Are your Tapers and Jointers Doing it Correctly?
Have you ever hired a team of Tapers and Jointers and felt they were taking shortcuts or bodging the process? Here are some tips to spot some of the most common things to look out for!
1. How many Coats is Correct – The 2 Coat Bodger!
The most common and easist shotcut made is – 2 Coating. Taping and jointing is a 3 Coat process. All joints and screw heads and external angles should be 3 coated. There is a reason for this.
When you 3 coat the finish coat is a smooth, precise, neat coat – Leaving minimal sanding for a perfect finish.
When you see a 2 coat bodger the 2nd coat is piled on, thick and rougher than it should be. This results in lots of sanding and inconsistencies with the finish.
2. External Corners – Cheap Flimsy Tape!
External corners need to be tough. Furniture hitting them and being knocked with everyday life.
The best thing to use is metal rigid angle bead – The same material plasterers use. It’s very durable. It creates very straight lines and is the best product on the market. If damaged its easy to fix.
The wrong material is a product called corner tape or flexitape – When finished this will look ok to the untrained eye. But clip it with a table and it is easily damaged. If damaged it cannot be repaired and has to be removed entirely. It is cheap and weak.
3. Task Lights – Are they Working in the Dark!
If you cannot see it, how can the finish be good? Sometimes work areas are dark, especially in winter and in rooms with few or no windows. Your contractor should invest in his equipment.
Screwfix and other suppliers sell task lights. Small battery rechargable powered lights. They cost between £18 and £40 and they are great. We have 5! It’s so simple.
If your guys work in the dark with minimal/no lighting you will have a problem eventually. It may be fine, it may decorate ok! But when the electrics go on and the room is lite up you will see everything. Now with little time left on the project you’re facing snags and redecoration.
4. Mess – Are They Wearing Half The Material!
It is impossible to stay 100% clean. It is messy. But a skillfull worker will minimise the mess. There shouldn’t be much material on the floor or the workers clothes. Electricians shouldn’t be picking up cables covered in jointing materials. Tapes shouldn’t be laying on the ground everywhere.
The correct way is as above. If you drop some wet material scrape it up. If your working on carpet or finished flooring use corex or dustsheets. When you’ve sanded vacuum the dust away. Take pride in your finish. Dispose of all waste in bins, skips or take it away with you.
Clean Floors – Happy Client
The incorrect way is someone who is covered in material. The floor is like an ice skating rink. They have no respect or thought for others. The knocking up area is a mess. Empty bags are everywhere. When they sand down all dust and mess is left on the floor – They then clear their tools and off they go. Even if the walls and ceilings are perfect the customers can only see the mess.
