Plaster is a building material that is used either for protection or for decorative purposes as a coating on walls and ceilings. It is usually composed of gypsum, cement or lime. Plastering is the process of applying a thin layer of plaster so as to protect places from water penetration or from other atmospheric components. This serves the dual purpose of providing a defense as well as making the wall decorative. No home can be complete if the plastering work is not yet finished.
The Uses:
plasterer generally work with gypsum and work with different tools to form and create different patterns for decoration of your surface. They work both on the inside and on the outside of a home or a commercial building. They can help in installing an Exterior Insulating System, plastering decorative designs and restoring old or damaged surfaces.
The Procedure:
The process can be done by plasterer for several reasons some of which include concealing defective workmanship, to provide smooth, even and clean finished appearance. This also means they have to preserve and protect surfaces or even to cover up the use of porous materials in masonry work.
If you want the Plastering process to be effective a series of steps and precautions have to be taken so that the plaster stays for a long time and provides the function for which it is being applied. The steps are as follows:
1. The surface where the plaster is to be applied has to be even and therefore all projections should be scraped off to create the appropriate base.
2. The surface should be clean of any kind of oil, grease or other substances which may prevent the plaster from holding on the base. The wall or ceiling should be cleaned off either by scraping or brushing.
3. On old surfaces, the base should be rough before the plaster is applied so that an even coat can be applied which is done efficiently by the plasterer.
4. Before the plaster is applied the surface should be appropriately wet. This will serve the dual purpose of removing any loose material as well as keeping the surface clean and ready for application.
5. The water that will be used to make the plaster of required consistency has to be of any soluble salts and other impurities so that the plaster hardens after application.
6. To obtain a smooth finish and actually protect the surface it should be ensured that an even coat of the plaster is applied. The plasterer is an expert in this matter.
7. The general rule is to make a coat that is at least 12mm thick when the plaster is applied on walls and 15mm thick when the application is made on ceilings. The proportion of plaster to water should also be denser in case of ceilings than walls. The plaster to be applied on the ceiling should follow a ratio of 1:3 whereas the plaster on walls should have a ratio of 1:6.
8. The plaster should be cured or allowed to harden for a minimum of a week and it is compulsory to be ensured that an appropriate amount of water is added to the plaster at regular intervals. This will aim for the entire period of the curing process.
It is advised that this process is done by properly trained plasterer so that the plaster and water they use are of good quality and the coat is smooth as it can be.
a plasterer will be able to guide you on the amount and kind of plaster required and the different types of designs that can be made. There is no necessary training involved in becoming a Plastering Contractor.
Therefore it is recommended that a contractor that has proof of work and experience is chosen so that the quality of work can be guaranteed.
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