Taping or plastering? You decide

**admin** · 14-12-2008, 08:33 PM

You can debate the good and bad points of either trade.

Who earns nearly half as much salary as a plumber does, who has bigger arms than Popeye, who's shoulders and neck hurts the most, and what method leaves the best finish. Perhaps we should let the painters and decorators decide.

Round 1. Ding ding

**Burdie** · 14-12-2008, 10:40 PM

Which is the cheapest and which the quickest?

**amestaper** · 15-12-2008, 11:56 PM

It was a no brainer which one I was voting for.

Originally Posted by Burdie

Which is the cheapest and which the quickest?

Hi Burdie, taping is definitely cheaper, roughly 50% of plastering, but the speed the job gets finished at depends on a number of factors. For example, how large the job is and how many guys are doing the job, and what climate you're working in. You can only really compare the 2 trades over plasterboard because you cant skim brickwork with joint cement.

I reckon taping dries quicker, but it is not as tough as plastering. Taping only skim coats the joints and screw holes, while plaster coats the whole area. Taping needs sanded, plaster doesn't. Both have good and not so good points and both are perfectly relevant arguments. It really boils down to personal choice and costs, especially when large housebuilding companies are involved in the mix as they have profit margins and shareholders to keep happy.

The end result is exactly the same where the homeowner and client is concerned. What trade leaves the best finish, I dont know as I'm not a plasterer. The painters can decide that.

PS. You've already dipped your toe in the water with a DIY taping job, have you tried plastering yet?

**the_tapeinator** · 16-12-2008, 10:49 PM

Done properly, taping on both counts. I dont want to vote myself out of a job and turkeys dont vote for xmas.

**stoobs** · 22-12-2008, 08:40 PM

:soapbox: Im a painter, said it before and I'll say it again, taping leaves a far sweeter finish!!!

**johnk** · 23-12-2008, 01:10 PM

With taping the surface paper from the sheeting can come off or blister when stripping wallpaper if it hasnt been sealed properly. Plaster is much tougher will last longer covers up all the plasterboard rather than the joins and can better soundproof and walls and ceilings. Screw holes can also pop, and the job is very dusty, but it helps to be able to do both jobs these days depending on which part of the country you live in as some areas are all taped out.

Plastering. Gonna let my fellow spreads know about this site and try and even the score up.

Merry Xmas!

**admin** · 23-12-2008, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by johnk

Plastering. Gonna let my fellow spreads know about this site and try and even the score up.

Merry Xmas!

Please do spread the word, theres lots of room here for plasterers.

**llewellyn** · 19-02-2012, 11:00 PM

taping is much better than plastering in my opinion its alot sharper on the corners and warmer and alot quicker

**DMC** · 20-02-2012, 11:14 AM

Speaking as a taper it has to be taping, with my decorators hat on it would still be taping.

**E.K Taper** · 20-02-2012, 10:36 PM

Taping for me, although I've never even tried plastering tbh- just never had the opporchancity to give it a go. Plastering has its uses though, like in old houses it looks good. But plaster over drywall? Never! Waste of time IMO, the plasterboard IS the plaster

**TonyM** · 21-02-2012, 07:33 PM

I'm a jointer, but my house is plastered. Says it all I think.

**JON RAMBO** · 21-02-2012, 09:12 PM

i'm a plasterer/dryliner, there is good and bad with both, problem with plastering is there's so many roofer/bricky/plasterers who think they can plaster so its killed the game, and most tapers started out as painters so there's no real skill involved. trouble at the min is the money has gone out of it so there is a lot of crap around, but there is a need for both lucky for me so i stay neutral!

**Spunky** · 26-03-2012, 04:08 PM

I think all reveals should be tape jointed, skimmed reveals can look ugly done badly bumps etc

**scottishlad2k10** · 03-04-2012, 09:15 PM

id rather tape a house than plaster one....... skimming over plasterboard with multifinish isnt ideal 2-3mm thick coat........ cracks start appearing within days. could see the difference if bonding or browning or some type of undercoat was applied before.

plaster takes days to dry........seen some taking weeks!

you could easily have oak flooring in a house your taping piled up airing...... while taping the building. as for plastering the moisture content in the house would be greater and you couldnt have the flooring there