2026-04-10
Do I need plasterboarding before plastering?
When you can skim straight over existing walls and when boarding out is the right call.
Not every job needs new plasterboard. If your existing walls are sound, flat-ish and not blown, a skim coat is often the simplest and most cost-effective route to a great finish.
Boarding out makes sense when the existing plaster is failing, when you've got bare brick or block, when you've removed walls or knocked through, or when you're over-boarding a really uneven ceiling instead of pulling it down.
There are two main ways: dot & dab (boards stuck to solid walls with adhesive) and screw-fixing to a timber or metal frame. Each has its place — Darren will recommend whichever fits the job and your budget.
Done well, boarding gives you a perfectly flat, true surface ready for a skim. Done badly, it leaves lumps and joints showing through forever. Worth doing properly.