Plastering that leaves a wallflat, sound and readyfor paint, not for arguments.

New stud partitions and masonry walls are boarded with plasterboard fixed mechanically at the correct centres, or bonded with dot-and-dab adhesive on masonry where that suits the build-up. Joints are taped and filled before skimming so the finished wall does not telegraph a line under paint once the light hits it side-on.

Insulated plasterboard is used where a wall needs improved thermal performance without losing internal space, which comes up often in extensions and renovations tying old fabric into a new insulation strategy.

A skim coat is a two-coat gypsum finish trowelled to a smooth, flat surface ready for mist coat and paint. On new boarding this follows straight after taping and filling. On a re-skim, existing plaster is hacked back to sound background first: skimming over loose or blown plaster just delays the failure rather than fixing it.

Ceilings are treated with particular care, since sagging boards or a poorly fixed skim show up immediately under any overhead light. Where an old ceiling has come away from its laths, we assess whether it needs full replacement rather than a patch that will crack again along the same line.

Cob, cordwood and solid stone walls common in older North Devon cottages need to move moisture out through the wall rather than trap it. Lime plaster, applied in the right number of coats over a suitable lath or key, allows that movement to continue and avoids the damp problems that follow sealing a breathable wall behind gypsum or cement.

Lime work takes longer to cure between coats than gypsum, and we build that time into the programme rather than rushing a material that needs it. Matching an existing lime finish on a partial repair also means matching the mix and the trowel technique, not just the colour.

Render systems are chosen against the wall build-up and the exposure the property faces: traditional sand and cement with a scratch, float and top coat, through-coloured monocouche render for lower maintenance, or lime render on solid-walled buildings where breathability matters.

Detailing carries the render through the winters that follow: bellcasts to throw water clear of openings, movement joints where render spans different substrates, and correctly formed reveals and cills. Coastal exposure towards Braunton and Ilfracombe pushes those details harder than a sheltered inland wall ever will.

On new builds and extensions, plastering follows first fix carpentry, electrics and plumbing, once insulation is in and the shell is weathertight. Being the same firm that carried out the carpentry means door linings and window boards are already sitting true, so the plasterer is not fighting an out-of-square opening.

On standalone repair jobs, we work around your household: dust sheeting, room-by-room sequencing where you are staying in the property, and clear drying-time advice so you know when it is safe to decorate.