DIY Projects – Plastering
Plastering isn’t for the impatient or the faint of heart; and in the hands of the unskilled, finished plasterwork can look a disaster. But that doesn’t mean that plastering is completely off limits to the DIYer. There are still certain plastering tasks you can do – and do well – with a little bit of patience and instruction. The key is to maintain control over the area you’re plastering. Once mixed, the properties of plaster change quickly, so it is important to be able to manage the condition of the plaster as you go.
There are a few types of plaster to choose from. Cement-based plasters are used mainly outdoors – usually for rendering work – whereas gypsum-based plasters are for indoor use only because they are susceptible to damp.
Of the gypsum-based plasters, the most common are bonding, metal lathing, and browning; each having a particular use. Browning plaster, or perlite, is used on brickwork, clay tile, concrete brick, thermalite, and coke breeze. Metal lathing plaster is as it is named – for expanded metal lathing and wood wool slabs. Bonding plaster is suitable for concrete, stonework, cork slabs, and PVA-treated surfaces. One coat plasters are good for undercoating any surface.
Plaster has a poor shelf life so, if you’re taking on a plastering job, buy only what you think you’ll need. As a general guideline, remember 10 kg covers approximately 1.5 square metres at a thickness of 10mm. Use half that thickness and you’ll cover twice the area.
