?
All very well you hacking out the plasterboard between the wall and floor ... BUT ... what is now going to hold the skirting plumb ?
Window packers or expanding foam I'd imagine mate
What’s your thoughts on this though Kirk people say don’t use flexi trowels for flattening in ect but then flatten in with a speed skim which are flexible as well so no difference 🤔
In my opinion a speed skin is just to do a quick flattening. The angle is important too. Too sharp and it pulls too much off. Too slight and it will just follow the curves.
That camera guys breathing lol
Youre made for TV mate, should be on instead of Ant and bloody Dec 😂👍
Hi Kirk, could you send us a link on what handbaord you use please?
Hey mate, it's just a marshalltown
Darth Vader on the camera 😂😂😂😂
Flexi for polishing only for me, gives it a nice shine that’s about it🤕🤣
Yep, there a finishing trowel, it's written on most of them
No way i’d be doing away with that flooring. Clean up lovely that
You and me both!
Coar camera mans had a rough night
Everything i read Marshalltown my brain is telling me marshmallowtown 😂
Where as that lad gone pol??😮
had a massive celling to do in a 45 million pound Manchon few years ago ... one of the spread i got into help was in his 50s ..dangerous Dave .... he used a marshall town flexi i payed him on the day its cost me £1500 to the decorators to fill it .. was all up on towers looooooool never again i use carbon steel proper trowels only on my jobs lol learnt the hard way too..... love the videos up the spreads
It hasn’t helped that the customer has gone for silk emulsion … the devils paint! Any imperfections in the plaster and that stuff shows it up … I’m a decorator of 41 years and try to advice all my customers to do matt … not silk !!!
Flexi are okay ish on board when your following a flat wall but there a fucker when your going over old skim or artex
Who's on the camera, prince andrew?
Kirk mate, please tell me there is some kind of protection on them stairs 🤦♂️.
Those.
21:30 he finally got it! yes!
Got what mate?
The small white spot right along the edge i was like plzzz@@Onthetrowel
You got any tips on not to drop plaster I e been doing it 15 years and still drop some
I’ve been at it for 40 years still get it everywhere
I think alot of people including myself have been taken in by the Flexi trowel ok for board work but on an overskim or uneven surfaces you can't beat a stiff trowel. Ive got what I think is the same trowel as yours but it kept pullin tigers in my work. Obviously my technique was wrong because your work looks sound. What's happened to Keiran?
He's stood next to me, be on different jobs from time to time but he's still with me 😉
@@Onthetrowel 👍👍
Maybe artex was thick and could have done with bonding coat on first? Do you think your skim would be easier then his? I love sorting out other peoples plastering, look like a hero 😂 there are some rough plasterers tho pal. I think personally flex trowels ok for final trowel
So can you plaster straight over paint?
No,over bare plaster
I’d of blended in just behind the rad
Never use flexis anymore mate they only last 2 seconds in my hands anyway 😂 The marshalltown is all you need 💯%
Totally agree to expensive and go out of shape to quick. Still got one brilliant for laying on silicone render
I told you not the show the world my work
Using a Flexi-Trowel for finishing - is like using a Rubber-Feather-Edge to straighten your rendering ---- No Sense Attached 😵💫🥴
A bit like your comment.
Why do you use board finish and not multi finish
Good work bud ,dont like the camera man's snorting and breathing though
Maybe flattened with a Plaziflex that’s how they try teaching you These days lmao 😂
Hi Kirk, is that matt emulsion you're going over??
Silk mate
@@Onthetrowel Thank you🙏 As long as that's SBR'd (which I know you did), it's fine to go over right?