Is Skimming Cheaper Than Plastering?

Yes, skimming is cheaper than plastering, roughly £8 to £15 per m² against £18 to £30 per m² for plastering a wall from bare. Skimming is a single thin finish coat over a surface that is already sound and flat, so it is far less labour. Plastering builds the wall up from scratch with a base coat and a finish coat, or boards and then skims, which is more time and more material. The catch: skimming only works if the wall underneath is sound. If it is cracked, blown or bare, you are plastering whether you like it or not.

What is the difference between skimming and plastering?

Skimming is applying a thin finish coat of plaster, usually 2 to 3mm, over a surface that is already flat and sound: existing plaster in good condition, or new plasterboard. It is a finish, not a build-up. Done right it is troweled and polished to a smooth, paint-ready surface. It is not sanded down, and it is not "filler", it is finish plaster such as multi-finish.

Plastering means building the wall surface up from bare. On masonry that is a base coat (a float or bonding coat) to get it flat, then a finish skim on top. On a stud wall or a wall being drylined, it is fixing plasterboard first and then skimming that. Either way it is at least two stages, so more labour and more material than a skim alone.

That difference in work is the whole reason for the price gap.

 

Is skimming cheaper than plastering?

Yes, on a like-for-like wall, because you are doing one coat instead of two or more. Here are typical UK figures. Treat them as ranges, they vary by region (South Wales sits at the lower end, London the higher), by room size, and by wall condition:

 

So on a like-for-like basis skimming is often less than half the price of plastering from bare. The saving is labour, not materials, plaster is cheap, plasterers' time is not.

How much does skimming cost per square metre?

Budget £8 to £15 per m² for skimming a sound surface. A plasterer will skim roughly a room a day, so a lot of small jobs come out priced against the day rate of £150 to £250 rather than strictly per m². As a rough guide:

• A single ceiling, around 12m², often works out at roughly £150 to £250, near enough a day's work.
• A standard room, walls and ceiling, is commonly £400 to £700 depending on size and access.

Materials are a small part of it. A 25kg bag of multi-finish plaster is around £12 to £18 and covers roughly 10m² in two thin coats, so on a typical room the plaster is tens of pounds against hundreds in labour.

How much does plastering cost per square metre?

Plastering a wall from bare runs £18 to £30 per m² for a base coat and skim on masonry, and a bit more, around £20 to £35 per m², for board and skim, because there is the boarding stage on top. It costs more than skimming for the simple reason that it is more work: you are flattening the wall first and then finishing it, not just finishing it.

When should you plaster instead of skim?

Skimming is the cheaper option only when the wall can take a skim. Plaster (or board and skim) instead when:

• The existing plaster is blown or hollow. Tap it, if it sounds hollow it has parted from the wall and a skim over the top will just crack and fall with it. It has to come off and be re-floated.
• There are cracks, holes or uneven patches. A skim follows the surface it goes on. It will not flatten a wall that is out, it needs a base coat to do that.
• The wall is bare masonry. Nothing to skim onto, it needs floating flat or boarding first.
• The surface is heavily textured, like old artex. That usually needs boarding over or a base coat, not a thin skim.

In short: sound and flat, skim it; anything less, plaster it. Skimming a wall that should have been plastered is the false economy that ends up costing twice.

What do you need to skim a wall?

Beyond the finish plaster and the tools, the prep is what makes a skim hold and finish well. From the plastering range you will typically want:

• PVA bonding to seal and control the suction of the background, so the skim does not dry too fast and craze.
• Scrim tape over any plasterboard joints and repairs, so they do not crack through the finish.
• Angle beads on external corners to give a straight, tough arris.

We supply the boards, beads, scrim, bonding and consumables for the job. We do not send a plasterer, the day rates above are typical market figures to help you budget, not our prices.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skimming over unsound plaster. If it is blown or hollow, a skim cracks straight off with it. Check before you quote.
• No suction control. Skimming onto a dry, dusty or thirsty wall with no PVA and the plaster grabs too fast and crazes. Seal it first.
• Expecting a skim to flatten a wall. It follows the surface. Out-of-flat walls need floating, not skimming.
• Skipping scrim on joints. Plasterboard joints and repairs must be scrimmed or they telegraph a crack through the finish.
• Assuming skim is always cheaper. It is cheaper only if the wall is sound. On a bad wall the right first-time job is to plaster.

The short version

Skimming costs around £8 to £15 per m² and plastering from bare around £18 to £30 per m², so yes, skimming is cheaper, because it is one finish coat rather than a full build-up. It is the right call on a sound, flat wall. On a cracked, blown or bare wall, plaster it properly the first time. Get the prep, boards, beads and scrim from the plastering range, or call the counter for a steer.

By Steve, Builders Hardware Direct. Steve runs the BHD trade counter and has spent years supplying plaster, boards, beads and scrim to plasterers across South Wales. Not sure what a job needs? Call the counter on 01269 267030 or order online for fast UK delivery.