How to DIY Repair a Damaged Wall for an invisible repair using a render base and then an unbiased review of Knauf ProRoll Plaster.
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0:00 Introduction
0:13 Background
0:56 Damage Limitation
1:54 Render Repair Options
2:49 Mixing Sand & Cement
3:25 Applying the Render
6:08 Hairline Crack Fix
6:53 Proroll Max Plaster
11:42 Proroll Light Plaster
15:15 Conclusions
18:03 Product Links
18:15 Subscribe to Me!
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- Marshalltown plastering hawk geni.us/wbfJaWL (Amazon)
- Ox Pro stainless steel plastering trowel geni.us/8uxE1 (Amazon) - a bit longer than my 11inch but you can't go wrong with one of these.
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- guaging trowel
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#wall #repair #DIY
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I think I'll stick with a couple of coats of multi finish. People tend to be a bit scared of plastering but most DIYers could manage a small job like this with traditional plastering supplies and tools. Great channel by the way 👍
Agreed. Seems a lot of bother and cost. Easier to use multi over a larger area and blend it in. No extra material or tools either
I do this now, only problem is having a large bag of multi finish left over. Although it’s prob cheaper than these patch kits you get so 🤷♂️
Jus skim it mate. Too much messing about.
Hardwall would have been a better bet than sand and cement, as it is significantly lighter and behaves much like bonding. PVA / SBR coats should have been tacky when you applied the next layer. Scratches should have been horizontal rather than vertical, then multi-finish tight into edges of old plaster. Job done!
Have to be very careful with PVA. As it is water based it re-emulsifies when it gets wet afterwards. So if you have any damp in your walls you run the risk of loosing cohesion. Better to use water proof pva or sbr
SBR every time
Thanks. Fair point. 👍
can't thank you enough for these videos, helps people like me build not only homes but also confidence
Great stuff as always Charlie. My house, built in 1960, has solid wall and inside is rendered with a thin skin of greyish plaster over that. The render is like granite which is great for a firm fixing. The internal walls are what I call "cinder blocks", they are a hard heavy dark grey composite block of some sort. Again, you can get a good fixing in them.
This is the best video I've seen on DIY wall repair. Thanks for the step for step instructions!
Having previously lived in a house built in 1840, I can sympathise. Something simple like hanging a picture can result in a LOT of making good😂
nice result and thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience
I used proroll to skim a bedroom and, although I ended up with a reasonable finish, it was hard work. I used it a second time to skim two small toilet walls and finished it with fill and finish and a little sanding which now looks great. The trick which worked for me was finish it the best you can and sand! Great video
Cheers Richard.. As you say, it's pretty hard work but will look quite professional with a sand. 👊
Absolutely brilliant video Charlie, thanks for filming, its given me some handy tips and tricks to fill in some walls in the house.
You're welcome..I think for deep fills this is probably a better video kzhead.info/sun/abOmo9ptZICEbKM/bejne.htmlsi=91a7meStiZFchhfQ but the proroll is useful for reskimming..
That stuff looks like a right faff - thanks for showing it for what it is.
That was so brave to peel of those parts by hand after the skirting board incident😅 I was expecting the whole wall to be peeled off 😂 I would have used an oscillating multi tool to cut around the damaged section, then peeled that area. However, I must admit you did the job great like ever👍🏻
I love that stuff, did a whole house with it( over artex ceilings,new soundproofed plasterboard and damaged walls following wallpaper removal ) used both a 4 inch roller and 9 inch roller long pile. Took a minute to get the hang of it. Found best to stick roller in till it hit the bottom and leave it submerged for ten minutes then away you go would then leave the roller sleeve in the tub submerged with lid on when not in use that way one roller for entire job. In fact left roller in tub and used for many jobs of patching/ no clean up,waste. Also used a 600 wide blade.
Yep, you've definitely nailed it with that approach - thanks for sharing. Don't know why I didn't think of leaving the roller in the tub. 👌👊
I have a 1912 home with hardset plaster walls the same as you have. For large filling areas like you had I use cornice cement as it’s very cheap for large quantities of it unlike ‘specialist fillers’. It also sets quickly so multiple layers can be applied without too much waiting. For the final top coat I use plasterboard topping compound as it sands smooth very easily. For cracks I dig out with a sharp non flexing paint scraper and put an undercut in the crack so the gap is wider on the brick side compared to the top side. Then press some cornice cement onto it. This totally locks the two sides of the plaster around the crack to the brick. Finish off with topping compound.
I use a very similar process and completely agree with this approach. Good advice here to the uninitiated.
Great tips here, will look out for that cement now thanks
Really useful video, thanks! Seems like a pig of a job compared to other methods like easifill. I'm considering using the Proroll Max to do my hall - as far as I can tell it's one of very few DIY skims which are breathable enough to go on lime plaster. It seems like an expensive job to do multiple coats with the Max and Light - on a whole wall could you perhaps just use the Max and sand down? Or just the Light if the walls aren't too unven?
Used both Pro Roll Max and Lite to tidy up a large wall in a hallway. Really had to dig the roller into the max bucket and almost butter it on to the roller every time, but once it's on it rolls on the wall ok. After a few experiments I decided let the max sit for about 20-30 mins (depends on temperature) and then when it stiffened a bit went over it with a damp sponge float to even it out across a large area, then finished with a speed skim. It came out fine for a DIY job, the bonus is that you can fix many sins with sanding. Only downside is that it is not very strong when finally set and can be dented very easily, so maybe not great for high traffic areas. With the Pro Roll lite it's definitely a good idea to let it settle for maybe 10 mins or so before smoothing as you just end up scraping it off the wall. Also check the manufacturing date before purchase as it has a 6 month shelf life.
Thanks for this Charlie, I think I'll be sticking with multi-finish myself, I'll bet it dries up in time too, whereas I've had multi finish decanted into airtight containers for many years and it's kept perfectly. Can't really understand why anyone would want to apply plaster with a roller anyway, but would be interested to see it if you try it on a larger area and it's any good ! I wish I'd seen this 30 odd years ago, we had a new build and after a few years had some cracking to the plaster in the lounge that I needed to repair before decorating. When I scratched out the cracks parts of the plaster had de-bonded and little by little I removed it till I had a 3-4 ft sq hole to fill, the problem is always where to stop ! My wife had a freak out when she saw it but I have to say, I did a pretty good job filling and plastering it ( although a lot of levelling and sanding) and it's probably still holding up the rest of the shoddy wall render and plaster today !
Cheers Andy. Yes I've had that happen on a number of occasions which is why it's so hard to know when to stop stripping it off
I've done this type of repair so many times recently. Frankly......i prefer just a bit of under coat plaster followed by some skim or even filler on small areas. It's easier to work with than sticky fillers and sets quickly. But you got a nice smooth finish at the end 😮
Same here. Couple of years back, after a botched plaster job I took it upon myself to correct the issues and save money. Taught myself to plaster and skim, making many mistakes and messes along the way, not to mention going through so many products. But in the end found the best method was exactly as you describe there. Start with Thistle Undercoat to get the body filled (mixes much easier than the cement/sand Charlie was wrestling with), followed by Toupret Powder Filler over the top. So easy to paint over and blends in perfectly. Charlie, if you haven't tried it before I highly recommend the Toupret filler (powder version in the cardboard box). By far the best quality filler I've come across.
@@ilyas8969. Toupret is fantastic 👍
Thanks mate. Yes I love the Toupret too - particularly the Touprelith exterior repair filler. I tend to buy the Easi-Fill 60 for larger internal repairs but I'll get some of the Toupret next time as you don't tend to get through all the Easi-Fill and end up having to throw it away.
@@CharlieDIYte. I just bought a 5 kilo bag of the Toupret exterior filler yesterday to fill loads of small holes in a rendered exterior wall, I think it sticks better is small holes than standard sand and cement. Hope to get using it soon - if the rain stops. 🤣
i think roller more suits for finish on drywall just finish layer. For everything deeper filling -classic plastering tools🤷♂️. But good job,👍and thx for sharing your exp.🙏
cheers for the info and convincing me to stay with bonding
You're welcome. I've received quite a lot of criticism for this video but the point is I was simply experimenting with the stuff. For repairs like this going forward, binding and or EasiFill would still be my choice.
Thanks for the info 👍
Excellent work as usual. Your simple explanations and sharing your mistakes give us DIYers confidence have a go. Thank you!
You're very welcome. Thanks for that. 👊
Really enjoy your videos Charlie, cheers!
Thanks Brian, really appreciate that. 👊
You can also use a pva water mix as a base coat on the plaster. I think it works great.
Great work. Well done.
Thanks 👊
Great video, if it wasn't for the time between coats the product may just about work, assuming you don't use a roller😮.
Please do another video on this. Im glad you did this one as i saw this in wickes or b&q and was tempted to try it but i couldnt understand how to use it or how it works. Ive got to fill in patches and full walls. Thanks
Will do. You'll find Easi-Fill is your best friend for this sort of repair. 👊
Nice review :-) How much product do you think was "lost" by being left on the rollers ?
Nice job Charlie, a bit long-winded but art is art lol! A few tips that I generally use... 0.5 Use a spirit level or straight edge to see if you are going to get a ridge, if the straight edge is rocking it's time for some gentle angle grinding and a vacuum hose to lower the edge peak, it's not a job you want but us master finishers have to suffer for our art lol! 0.75 I generally use a blade at 45degrees to cut a V for cracks, larger surface area and you get all the crud out when you vacuum so the filler gets pushed deep into the crack (leave it people... lol!) 1. Don't keep to an irregular shape, square it up, makes for a less finicky application of all layers, you aren't fighting acute angles and a trowel will love you for it so you minimise on tools. Oh and wet a roller first then spin it out a bit and then load it up with material, it will load better. 2. On small render jobs I brush a slurry on first and let it nap off a bit before applying the render mix, you'll find the render doesn't fall off as much. 3. ...and lastly shine a side light when sanding, you'll wish you hadn't but it will show you highs and lows to get a better blend-in.
Thanks mate. Great advice as usual. 👊
@@CharlieDIYte You're welcome. I took your advice from the drainpipes and rust video, my van was looking a bit rusty on the arches so I bought some Neutrarust 661, I have to say it's awesome stuff, so thanks for doing the research on that, much appreciated.
Have you tried Toupret premixed filler. They have one for up uneven walls and one as a finishing skim..i hear they're pretty good
That turned out nice Charlie! Thanks for sharing the video with us!💖👍😎JP
You're welcome.. Thanks for taking the time to comment 👊
Glad it's not just me that struggles with this stuff! Also, no link at 13:00?
My friend, since you're a DIY'er, just a few tips for you, SBR is the way to go not pva and dont forget the slurry before applying cement. And you need to take away all the crumbling parts of the wall. Again use SBR with cement. Most importantly find out what made that wall crumble, maybe you need to fix whats behind it first and not the inside, or find where the leaking is... Good job keep it up 👍
Thanks Peter. Yes I should have used SBR. The key has gone basically because the render is very old - and maybe because it's on a chimney that's been hit and cold over the years. In my old place we stripped off all the old render in all rooms but I didn't think it was necessary on this chimney plus wanted to minimise mess as it's in my daughter's room.
Great video! Thank you. The link to the filling knives doesn't seem to work any longer - found some others, but in case you want to update it.
Thanks. I'll update those. 👊
Great video as always Charlie, and very timely. I am renovating a derelict property in the gorgeous Irish countryside. Although the plaster inside is generally good and sound, there's a lot of minor/shallow imperfections, indentations etc. For cost reasons, I can't afford to get the whole place professionally skimmed, so I have been considering a product I can use myself, without having any experience of plastering/skimming. This stuff looks ideal, and your video has persuaded me to give it a go. Given that I am looking at using it over quite large areas at a very shallow depth, I think it should work well. Thanks again for another very helpful vid!!
For the hairline cracks I use a cheap engraving tool which seems to work ok and certainly less mess than a grinder . Engraver in one hand , vacuum in the other !
Hi Charlie .I really enjoy watching your very helpful DIY videos.I recently used Easyfill 60 to repair electricians chases and patch plaster the wall above a kitchen worktop. Ive now discovered that Easyfill 60 is not suitable for being tiled over .So I might have to remove it and attempt to plaster the areas before tiling, any suggestions would be helpful.
I think you'll be fine if it was just chasing as the tile will adhere to the surface on both sides. There's no real weight on those tiles so I suggest you prime what you've done with something like SBR and then crack on 👍👌
I need to cover over a mildly stippled ceiling in our small cloakroom, would that Knauf roll on plaster do the trick do you think?
It would be interesting to see if it is possible to apply finishing plaster with a roller.
Pva, Bonding, mesh on cracks and parameters. 2 coats of easy fill. Sand it down. Job done
Yep. 2 coats Easi-Fill would always be my preference. I should have mentioned that in the conclusion.
I used the max and the light for a small wall. Was excellent for me. Wish I could upload pictures
Glad to hear it. 👊
Thanks
Thanks so much Owen 👊
it looks like you're trying to fill quite a deep patch for that product. I think it's more a skim? Also look using the roller with spray plaster
Hi Charlie I would love to see a plasters rule such as the ox speedskim. see if its all hype.
Very good video bit of a longer job than thought. Look like you've lost a bit of timber. Hope everything is OK.👍👍
Our plasterer has left so many trowel marks and scratches on the plaster. I didn't know it needed filling until one of the builders told me to get those areas filled with white plaster. But I don't know what is the best product to use in this case. The Knauf Proroll Light is a suitable product. Are there better alternatives?
Hi Charlie, what did you think of the 2 fussy blokes rollers for wall painting? Just rolled a plastered ceiling a with a 50:50 must coat some of the areas on the final coat just ended up with an orange peel effect. Nothing could be done to remove so was wondering what the 2 fussy blokes rollers were like? Ps thanks for the videos nice to see some of your tips and tricks.
Hi David. They're nice - a little longer than say a simulation mohair roller and achieved a really good finish. I found the roller a bit annoying as it's untreated wooden handle is difficult to clean. Definitely a good product though. Haven't tried their 9 inch rollers though. Did you watch this vid kzhead.info/sun/nbijnMV5jGOErZE/bejne.html ?
My suspicion is the knauf product is very similar to their (cheaper but harder to find) airless spray product so for a whole room that makes it more cost effective. I think it's £40 for a 25kg bag as opposed to 36 quid for 15kg of proroll. The big advantage I think is that it's easily sandable, like easifill, and so more forgiving for a diyer. Whereas whacking a coat of plaster on you can easily come unstuck without practice, special tools and whatnot if you don't act pretty fast. So it's a comfort blanket. I'm thinking about using it to go over artex, debating between it and boarding over...
I had a load of artex on the ceiling in my old place. I boarded over it. You've also got to remember there's a danger it could be asbestos based.
Great to watch the likes of Charlie on how to do stuff, in 32 years i have never had a good or even half any good tradesman, every single one just want the job to get the money and to scarper to the next job, from the likes of plumbers electricians plasterers brickies roofers, nearly had my house flooded after work, then nearly had the house burn down after work, once they get the money the chances of getting them to come back is like going to the pub with lord lucan - its no wonder people attempt to do their own work.
Thanks mate - I really appreciate that. There are some good tradesmen out there but unfortunately right now there's a more chronic shortage of skilled labour than ever before. Sorry to hear about your experiences.
What's the threshold for using plastering tape/mesh between new/old?
Great video. I've done my whole house recently. Definitely also agree with trowling it on. Bigger the better. Can't understand for the life of me why they recommend a roller. Maybe so you use up more product and thus have to buy more?? A bit cynical of me perhaps.
Thanks. It's to make it accessible to DIYers I guess.
Hi charlie, thanks for this repair video, we have a wall that needs fixing, i would however ask you, when are you and your family ever going to live in your house without needing to repair something? I really feel for you guys literally living in a small space kitchen. Have a good week.
Thanks Val. We'll get there but it does seem like we're losing the war right now 🤦😉
Looks good, but for the low cost of bonding and multi finish, I think i'd stick with that. I'm no plasterer but when you have nice flat surfaces to work to anyone can do it. Maybe this is best for really large uneven areas
I completely agree, or even Easi-Fill for the top coat as it doesn't shrink.
Tempted to try the lite on a chimney breast I replastered last year which is very uneven (it was my first time trying ever . . . I'll stick with small repairs now but never again for a full wall).
It's worth a try. 👌
Hi Charlie lm thinking that the skill level required with this product to gain a satisfactory finish, is possible greater than if you just use standard plaster . Especially if doing a small repair like yours , obviously incorporating your important prep work in the same way of course. Kind regards as always 😀👍👍👍
I think you're right. Considering it's aimed at the DIY market it's tricky to use.
I’ve covered 7 Artex ceilings with multi layers of Toupret’s Ready Mixed Joint, Skim & Fill 10kg tubs. Happy with 400 grit wet & dry paper rather than sand paper to get a real good finish
Great work, thanks for sharing 👌
Would this he the same for an overhanging wall - space is roughly half a inch
One coat render (OCR) is very good these days, saves you mixing your own ingredients and having spare bags of sand cement lime and bottles of plasticiser lying around which is no good for a DIYer. OCR is very sticky too so less mess
Good thing you primed the the sand and cement before applying plaster over it. Plaster reacts with cement and can bubble up and really mess things up.
Yep, that's a good point 👊
Charlie, you need to leave the roller sleeve in the tub with the knauf material so you don't have to wash out unless finished completely, hope that helps.
Ah, good point. Don't know why I didn't think of that. 👌👍
good job as that product with the roller dosent look easy !
Thanks 👊
Hardwall takes out all the hard work
Agreed. 👌
Hi.. like tip about pushing PVA behind lose plaster Ps away like your video
Thanks, really appreciate that. 👊
Hi Charlie, think I'll stick with bonding. Regards Jim.
I agree Jim. So much easier than using render, so long as damp's not an issue.
How long do you leave the pva to dry if you don't mind 🤔
A couple of hours depending on conditions. You'll know when it's dried though, and someone has reminded me that SBR is a superior option because it doesn't denature when it gets wet again with the next coat. 😉
I used this stuff before years ago and yes its states in what it is on the tin NAFF
Harsh but fair 🤣
I stopped using PVA. I use SBR for all priming, sealing. PVA can de bond if it becomes wet after drying
Fair point.
pro rolling a full room would probably cost more than getting someone in to do the old fashioned way.
£30 for a tub that will get lost in the garage or £10 for a 25kg bag of multifinish. On such a small patch, you could give it one coat and then wet up the remaining in the bucket for the second coat.
Bit of instant nails behind the peeled plasterboard job done
Yep also works.
Syringes are good for getting pva glue behind loose plaster and into cracks. Cleaning plaster off roller wastes a lot of water, trowel are better. Regards Mick
True about the roller although someone pointed out you could just leave it in the tub. I like the syringe idea 👌
I'm installing laminated floor their are bits where the concrete is uneven !the builder is been an arse !and don't want to help ! Can I use sandpaper on the concret floor before the workmen comes to lay floor
There are specialist concrete sanders/ polishers. See if you can hire one but you'd be better using a concrete disc on a grinder to cut lines in the uneven area and then chip it away with a hammer and bolster but it'll be a laborious job.
You would need a lot of tubs for a room!
The trick with a room would be to leave the roller in the tub in between coats.
As someone in the building trade... that repair taking that many days... just wouldn't happen
It's meant for skim on new tape and joint surface
@Swwils I know, but many more professional companies use something similar to roll on the plaster. But when I say professional I mean that in the loosest terms possible terms😆
We are behind the times, spray on is the way to go for new plaster.
What kind of wall is that
Internal chimney (brick wall).
I dont know why you didnt use bonding. cement mortar really seems like an outside job, its going to be so much harder than the materials on either side of it, and its never going to be removable, all the bricks are stuck together too.
PVA it when it's tacky good to go.
At 1:56, you've clearly superimposed your thumb to prove the PVA has restuck the old plaster. Dudddde
It does look a bit odd doesn't it. Point is it's a fantastic technique and I've used it for everything from gluing Tyrolean render back around a patch repair to jobs like this. Try it, you'll see what I mean.
No dust mask!!😮
Not for this as there's no dust generated especially using the vac but yes I wear a mask whenever required.
honestly cant see an advantage of this over easifill or even plaster....all need a degree of patience and skill. I bet this is the costliest solution of the three....?
I agree.
Weird looking colour of the render
Use SBR rather than PVA 😉
Thanks Richard. 👌
Should've used plastering sand. Soft (builders) sand has lots of salt in it which will leach out and cause paint blistering from the salts escaping through the paint layer. Also should've removed any hollow sections, not use pva to try and rebond it to the wall which wont work long term.. Scratched it, then multi finish plastered it, toweling it tight into the joint for a seamless finish. None of that nonsense you done which will show the seams between old and new
Looks like what you were pulling off was bonding, not render
No it was definitely render. Not sure bonding existed when that wall was rendered.
Looks like a long winded process which will put most off. That said it looks like the fine stuff will make good fine filler.
I think that's right. Very long winded and you could cut about 5 steps with the Easi-Fill.
Hard wall and multi every time
Agree 👌
Well, that's one finish I shan't be trying. That looked like a lot of work for very little.
I agree although it's not really designed for this sort of repair but the exercise was useful in terms of exposing it's flaws..
Not convinced by Proroll at all. Probably ok for drywall repair or covering light textured surfaces. A one coat plaster would have done a satisfactory diy repair.
I agree. I can't see Proroll Max being good enough to cover artex. Far too thin and prone to shrinking. You'd be there for ever applying additional coats.
I gave up using knauf. The ridiculously long drying time compared to other products out there just doesnt make it worth it
I agree. 👊
That seems a very expensive way of doing things.
I agree.
Never ever use builders sand to plaster with terrible mistake.
The scratch is the wrong way
Seemed better to do it that way given the shape of the repair.
@@CharlieDIYte fair enough, just always try and scratch horizontal it will help the material sticking
Such an expensive and time consuming repair multifinish much better could have bond coated first then gone straight over with multi
I agree. Or even Easi-Fill.
Not very impressed with that stuff Charlie stick with Plaster