more diy advice please

[Kelly4]

Hello all. I'm still kitchen-less and am working hard at completing my rustic, obra kitchen some time in 2006. So, some more DIY questions...

We bought a few bags of Mortero Blanco which had a similar consistency to the pre-mixed mortero gris, maybe a bit finer. When we went back to get some more, the bags were different and we presumed it was just a different brand. But the bags we've got now say Mortero Blanco, Capa Fina. Am I right in thinking that this is more akin to finishing plaster?

Does anyone have experience of Capa Fina? How's it best used? What are the applications? Can it be used to render interior walls/shelving or do we need to render with mortar first?

Also, if we're happy for a bit of a rough and rustic finish, is there any reason why we can't paint directly over mortero gris?

And finally, what consistency do people recommend for mortero gris (rendering and bricklaying)? My husband was told the mortar for bricklaying should be like poo but I'm a lady, so of course I don't poo and would prefer a food-based comparison like mashed potato or McDonalds milkshake.

Oh, sorry...one more thing...how do you know when to stop"working" the mortar/plaster and settle for a few lumps? Is there a rule of thumb?

Any other handy tips for laying bricks and rendering...and finishing... most welcome!!!

Cheers in advance,

Kelly

[hillybilly]

Capa fina is not supposed to be applied directly to bricks/blocks/concrete etc, it's supposed to be a thin finishing coat over a first coat of render.
No reason at all why you can't paint directly over the normal grey mortar finish if you're happy with the resulting finish.
Hey - I lived without a proper kitchen for months - you get used to it! At one point I had my electric oven wired up in the hall which was a bit of a talking point with a gas hob balanced on a table...