Been plastering over 20 yr now, all you say is correct. I do believe u need to be able to do all. I use all methods it’s just what works at the time. Whatever gets u to the perfect finish is what counts. Keep it going

I’m not a plasterer but fancied giving it a go. I struggled with flatness using the “traditional” methods but using a sponge I managed to get a lovely finish. Well worth the few quid for one.

as a chippy ... thankyou for cleaning up the door linings and not leaving a bmx size ramp of plaster at the bottom of the wall, my arcs and skirting goes on so much better when the spreads tidy their work. :)

Seen a few sponge-floated walls recently and been well impressed with the uniformity in the finish. This vid has definitely convinced me to give it a go over the conventional method. Love the content 👍🏼 keep it up and thanks!

Been plastering 35 year used sponge method on and off just done a few walls on a staircase it reminded me how easy it is and what a finish it leaves top drawer 👍

Been plastering 30 years just started sponge floating.. what a finish it leaves , I do two swipes with a steel trowel and cross trowel with a Nela plastic love it.. Should have done this years ago.

Just about to embark on my first plastering projects. Thank you for your videos mate I can tell you’ve already saved me time money and stress braking down the different methods so it’s not confusing or overwhelming. Massive 👍

I always use my spongefloat it leaves a beautiful finish easier. I got myself a speedskim a few months back and still not sure about it but will keep trying

You're so neat mate, I get in such a mess when plastering 😂

Definitely going to give the sponge float a go never used it on gypsum but love it for sand and cement render. Thanks for the upload really helpful 👍

Good wee video mate. Haven't used a sponge float for 20 Years. Only ever used one if the mix was setting too fast to bring it back to life.

Very informative thank you 👍 At present ive just got all the gear and no idea 🥴 but I certainly feel more confident after watching that. Thankfully mine is more patchwork on the ceiling. Where i stupidly 😞 drilled through a pipe in the bedroom and brought part of the ceiling down 😯 Not my finest hour!😭 And then some patchwork to the interior, exterior walls 🙄 Slightly different, but same principles ......... isn't it 😧??

I've been a sponge monkey the last few years, since following Gary (plastering force) on youtube..for all the reasons you stated at the end. He helped me so much, patiently answering a barrage of questions. Keep up the good work mate 👍

Thanks for the great vids Blaine. I have attempted 2 walls now which have turned out pretty good. Still room for improvements. I’m now gonna try sponge float on my next wall. Keep up the great vids. All the best.

Thanks for giving us your time mate just recently qualified an just gonna try my friends bathroom I been finding your videos most helpful once again cheers fella

For someone whom don't do it often, that's a nice finish. Good job. Have me a better idea of how to do my hallway Wall.

Ok - I got the paid course + watched all of the vids from your channel (multiple times) + spend fortune on tools + transcribed all directions on paper (so I can follow them easily). First coat of pva is already on the wall and two bags of multifinish are waiting ready. Buckets and tools are set-up. Tomorrow I will do my first ever skim coat :) If it does not work out ok, I will do it again and again. Wish me luck !!!

I always sponge floated and get great results can take on more walls and finish them up quicker as a whole, I would swap your small fine grade sponge for an 18 inch medium grade Refina and use a steel 1.2 meter speed skim to close it in I am a builder but have plastered for years and even though I do say so myself can do a better job than a lot of so-called PLASTERS, I recently completed an extension job and did a few walls myself when the plasterer wasn’t present and let him complete all the rest of it, in the end the client had her brother a decorator who went over the lot of it with emulation and when painting commented that my walls were far superior to the professional plasterer

Sponge floating is so handy but I only do it on walls I think need it or if I think my 1st flatten isnt going the way i want it great upload m8👍

Am in the game 30 years and I’ve seen every fad , new invention and tried em all, now I’m a great believer in every man to his own and basically if the customer is happy and you get paid it’s been a success , but I find the sponge float unnecessary if the walls 90% flat and true , the only time I bring the sponge float out is if the walls not even and you have 3 mm here and 5 mm there the sponge is brilliant for floating it level but it does prolong the job so I only use it when it’s realy needed as most of my work is price work I’m paid by the m2 and I can get a hell of a lot more plaster on the walls/ceiling if I’m not sponging , nothing wrong with a sponge and as I say every man/woman to there own .

it does leave a better flatter finish you are 100% spot on

Here in the USA we always use the red float which is a hard sponge float for exterior wall because it's easy to spread the mud n the walls,. For interior walls we use the square trowels but myself I prefer to use the pool trowels that don't leave all the marks and lines

Hey bud. Been on trowel 20 years. I fell in love with sponge method but soon went back to my old traditional method lol you will too. My rendering has never been top drawer but after watching your video I smashed it out the park. Keep up the good work mate. The Happi plasterer.

I tried to dry trowel with my plastic and it leaves these little micro scratches. So for me dry trowel with steel sometimes flatten with plastic. Sponge has a time and a place. 🤙🏼 gr8 vid though

Just started doing sponge floating after 27 years of plastering,what a difference wish I had done it years ago.

Looking forward to trying this!

Top tip for beginners wet the dry edge of the ceiling or any dry edge with a paintbrush and water before you get skimming it will help you with a lot

I will have to give it a try....been years since I used the the sponge :)

Iv been using the sponge no for a few years , with the ox flex trowel after an a much better finish I think

I've been plastering for a few years now. I use a metal to put on and plastic to flatten and trowel up. I have tried sponge floating once or twice but I never feel too comfortable using this method. I find using a plastic trowel instead of metal is far easier and leaves a decent finish in my view. However, I can see the merit in using a sponge. The fact you physically flatten the wall must mean it ends up flatter than a traditional method. I'll give it another go at some point. See if I can perfect it.

only ever used it on backing coat. Think I tried it once but it dug into the plaster. Maybe i did it too soon

Thanks for that dude. Doing my bro's house this week. Very helpful.

Can you do a video on how to get striaght corners on corners and ceilings,

Plaster on the edge of the door linings are a nightmare for the decorator also because the chipee will not remove it it's down to the decorator

sponging is good and its been done for years, the chap who put me on to it had been doing it for the last 30 years so its not new, but only thing is, id use my marshalltown not the flexi, that only comes out for last trowel, ive done what you did and used it early and got caught out, but youll not know unless you got back after its painted and put a light down the wall, so to flatten in after sponging id use my marshalltown, prob twice more after sponging, then use the nela midiflex or refina sf2, slightly stiffer than the first flexis that came out and imo better............

It’s a big taboo subject, but one coat sponging is a legit way. Cuts an hour off your set and gives same results. There’s too much focus on what BG say regarding two coating, a good plasterer can handle the multi finish with 1,2 or 7 coats it’s all about technique and experience. It is a touchy subject though.

Don’t use the speed skim and don’t flatten the second coat!! Sponging wet moves your fat around well enough to flatten it out very well.

he didnt mention...not only do you wet the wall...YOU WET THE SPONGE FLOAT TOO

What about it weakening the surface of plaster because you are basically using fat to trowel up with

Awesome work as always mate. Are you pressing hard when you’re taking out your sponge lines? I find the sponge kinda scratches my first coat sometimes and the lines are stubborn to swipe out. Any ideas mate?

Hi Blaine, great vid. DIYer by going to try sponge float on next wall I do . 2 questions . What size sponge float are you using? and noticed you are not using speedsk im ( just bought one OMG) on 2nd FF patterning ?

Great Video! I use sponge after flattening 2nd coat and as a beginner I have to say it's a lot easier than traditional plastering and final effect is amazing.

When I was an apprentice plasterer many years ago I was told in the olden days they sponge floated there work with a wood grain float I just assumed it died out as time went on or it wasn't as effective as first thought but it seems to be creeping back in and fellow spreads are swearing by it

What’s the difference between metal and plastic speedskims? Thanks

40 yrs traditional ,3yrs sponging,I won't be without the sponge now

Well, I'll never be as good as a professional plasterer. No question there.

Sponge is a 💯method but trowels’ normally adopt a plastering system a stick with it. Though it’s better to be flexible in systems tools and products. Otherwise you get left behind

Hi there - great video for us as beginners having a go at doing up our house! We have done a couple of walls but want to try the sponge float. Did you just do a single skim coat on this? I have been doing a 2mm, then a 1mm layer? Thanks!

Lovely finish mate

Hi has anyone got any tips for doing curved ceiling my trowel digs in arghhhhhhh

Another great video keep up the good work mate :)

Good job great it's also my father job

U do that on ceiling to

after 2nd coat I flatten with speed skim then sponge the plastic trowel and then flexi

Lay on with stainless then trowel up with plastic and it comes up mint, put 2 coats on with stainless then flatten and trowel up with plastic it's leaves it perfect,

58 years old been plastering approx 35 years ; loving the videos Blaine 👍

For a beginner which route is best to go down, only done a handful of wall the traditional way.

Keep them coming bud great advice 👍👍👍👍

What's the point in doing 2 coats? Does it make it easier to get a good finish? Thanks

Believe it or not sponge floating is not recommended by the plaster companies and they wont stand over it as paint might not key

Like the idea of the speed skim. I’ve used both methods of skimming. Sponge float, and traditional, do agree better finish with sponge. Is there any chance you could post some external rendering vids, that’s where lack confidence. 👍

Another good vid everyone will have an opinion on spongeing some will love it some will think it’s not plastering at all always a good mix ..,.do you still prefer the Refina spat to the Ox spat or have you come around to the Ox

I was taught to float up with a wooden float, I must be old 😎

Great vid, will give this a go ! What sizes have you gone for with you sponge float and super flex ?

I tried it once on a hot day matey and it didn’t turn out quite as well as I’d hoped but in all fairness it was probably a timing issue so when I move house and have to skim artex ceilings I will give it another go , great insight buddy , by the way what’s your thoughts on stilts 👍

Gracias 😊

cant say ive used a sponge , but looks good... what a bout a large ceiling say 50m2 would you do the same?? .all the best .john

That is awesome..

Where do you get your brushes from cheers mate 👍

Hi blain , I’ve never tried the sponge but I just can’t get my head round why it’s better If you have flattened on board why sponge . If sand cement render I can understand keeping a float flat to take off high spots etc . It just seems it’s just more work to do and something else to wash . Not doughting ya mate .

Congratulations Blaine on your engagement . Mate , I got this video suggested , thought it was going to be about Rockcote Sponge Finish ( remember it ) verse Sand / Cement Render , then your mug comes up on screen 😂. Good luck with your channel , sent the link to Paul and Gordy . Miss proper inside plastering mate . 🇳🇿🇬🇧

Good vid have u tried any bigger areas though with the sponge how far u think u could do without turning back n trowelling up especially n this muggy weather The finer float a bit more forgiving though 👍

I Need to buy all the tools, can please suggest me which? From the video I can't understand the brand and the dimensions of the tolls

Hi mate hope your well did u ever carry on with the sponge?? 👍👍

can i learn with you

Silly questions: 1. Do you actually need flattening right after a second coat if you are going to sponge float and then flattening it anyway? 2. Why can't you do flattening with that speed-thingy every time, why only once with it? It seems so much quicker and easier than with a trowel. I'm perfectly newbie with plastering but I'd like to try lime plastering (hydraulic lime powder) with two small walls in my bedroom. Would it be ok if I'll use plastic trowel with both coats, do all flattenings with that speed-thingy and sponge float after a second coat as you showed? Professionals, your advice will be much appreciated.

Looks a lot of legwork, just follow the instructions on the bags.

Is there a difference between fine and medium course sponge floats with this method? Cheers

What you think about using cream of tartar?

hi Blaine, great vid by the way, completely agree with guys below thanks to gazza from plastering force "top man" who introduced me to the sponge method it's really got me out of the sh..poop on backgrounds that have given me a hard time , thumbs up for sponge from me 👍👍 atb simon

Wat is best way to clean a sponge float please reply

Is the that base coat. Is it always brown?

Wickexs sponges all day no other comes close

How dry do you let the wall get before you spray and sponge?

Never come across flat walls from people who use sponges on site before, most people don’t care tho lol

how long do you wait to dry trowel after the wet one?

I don't think there's anything unprofessional about using a sponge float Me and a friend done a wall each he used a trowel I used a spunge yes I won that one. Funny enough he uses a sponge now and he's been plastering 10 year's. Lol

Traditional all the way my boss went mental when I asked him if I could use all the new tools he said don't take the piss learn the right way and you can't go wrong

Been sponge float plastering for almost 20 years get a better finish

Full of crap...