wall plaster

Different Types of Plastering Options

Understanding wall coverings will help you know how essential interior wall surfaces for a structure to last. When you’re building a home or having a renovation project, wall surfaces finishes are significant aspects in such an endeavour.

Old homes, built before the 50s, have plaster ceilings and walls that are that use common materials. Plastering wasn’t for mere luxury. This process is employed to apply finishing on interior walls, whether you cover it with wallpaper or not.

Plastering is the perfect solution for challenging wall designs and complicated wall surfaces. With a beautiful look, plastering enhances the appearance of the walls and ceilings. The process involves coating a thin layer of cement over the rough surface. Excellent plastering involves two main objectives: first, to protect against moisture penetration from rainwater and environmental factors; second, to improve the appearance of the wall.

In any construction or home improvement, rough ceilings and walls need to be rendered to provide a smoothness or appealing surface using different designs. For this purpose, it is vital to know the different types of plasters applied on surfaces.

Types of plasters

Gypsum

Gypsum plaster is made of mineral rocks rich in calcium sulphate. It is also known as the plaster of Paris. Using fine ground gypsum mixed with water, gypsum plastering is highly preferred over cement in many ways. Generally, gypsum-based construction products are the safest to use.

Main characteristics of gypsum plaster:

  • More pliable and manipulated
  • Safe to use for do-it-yourself projects
  • Lightweight
  • Does not need to be mixed with sand
  • Gives a smooth finish
  • Prevents shrinkage
  • Acts as a barrier and protects the block work from the fire
  • Perfect rust-preventive agent
  • Cheaper and requires less wastage on time, labour, and material
  • Space appears larger or spacious due to the white-coloured surface
  • Direct painting can be applied
  • Environment-friendly
  • Safe from fungus, moulds, etc., due to its less vulnerability against moisture

Cement

Cement plaster is used for interior and exterior surfaces. It is composed of grey powder cement mixed with sand and water for solid background and fillers for hollow blocks. Mixing cement requires the skill of a mason for the perfect amount of parts needed for the mixture to be used. Interior surfaces with cement composition frequently receive gypsum as the final plaster. White cement, however, provides an ideal finish for cement-plastered walls.

Main characteristics of cement:

  • Good adhesion strength
  • Highly resistant to abrasion
  • Great for paint and finishing projects
  • Non-toxic and suits all types of paints
  • Needs ventilation to harden
  • Should be far from fire hazards
  • Should be mixed well to attain a smooth finish
  • Once the mix is set, it is no longer useable
  • Requires the skill of a mason
  • Can develop shrinkageVulnerable to rust, fungus, moulds, etc.
  • Load in building increases
  • Longer application process
  • Not environment-friendly

Lime

Lime plaster is a mixture that consists of lime and sand on certain proportions or volume. This mixture can be used both as an undercoat and as finishing coat. The significant downside of lime plaster is due to its shrinkage after drying. To prevent shrinkage and the plaster from cracking, animal or synthetic hair is added to the lime mixture.

Lime is known for being a well-suited material for the restoration of ancient and historical buildings. Due to its many attributes, lime is one of the most durable building materials. This is why it is preferred in many masonry restorations. Lime mortar’s durability has been proven by old buildings standing up to this time and are remarkable proofs how this material can pass the decades of weathering.

Main characteristics:

  • Protect stone and brick
  • Allows paints and plaster to breathe
  • Can last a hundred years
  • Creates water-tight walls
  • Enhances the stability of walls by keeping them from moisture
  • Flexible and soft
  • Has better adhesive strength

The true essence of plastering

Buildings, homes, or any structure will only have a character based on applying different plastering options. Technically, plastering or exterior plaster, known as render, is an important aspect in construction and plays a role in the aesthetics of a building. Whether you’re restoring an old edifice or designing your walls and ceilings for a specific effect, the main essence of plastering is to protect moisture intrusion.

The roof, the walls, and floors are the main foundation of a building. They prevent your home from any harmful building element that will cause these foundations to deteriorate. Water is the sole agent that can cause damage to the building materials. When moisture seeps in, water is so powerful that it can make surfaces erode and allows fungal growth. Thereby, waterproofing through plastering is a critical part of any building design. While walls only serve as secondary to roofs in terms of waterproofing, without them, a structure cannot stand. Thus, builders understand the science behind good plastering and how the materials they use will serve as a protective coating for waterproofing purposes.

Ask our builders in Plymouth

Contact our friendly staff or building contractors if you need more information on plastering and plastering options. Plymouth Builders have a wide range of services when it comes to any construction project. We offer our full spectrum of building and maintenance services, and we pride ourselves from being one of the leaders in this industry in the UK. You just have to ask or call.

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