Plastering in Walsall

Walsall is a proud Black Country town built on leather, locks and hard work. St Matthew’s Church looks down from the hill over the market, the Arboretum gives the town its green heart, and round the centre sit Victorian terraces in Caldmore, Palfrey and the Chuckery, 1930s semis in Park Hall and along the Broadway, big post-war estates in Beechdale, Blakenall and the Yew Tree, and a mix of everything in Bloxwich, Rushall and Pelsall. RCR Connections Ltd plasters, re-plasters and repairs walls and ceilings in homes right across the borough.

We’re Birmingham based, covering the whole of the Midlands, and Walsall is a short run up the M6 for us. Our team has 62 years of combined experience. This page is about plastering inside the house: walls, ceilings, re-plastering and repairs. For the outside of the house, see our page on rendering in Walsall.

Plastering quotes in Walsall: WhatsApp me on 07453 614095 or message the page. We work Monday to Friday 7am to 5pm and Saturday 7am to 1pm, and we’re closed on Sundays.

Plastering, re-plastering and repairs in Walsall

Plastering walls and ceilings

A new coat of finish plaster over sound walls gives you a smooth, flat face that is ready for paint. It is the most common job we do in Walsall, after a rewire, when old paper comes off and the walls underneath are rough, or when a room just looks tired and patched. We protect the floors and furniture, prepare the walls, fix any loose areas, then put on the new coat and trowel it smooth.

Re-plastering

Sometimes the old plaster is too far gone to go over. It may be blown, cracked right through, crumbling or soft from old damp. Then we take it back to the brick or block and re-plaster from scratch, with a backing coat and a finish coat, or we board the wall and plaster over the boards. Re-plastering is common in the Victorian terraces of Caldmore and Palfrey and in older homes in Bloxwich and Pleck.

Plaster repairs

Not every job needs a whole room. We repair cracks, holes, blown patches, damage after a leak, chases left by electricians and plumbers, and damaged corners. Repairs are blended in so they don’t show once painted.

Ceilings

Old ceilings sag, crack and come down, most of all lath and plaster ceilings in older homes. We can over-board and plaster a ceiling, take down a failed one and put up new boards, or repair a small area. We also cover artex ceilings with a fresh, smooth coat.

Plasterboard and dry lining

For new walls, stud walls, loft rooms and extensions, we fit plasterboard and plaster it, or dry line walls where the old plaster has failed.

Coving

We fit coving to finish a room, and we can repair old coving where it has cracked or come away.

Walsall through the years

A market town on a hill

Walsall grew up round St Matthew’s Church on Church Hill and the market below it. It was a market town by the 13th century. Coal, lime and ironstone lay under the ground nearby, and by the 1700s the town was known for making buckles, bits, stirrups and other metal parts for horse harness.

The leather town

In the 19th century Walsall became the home of saddle and harness making, and leather goods are still made here. The Leather Museum on Wisemore tells the story. Brass, locks and keys were made nearby too, most of all in Willenhall. Canals, and then the railway in the 1840s, brought more works and more workers, and rows of brick terraces went up to house them.

Victorian and Edwardian homes

Caldmore, Palfrey, the Chuckery, Pleck, Birchills and the streets off the Lichfield Road, Wednesbury Road and Sutton Road are full of Victorian and Edwardian terraces and some larger villas. The Arboretum opened in 1874, and good houses went up round it. These homes have solid brick walls and, at first, lime plaster on the walls and lath and plaster ceilings. Much of that is still there, and much of it is now tired.

Between the wars

From the 1920s and 1930s, semis spread along the Broadway, the Lichfield Road and the roads into Park Hall, Rushall and Streetly. Many were built with hard wall plaster on brick and lath and plaster or early board ceilings. They are now close to a hundred years old.

After the war

After 1945, large council estates went up at Beechdale, Blakenall, Goscote, the Yew Tree estate, Mossley and Alumwell, and later round Bloxwich and Pelsall. Many have been improved over the years, and many still have their first plaster and artex ceilings. Newer homes have since been built on old works sites across the borough. The New Art Gallery opened by the canal basin in 2000.

The homes we plaster most in Walsall

Victorian terraces

Caldmore, Palfrey, the Chuckery, Pleck and Birchills. Solid brick walls with old lime plaster, often blown in places and patched many times. Lath and plaster ceilings that sag or crack. We re-plaster walls where the old plaster has failed, repair what is sound, and over-board or replace old ceilings.

Edwardian and larger Victorian homes

Round the Arboretum, along the Lichfield Road and the Sutton Road. High ceilings, bay windows, picture rails and coving. We take care to keep the features you want to keep, and to get high ceilings flat and true.

1930s semis

Park Hall, the Broadway, Rushall and the roads toward Streetly and Aldridge. Hard plaster on brick, often cracked and patched after years of wiring, central heating and new windows. Bay windows and curved walls need a careful hand. New plaster on the walls, and ceilings over-boarded where they have cracked.

Post-war estates

Beechdale, Blakenall, Goscote, the Yew Tree estate, Mossley, Alumwell, and parts of Bloxwich and Pelsall. Many still have their first plaster and artex ceilings. Covering artex, plastering walls after a rewire or new kitchen, and repairs.

1960s to 1980s homes

Across Bloxwich, Pelsall, Rushall and Walsall Wood. Cavity walls, plasterboard or plaster on block, and textured ceilings. Plastering over tired walls and covering artex are the main jobs here.

Newer homes

Newer estates on old works sites round the town. Plasterboard walls with dabs that can crack at joins and corners. We repair the cracks, tape the joins and re-plaster where needed.

Neighbourhood notes

Town centre and Church Hill

The old core round St Matthew’s and the market, with shops and flats above. Repairs in flats, offices and older buildings.

Caldmore and Palfrey

South of the centre. Busy streets of Victorian terraces. Old lime plaster, blown walls and lath ceilings. Full re-plasters and repairs.

The Chuckery and the Arboretum side

East of the centre. Victorian and Edwardian homes, some large. High ceilings, coving and careful work on old walls.

Park Hall and the Broadway

South-east, toward Streetly. Mostly 1930s semis and detached homes. Bay rooms, through lounges and ceilings.

Bloxwich and Leamore

North of the centre. An old town of its own with Victorian terraces, inter-war homes and post-war estates. A real mix of jobs.

Beechdale, Blakenall and Goscote

Post-war estates north and west of the centre. Artex covering, plastering after rewires, and repairs.

Rushall and Pelsall

North-east. Inter-war and post-war homes, with older cottages in Pelsall village. Plastering walls and ceilings, and repairs.

Pleck, Alumwell and Bescot

West of the centre, near the M6. Victorian terraces and post-war homes. Re-plastering and repairs.

Lime plaster in old Walsall homes

Victorian homes in Walsall were plastered with lime. Lime plaster is soft and lets the solid brick wall behind it breathe. It can last a very long time if the wall stays dry, but it is often damaged by leaks, by hard cement patches and by plastic paints and vinyl papers that trap damp.

When we work on these walls, we look at what is there first. Sound lime plaster can often be kept and repaired. Where it has blown or gone soft, we take it off and re-plaster. On solid walls that have had damp problems, the choice of backing plaster matters, and we will talk you through it. If damp is still coming in, it needs to be fixed first, or new plaster will fail too.

Lath and plaster ceilings

Many older Walsall homes still have lath and plaster ceilings: thin strips of wood with lime plaster pushed through and over them. With age, the plaster loses its grip on the laths and the ceiling starts to sag or crack. Signs to look for:

• A ceiling that dips in the middle or bulges.
• Long cracks, often running the same way as the joists.
• Bits of plaster on the floor, or a ceiling that sounds hollow when tapped.

We can over-board a ceiling that is sound enough to hold, or take it down and put up new boards, then plaster. Taking a ceiling down is dusty, so we seal the room off and protect the rest of the house.

Common plaster problems in Walsall

Blown plaster

Tap the wall. A hollow sound means the plaster has come away from the brick. Small areas can be cut out and patched. Big areas mean re-plastering.

Cracks

Fine cracks round doors, windows and ceilings are common in older homes and in newer ones with plasterboard. We cut out and fill them, use tape or mesh where needed, and plaster over.

Damp-damaged plaster

Plaster that has been wet for a long time goes soft and powdery and stains come through the paint. The cause must be found and fixed first. Then we take off the bad plaster and re-plaster.

Rough walls after stripping paper

Old paper often hides rough, patched walls. Once it comes off, a new coat of plaster gives you a smooth wall ready for paint.

Chases after a rewire

New cables and sockets leave chases and holes. We fill and plaster them so they disappear.

Artex ceilings

Textured ceilings date a room. We cover them with a smooth coat. If the artex is old, it may need testing first, and we will tell you when.

Artex in Walsall homes

Artex ceilings and walls were very popular from the 1960s to the 1980s, and you will find them all over Walsall’s post-war estates and inter-war semis. Artex put on before the mid-1980s may contain asbestos. It is safe if it is left alone, but it should not be sanded or scraped. We plaster over it without disturbing it, which is the safe way to cover it. If you are not sure, it can be tested before we start.

Getting the room ready

1. You clear what you can from the room. We help with heavy items.
2. Floors, doors and anything left in the room are covered.
3. Sockets and switches are loosened or covered.
4. Loose plaster, old filler and paper are taken off.
5. Cracks are opened up and filled, and beads go on at corners.
6. Bonding or sealing coats go on where needed.
7. The finish plaster goes on in two thin coats and is trowelled smooth.
8. We clean up and leave the room tidy.

Beads, tape and corners

• Angle beads give strong, straight corners that resist knocks.
• Stop beads give clean edges where plaster meets a frame or another surface.
• Scrim tape goes over board joins and cracks to stop them coming back.
• Mesh goes over joins between old and new walls.

New plaster and paint

New plaster needs to dry before it is painted. In a warm, airy room, a finish coat often takes about a week. Thicker re-plastering can take longer. When it is pale and even in colour all over, it is usually dry. The first coat of paint should be a mist coat, a watered-down emulsion that soaks in and seals the plaster. After that, paint as normal.

Extensions and loft rooms

New extensions and loft rooms need walls and ceilings plastered. We work with your builder or on our own, and plaster boards, block and new stud walls ready for decorating.

Kitchens and bathrooms

When old units or tiles come off, the wall behind is often damaged. We repair or re-plaster it so it is ready for new tiles or paint. In bathrooms we use boards and plasters suited to damp rooms.

Through lounges and knocked-through rooms

Lots of Walsall terraces and semis have had the front and back rooms knocked into one. The join where the wall came out often cracks, and the two old ceilings may not meet well. We level and plaster the whole ceiling so it looks like one room.

Stairs and landings

Stairwells are the hardest walls in most houses to reach, and they take a lot of knocks. We use proper towers or boards on the stairs, so the job is done safely and the walls end up flat.

Rented homes and landlords

Walsall has a large number of rented homes. Landlords need walls and ceilings repaired fast between tenants, or with tenants at home. We plan the work to keep the time a room is out of use as short as we can.

Looking after your plaster

• Let new plaster dry fully before painting.
• Use a mist coat first.
• Keep rooms aired, most of all kitchens and bathrooms.
• Deal with leaks quickly before they damage the plaster.
• Use the right fixings for shelves and TVs on plasterboard.

What to ask a plasterer

• Will you go over the old plaster or take it off?
• How will you protect my floors and furniture?
• Will you use beads on the corners?
• How long will it take to dry?
• Can I see rooms you have finished?

How a Walsall job runs

Photos

WhatsApp me photos of the room, the walls and ceilings, and your postcode.

Visit

We look at the walls, tap for blown plaster and talk through what you want.

Quote

A clear written quote setting out the work and how long it should take.

The work

Room protected, walls prepared, plaster on, room cleaned.

Walk round

We check every wall and ceiling with you before we leave.

Working safely and tidily

Dust sheets and floor protection on every job. Proper steps, boards and towers. Dust kept to the room we are working in as far as we can. Rubbish taken away, and the room left clean.

What a good finish looks like

• Flat, smooth walls with no trowel marks.
• Straight, sharp corners.
• Clean lines round frames, sockets and switches.
• Ceilings that are flat and even.
• Floors, skirting and frames left clean.

Damp walls and new plaster

Many older Walsall homes have had damp problems over the years. If a wall has had a damp course put in, the plaster on it usually needs to be replaced, and the backing coat matters. We will ask what was done to the wall, and by whom, so we pick the right plaster for it. If the cause of the damp hasn’t been dealt with, we will say so before we plaster, as new plaster on a wet wall won’t last.

Chimney breasts and old fireplaces

Victorian and inter-war homes have chimney breasts in most rooms. The plaster round old fireplaces is often cracked, stained or patched, and when a fire is opened up or closed off, the wall needs making good. We plaster round new openings and over closed ones so the wall looks right.

Bay windows and curved walls

1930s semis in Park Hall and along the Broadway often have big bay windows. The walls and ceilings in the bay have tricky angles and curves. We take care to keep them true and get crisp lines where the bay meets the room.

Picture rails, dado rails and coving

Many older homes still have picture rails, dado rails and coving. You may want to keep them or take them off. If they come off, we fill and plaster the line they leave. If they stay, we plaster neatly up to them. Old cracked coving can be repaired or replaced to match.

Plastering for new kitchens

When a new kitchen goes in, old tiles and units come off and the walls behind are often rough and uneven. We plaster them flat so the new units sit well and the new tiles or paint look right. We fit in with your kitchen fitter, so the walls are ready and dry in time.

Plastering after a leak

A burst pipe or a leak from above can soak a ceiling and walls. Once the leak is fixed and things have dried out, we take off the damaged plaster and repair or replace it. A sagging, wet ceiling needs care. If you see one, keep out of the room and turn off the water.

Garages and utility rooms

Garage conversions and utility rooms need their walls and ceilings boarded and plastered. Bare block walls can be plastered direct or dry lined. We will talk you through which is best for your room.

Questions we often get in Walsall

Can you plaster over my old walls?

If the old plaster is sound, yes. If it is blown, cracked through or damp, it needs to come off first. We tap every wall before we decide.

My ceiling is cracked all over. Does it have to come down?

Not always. Often we can over-board it and plaster, which is quicker and less messy. If it is sagging badly, it may need to come down.

Can you cover my artex ceiling?

Yes. We plaster over artex without disturbing it.

How soon can I paint?

Usually about a week for a finish coat in a warm, airy room. Longer for thick re-plastering or in winter.

The year in plastering

Plastering is an inside job, so we work all year round. In winter, new plaster takes longer to dry, so keep the heating on low and a window open a little. In summer, rooms that get a lot of sun can dry plaster too fast, so we may keep the blinds down while we work.

If you have just moved in

If you have just bought a home in Walsall, the walls and ceilings are best sorted before you decorate, put down new carpets or move furniture in. We can plaster several rooms in one go so you are ready to paint.

Why plastering makes such a difference

Smooth, flat walls make a room look bigger and brighter, and paint goes on easier and lasts longer. Cracks and patches disappear. A well plastered ceiling makes a room feel fresh. It is one of the best things you can do to a tired room.

Plaster or dry lining?

There are two main ways to get a new, smooth wall.

• Wet plaster goes straight onto brick or block in a backing coat, then a finish coat. It is hard, solid and good on walls that will take knocks. It takes longer to dry.
• Dry lining means fixing plasterboard to the wall, then putting a finish coat over it. It is quicker to dry and good on walls that are very uneven or where the old plaster has failed badly.

On old solid walls in Caldmore, Palfrey and Pleck, the right choice depends on the state of the wall and whether there has been damp. We will look at it and tell you what we think suits it best.

Uneven walls in old houses

Walls in Victorian homes are rarely straight. They lean, bow and dip, and the corners are not square. We can make them a lot flatter, but on very old walls we will talk to you first about how far to go. Sometimes a wall that follows the line of the house looks better than one forced flat, and it is quicker and less disruptive.

Cold walls and black mould

Solid brick walls in older Walsall homes are colder than cavity walls. In winter, damp air from cooking, washing and drying clothes settles on them, and black mould can grow in corners and behind furniture. New plaster won’t cure that on its own. Good airflow, extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms, and keeping furniture a little off the wall all help. We will give you honest advice on what is plaster and what is air.

Bloxwich and the old High Street

Bloxwich has its own High Street, with shops and flats above, old pubs and Victorian homes behind it. Flats above shops often have old ceilings and walls that need care. We plan the work round the shop below and keep dust and noise down.

Willenhall and Darlaston

Willenhall is famous for lock making, and many of its older terraces were homes and small workshops for lock makers. Darlaston has its own mix of Victorian terraces and post-war homes. Both have plenty of old lime plaster, lath ceilings and patched walls. We plaster, re-plaster and repair in both.

Flats and maisonettes

Walsall has many blocks of flats and maisonettes, some low-rise and some taller. Getting materials in and rubbish out takes planning, and the work has to fit round neighbours. We protect lifts, stairs and shared halls, and keep the job tidy. If you rent from a housing group, check with them before any work.

Old wiring, pipes and plaster

If you are having a rewire or new heating, have it done before we plaster. Chasing cables into new plaster means patching it again. We are happy to fit our work round your electrician and plumber so each trade follows on neatly.

Before you sell

Buyers notice cracked ceilings and patched walls. A fresh coat of plaster and a coat of paint can make a home look clean and well kept for photos and viewings. Send us photos and we will tell you which rooms will make the most difference.

Picking the right time

Because plastering is inside work, the weather doesn’t stop us. Most people like to have it done in one block, room by room, so they only live with the mess once. If you have a lot of rooms to do, we can work round you so you always have somewhere to sit and sleep.

Rooms we plaster most

• Living rooms and through lounges: walls after paper comes off, ceilings with cracks or artex.
• Bedrooms: ceilings that sag, walls with cracks and old patches.
• Kitchens: walls after old units and tiles come off.
• Bathrooms: walls and ceilings in damp rooms, with the right boards and plaster.
• Halls, stairs and landings: walls that take knocks, and tall stairwells.
• Extensions and loft rooms: new boards and block, plastered ready for paint.

Dust and mess

Plastering is messy if it is done badly. We cover floors, stairs and furniture, seal doors where needed, and carry rubbish out as we go. When a ceiling has to come down, we close the room off and protect the rest of the house. At the end of the day the room is swept and tidy.

Plaster in old shops and works turned into homes

Round the canal and the edge of the town centre, some old shops, works and warehouses have been turned into homes. Their walls are often a mix of old brick, newer block and boards, and they may have tall ceilings. Each part needs the right backing, and joins between old and new need tape or mesh so they don’t crack. We look at each wall and plan the job so the finish is even all over.

Small jobs welcome

Not every job is a full room. A patch after a leak, a crack over a door, a hole where a fireplace came out or a wall chased for new sockets are all jobs we are happy to do. Send us a photo and we will tell you what is needed.

Areas we cover around Walsall

We plaster homes across the whole borough, including the town centre, Caldmore, Palfrey, the Chuckery, Park Hall, Pleck, Birchills, Alumwell, Bescot, Bloxwich, Leamore, Beechdale, Blakenall, Goscote, Mossley, Rushall, Pelsall, Walsall Wood, Brownhills, Willenhall and Darlaston.

Nearby pages include rendering in Walsall, plastering in West Bromwich, plastering in Wolverhampton, plastering in Sutton Coldfield, plastering in Lichfield and plastering in Burntwood. See every town on our plastering areas page.

Nearby, we also cover plastering in Oldbury.

More services: Plastering repairs · Plastering and coving · Plastering extensions and lofts.

Get a plastering quote in Walsall

WhatsApp me on 07453 614095 or message the page. Send pictures or videos via WhatsApp for a quick response, a free quote and advice. Send a photo of each wall and ceiling and your postcode.

Opening hours: Monday to Friday 7am to 5pm, Saturday 7am to 1pm, Sunday closed.

You can also email rcrconnectionsltd@gmail.com or use our contact page. See finished jobs on our projects page.

More from RCR Connections Ltd: All plastering and rendering services · Rendering in Walsall · Plastering areas · Areas we cover