Walls
Tired, patchy or uneven walls given a new finishing coat, ready to paint or paper.
Skimming in Poole & Dorset
Walls & ceilings skimmed smooth and ready to paint
A fresh skim coat over tired walls, cracked ceilings and new plasterboard, for homes across Poole, Bournemouth and Dorset.
- Free, no-obligation quotes
- Walls, ceilings & new boards
- Clean & tidy on every job
Since 2015Poole & Dorset
Plaster Skimming in Poole & Dorset
Get in TouchWant smooth walls and ceilings without the mess of a full re-plaster? Four Four Finishes skims walls and ceilings in homes across Poole, Bournemouth and the rest of Dorset.
A skim coat is a thin layer of finishing plaster, just a few millimetres thick, trowelled smooth over a sound surface. It covers old paint, filler marks, dents and hairline cracks, and turns new plasterboard into a hard, smooth wall or ceiling that’s ready to decorate.
It’s the quickest way to transform a tired room. The walls or ceiling of an average room can often be skimmed in a day or so (see how long it takes to plaster a room), and we protect your floors and furniture while we work.
What We Skim walls, ceilings and new boards
A skim needs sound plaster underneath. If yours has failed, see re-plastering or plaster repairs first.
Cracked and uneven ceilings skimmed smooth. Loose or sagging ceilings are secured or boarded first.
Joints taped and the boards skimmed in extensions, loft conversions and new stud walls.
After Wallpaper
Walls left marked and rough after stripping wallpaper, skimmed for a clean, smooth finish.
Painted Walls
Sound painted walls prepared so the new plaster bonds properly, then skimmed.
From a single wall to every room in the house, finished to the same standard.
Want smoother walls and ceilings?
Tell us about the rooms you’d like skimmed and we’ll arrange a time to take a look. You’ll get a free, no-obligation quote with the work and the price set out clearly.
Interior Services
Exterior Services
Since 2015
What Makes a Good Skim and when it isn’t enough
A good skim is flat, with no trowel marks, ridges or bumps showing when the light hits it. That depends on the preparation as much as the plastering: loose paint and filler removed, cracks taped, new boards jointed, and the surface treated so the plaster doesn’t dry too fast.
Skimming only works over plaster that’s firmly stuck to the wall. If it sounds hollow, crumbles or has come away, the new coat can crack or come off with it. Our guide to skimming vs re-plastering explains how to tell.
A skim usually needs about a week to dry in a warm, ventilated room before you paint. See how long plaster takes to dry for how to mist coat it.
How Skimming Works from visit to finish
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Visit and quote
We check the walls and ceilings, tell you whether a skim will do, and give you a free, no-obligation quote.
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Protect and prepare
Floors and furniture are covered, loose material is removed, cracks are taped and the surface is prepared.
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Skim
Two thin coats of finishing plaster are applied and trowelled smooth.
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Clean up
We clear up before we leave and let you know how long to leave it before decorating.
Why Choose Four Four Finishes?
Searching for a dependable plastering company near you?
At Four Four Finishes, we are trusted by homeowners throughout Bournemouth, Poole and the wider Dorset area for several reasons.
We have years of experience in plastering, rendering and dry lining
Our professional, friendly and reliable service is unmatched
As a business, we ensure that only the highest-quality materials are used in our work
All our pricing is competitive and our quotes transparent
What Our Customers Say
5.0 out of 5 from 15 reviews on Yell (opens in a new tab)
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Skim plastering Plasterboard Walls and Ceilings
Tom skim plastered two small rooms in our cottage. The work was done in a day. Tom was very polite and completed the work to a high standard. The the job was left clean and tidy. We are very happy with the work. We would use Tom again.
SimonL-1056 September 2026 · Yell review -
Brilliant lime plasterer
Tom was an absolute genius. Had a large room lime plastered. Took 3 days. They were quiet and very clean. The results were amazing. Wish I had found this company earlier and highly recommend
EmmaF-718 November 2025 · Yell review -
Excellent work.
Tom delivered outstanding workmanship with impressive efficiency, completing the job promptly and to a superb standard. He was attentive to every detail I requested and showed genuine consideration for everyone in the household, keeping the space clean, tidy, and disruption to a minimum throughout. A pleasure to deal with, and I wouldn’t hesitate to call on him again.
Read the full review from JamesB-854880JamesB-854880 October 2025 · Yell review
Skimming FAQs
What is plaster skimming?
A thin coat of finishing plaster, a few millimetres thick, applied over a sound wall, ceiling or plasterboard and trowelled smooth. It gives a new, even surface that’s ready to decorate.
Can you skim over old plaster?
Yes, as long as it’s firmly attached. Loose or blown areas are cut out and repaired first, then the whole surface is skimmed.
Can you skim a ceiling?
Yes. Sound ceilings, including old ones with hairline cracks, can be skimmed smooth. If a ceiling is sagging or loose, it needs securing, boarding over or replacing first.
Can you skim over painted walls?
Usually, yes, as long as the paint and the plaster underneath are sound. The wall is prepared first so the new plaster bonds properly.
How long does it take to skim a room?
The walls or ceiling of an average room are often skimmed in a day or so. The plaster then needs to dry before decorating, often about a week.
Do you skim new plasterboard?
Yes. The joints are taped and the boards are skimmed, ready to decorate. We can fit the plasterboard too.