Professional Builder puts the questions to Toupret on its new Joint, Skim & Fill range.
What’s the story behind the new Joint, Skim & Fill range?
Professionals had been increasingly asking us for plasterboard jointing and skimming products. There are already several products in the Toupret range that do these tasks, but we realised there was a need for a really great quality system of products that does the job from beginning to end. Pros were telling us that they were interested in a solution that gets the job done quickly, but obviously they didn’t want to compromise on quality. We were able to develop a range with the same great quality that professional tradespeople have come to expect from Toupret products, and to introduce a few new features too.
So what does it do that conventional fillers or plastering can’t do?
The range is specially formulated to joint, skim and fill with one coat. Plus, there’s no need to prime the surface and no shrinkage. Saving on steps like this means the job gets done quicker, and you can save on materials. At the back end of the job, it’s also easy to sand, and you don’t have to spot prime before painting. We also have a Quick Dry product that’s ready to paint in three hours, so it really is possible to get the walls completely finished to an excellent standard in just one day.
Is it compatible with other surfaces and coatings?
Yes, the range is really versatile on that front. All Toupret fillers are compatible with each other. As well as plasterboard, this range can be applied to previously painted surfaces, plaster as well as cement, concrete, masonry and stone. It can also be overcoated with any conventional paint or wall coverings without a mist coat.
What are the products?
Joint, Skim & Fill: Powder in 5kg and 10kg bags
Joint, Skim & Fill Quick Dry (ready to paint in 3 hours): Powder in 5kg, 10kg
Joint & Skim (for manual or machine applications): Ready Mixed in 20kg bucket
Patch and Repair Filler Quick Dry (ready to paint in 3 hours): Powder in 1kg, 2kg, 5kg
Patch and Repair Filler: Ready mixed in 1.5kg tub
Step 1 – Preparation
Joint, Skim & Fill can be applied directly to the plasterboard. There’s no need to prime or seal the surface with PVA as you would when plastering. The adhesion of the filler is more than enough without this (whether on painted or unpainted substrates). In fact, the filler is moisture-vapour permeable, so avoiding a primer allows the substrate to breathe and lets out any moisture in the wall.
Step 2 – Tape or scrim the joints
Because Joint, Skim & Fill is a one-coat filler, we like to use a self-adhesive scrim or tape directly on the joint. That way, you can apply your joint filler over the top rather than bedding the tape into a first coat and applying a second coat later.
Step 3 – Mix up the filler
Add the powder to the water. Depending on the filler formula, Joint, Skim & Fill mixing rates are 380 – 450ml of water per 1kg powder. As a rule of thumb, if the filler stays on the filling knife when you turn it over, you’ve got the consistency about right. If it’s too loose, add more filler. If you’re struggling to get the filling knife in, add more water. Be careful, though – a ‘spreading’ mix for jointing and skimming works better if it’s a bit looser than a ‘filling’ mix for gaps and holes. Detailed mixing rates are on the back of the pack.
Step 4 – Joint
Apply the filler over the joint with a caulker or similar tool. Allow to set for 45 minutes then sand if you’d like to, and dust the surface down. As you have only applied one coat, the sanding should be minimal!
Step 5 – Skim
For the best surface finish before painting, you can skim the whole surface using a caulking knife or trowel. Don’t worry if you get slight ‘tramlines’. These will sand out easily after the filler has set.
Step 6 – Paint
If you’re using the Quick Dry version of the product, it’ll be ready to paint in three hours. You don’t need to mist coat the surface before painting as you might with plaster. The paint won’t be sucked in or flash or grin, so you can complete the filling, jointing, skimming and painting all in one day!
