Plastering in Novato

It is one of the messiest trades — expect splatter, dust and high humidity. Empty the room if possible, or centre furniture under sheeting. Floors should be fully covered. Ask whether the quote includes protecting surfaces and cleaning up.

Skimming is a thin 2-3 mm finish coat applied over existing plaster or plasterboard to give a smooth paintable surface. Full plastering means building up base (browning/bonding) coats plus a finish coat, needed when old plaster is blown, damp-damaged or removed back to brick.

Fine crazing usually means the plaster dried too fast (heat, draughts) and is cosmetic — fill and paint. Straight-line cracks along boards or above doors indicate movement at joints. Wide or recurring cracks are worth a builder's inspection before redecorating.

Plastering is usually priced per square metre or per room. A skim coat over existing sound walls is the cheapest job; full re-plastering (hacking off old plaster and applying new base and finish coats) costs two to three times more, and exterior rendering is priced separately.

Yes, if the substrate is sound — plasterers key the surface and use bonding agents. But blown (hollow-sounding), crumbling, or damp-stained plaster must come off first. A good plasterer taps the walls during the quote to check; be wary of anyone who doesn't.

Sometimes, but true plaster repair (reattaching keys, veneer coats) is a specialty. Drywall contractors often just cut out plaster and board over, which changes wall depth and trim reveals. For historic homes, seek a plaster specialist.