Hiring a contractor for a plastering job is as age
old as the Great Sphinx itself! In the same age range as tile, brick, and
cement, plaster is also one of oldest building materials and even ancient
Egyptians incorporated plaster into their buildings and pyramid artwork. The
plastering work of ancient Egyptians survived for over four thousand years -
so you can just imagine how long it will last for you!
Plaster Defined
Made of sand and lime (gypsum) and of course water, plaster is generally used
as a finishing coat on walls (like drywall) and ceilings however you will
certainly see plaster in other forms such as art, sculpture, and molding.
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Types of Plaster
The different types of plaster that are available are distinguished by the
method in which they're made. You may have heard of Plaster of Paris - this
plaster is made with gypsum and when dried, it forms a finish that resembles
marble. It's when other ingredients are added to this gypsum mixture that new
types of plaster are formed.
For example, when clay or lime is added, plaster hardens slower and allows more
time to be shaped or molded into place. To enhance the acoustics of a room, an
additive may be added which will form air bubbles in the plaster. Plaster made
with epoxy resins (or hydrated lime bases) become waterproof and are appropriate
for areas around the house that are constantly exposed to wetness (like the
shower or kitchen sink).
Plastering Internal Walls
As a wall covering, plaster is applied in two coats. The first coat is called
primary coat (although you may hear your contractor refer to it as the scratch
coat), and it's intentionally laid on with a rough texture. This roughness helps
the second coat stick to the first coat.
The second coat (which again, although you may hear your contractor refer to it
as the finish coat) is applied much more smoothly with a trowel. This second
coat is what you'll see when you look at an unpainted wall.
Plastering Gets Creative
Today's interior decorators are experimenting with plastering by adding colors
and textures to the final coat. Some examples that you might see are Marmorino
or Venetian plaster finishes. Both Marmorino and Venetian plastering use
different shades or tints of colors to create an interesting look.
Faux plastering attempts to emulate the old worn look of ancient Italy and Rome.
During the time of these ancient cultures, plastered walls were worn from age,
weather, and probably the effects of numerous wars. Despite the reasons, their
appearance gave us a story to tell, and it's this story that modern decorators
are attempting to re-tell.
For a really textured look, some interior decorators fuse physical materials
into the plaster, like tiny colored stones while others scratch over colored
layers of plastering to reveal underling hues. This latter technique is called
sgraffito.
Plastering External Walls
Plastering wall in the outside environment is called stucco and stucco can cover
tile, brick or even concrete.
Paul
White represents FloridaHomeBuild.com. A site designed to help home owners from
Florida locate local home contractors with their home improvement projects.
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