Plastering Tips: What You Need To Know

At first glance, plastering might seem to be easy enough to the motivated DIY enthusiast. However, as many who have tried it and failed miserably have soon found out, plastering is an art form that requires precision in technique, extreme attention to detail, and quite a considerable amount of know-how.

If you are considering undertaking a plastering project and you are not a trained plasterer, the plastering tips in this article should point you in the right direction, however, we suggest that if you are not confident in your plastering abilities, you consider seeking more in-depth plastering training here before beginning your project.

The first step in any plastering project is to assemble your tools. Although the required tool list generally varies from project to project, below you will find a list of tools that are considered essential for any type of plaster installation:

"   Plasterers Trowel
"   Bucket trowel
"   Hawk
"   Plastic bucket
"   Plaster ("Multi-finish" or "One coat") 25kg bag
"   Mixing stick / electric paddle whisk attachment
"   Splash brush
"   Water

Once you have assembled your tools, it is essential to realise one of the most important plastering tips to keep in mind for beginners all the way to experienced professionals: never begin a plastering project before you have thoroughly cleaned and inspected each and every one of your tools. Just a few small pieces of old, dried plaster can cause damage to the surface of the newly applied plaster. This can easily be avoided with proper cleaning and inspection.

Although it is not necessary, many professional plasterers prefer to use more than one trowel. While this may seem confusing to a beginner, this practise is easily explained. The two trowels are used for two very different tasks: one trowel is used for skimming while the other is used for floating. This protects the skimming trowel (which is used when the plaster is fresh and soft) from coming into direct contact with the harsh surfaces encountered during the process of floating (which occurs after the plaster has lost a significant amount of moisture and is more rigid).

IMPORTANT PLASTERING TIP: The next steps involved in the process entail actually mixing your plaster and applying it. It is absolutely critical that you have carefully planned out these stages to the very end of the project. Once the plaster is mixed, you have a limited amount of time to apply it before it becomes hard and unusable.

Equally as important as having a detailed plan, you must also understand the proper plaster application mix and technique for your specific project. There are many different types of methods for mixing plaster compound. Once you have selected the proper mix, carefully review the necessary components included in the mix and their recommended ratios.

Once you have mixed your plaster, the stages involved in the actual plastering process will differ according to the type of project that you are currently working on. Often, the application of fresh plaster on a new plasterboard surface is much less complicated than the repair or refinishing of a previously plastered surface.

At this stage in the plastering process, many first time plasterers unnecessarily concern themselves with evening out a perfectly smooth finish with the trowel. This is not only a worrisome, futile task: it can often lead to costly time delays which can prolong the application of the plaster, making it difficult to achieve a smooth finish and leading to possible complications.

Instead, get the surface as smooth as possible while focusing simply on applying the plaster. Always be sure to allow proper drying times for each application of plaster. It is also worth noting that in between each layer, you should be especially careful to ensure that your tools are satisfactorily cleaned before another batch of plaster is applied. And remember, while it is important to make each layer as smooth as possible, final touches are to be made on the finishing coat to ensure an even application.

These plastering tips and techniques should provide a beginner with a reasonable idea of the process involved in plastering. Although this process may not seem complicated, the art of plastering is not to be taken lightly. Only after a person has received the proper training and instruction should he or she approach a plastering project without the assistance of a professional plasterer.

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