LECTURE 11

PLASTERS
PLASTERS
 Plaster is a building material. The main
purpose of using plaster in building
construction is to decorate or protect
surfaces of walls or ceilings. It doesn’t have
any load bearing capacity.
 Plaster is sometimes called render when

using the exterior of the building

PLASTERS
 Types of Plaster in Building Construction
 Some common types of plaster are –

 Cement plaster

 Clay plaster

 Gypsum plaster

 Lime plaster
PLASTERS
 Cement Plaster
 It is the common type of plaster we normally

use in building construction.

 The main ingredients of cement plaster

are cement and sand.

 It can be used in both interior and exterior

surfaces.
PLASTERS
 Method Of Cement Plastering:
 You’ll find readymade cement plaster bag on

the market. Readymade cement plaster is

found on dry condition. You just need to mix
water to that dry powder to prepare
plastering paste. While mixing water, follow
the specification provided by the
manufacturer.
 You can also prepare cement plaster on site

by mixing cement and sand. In fact most of

the time we use manually mixing mortar.
PLASTERS
 While mixing cement and sand, we use the ratio
of 1:3 or 1:4 depending on the purpose of
plastering. When we say 1:4, we mean
that one unit cement will be mixed with four units
of sand.
 After mixing the cement and sand in the dry state

properly, the required quantity of water is added

to the mix.
 After mixing water it is then applied to the surface.

 The thickness of cement plaster varies

depending on the surface condition. It can

be 12mm to 25mm.. i
CEMENT PLASTER
 Portland cement plaster is actually cement
mortar.
 It is usually applied in three coats, the steps

being the same as those to be described for

gypsum plaster.
 Minimum recommended thicknesses are usually

10mm for the scratch coat and brown coat, and

3mm for the finish coat.
 Portland cement plaster should be moist-cured,

similar to concrete.
CEMENT PLASTER
 The best procedure is fog-spray curing.
 The scratch coat and the brown coat should both

be fog-sprayed cured for 48 hours.

 The finish coat should not be applied for at least

7 days after the brown coat. It too should be

spray-cured for 48 hours.
 CLAY PLASTER
 When clay or mud is used to make the
plastering mortar, that is called clay plaster. It
is also called mud plaster.
 The main ingredients of clay plaster

are Mud and Sand.

Method Of Clay Plastering:
 To prepare the plaster

paste, clay and sand are mixed in dry state

and then water is added to the mix.
 The surface preparation for clay plastering is

same as the cement plastering.

 The clay plaster is normally applied in two

coats. The thickness of the 1st coat is

about 18mm while the 2nd coat is 6mm.
GYPSUM PLASTER
 This is a white cementing material made by
partial or complete dehydration of the
mineral gypsum, commonly with special
retarders or hardeners added.
 Applied in a plastic state (with water), it sets

and hardens by chemical combination of the

gypsum with water
GYPSUM PLASTER
 Manufacture
 Classes of gypsum plaster
 Class A – Plaster of Paris
 Class B – Retarded hemi-hydrate gypsum plaster
 Class C – Anhydrous gypsum plaster
 Class D – Keene’s plaster
MANUFACTURE OF GYPSUM PLASTER
 Rock gypsum is mined, crushed and ground
to a fine powder.
 The natural mineral may be white or

discoloured pale pink, grey or brown due to

small quantities of impurities which do not
otherwise affect the product.
 On heating to temperatures in the range

130°–170°C, water is driven off the hydrated

gypsum; the type of plaster produced is
largely dependent upon the extent of this
dehydration process.
 Class A – Plaster of Paris
 Plaster of Paris is produced by driving off three
quarters of the water content from natural hydrated
gypsum.
 Plaster of Paris sets very quickly on the addition of

water, and is therefore often used as a moulding

material.
 It is commonly used to precast and hold parts of

ornamental plasterwork placed on ceilings and

cornices

Properties of plaster of paris

 1. White in colour

 2. Setting time is 5 to 10 minutes

 Class B – Retarded hemi-hydrate gypsum
plaster
 The majority of plasters in current use within
construction are based on retarded hemi-
hydrate gypsum. The addition of different
quantities of a retarding agent, usually
keratin, is used to adjust the setting time:
 Type a: undercoat plasters for use when

mixed with sand

 Type b: final coat plasters used for applying a

smooth finish to undercoat plaster or

plasterboard
 Class C – Anhydrous gypsum plaster
 When natural gypsum is heated at over
160°C, most of the water is driven off leaving
anhydrous calcium sulphate or anhydrite.
o The proportion of the hemi-hydrate
remaining is dependent upon the heating
time and temperature.
o Anhydrous gypsum plaster sets very slowly,
so an accelerator such as alum is added.
o The plaster has an initial set, after which it
can be smoothed with the addition of more
water to the surface.
Class C – Anhydrous gypsum plaster
o The material has been superseded by the
Class B plasters.
 Anhydrous gypsum with an accelerator sets

slowly to a very hard surface, which can be

worked to a high quality glass-like finish.
 It is difficult to paint owing to its glassy

surface and therefore requires a special

primer to provide a key.
CLASS D – KEENE’S PLASTER

 Keene’s cement is a hard finish gypsum

plaster to which alum has been added
capable of a highly polished surface.
 It is customarily used with fine sand, which

provides crack resistance.

APPLICATION OF GYPSUM PLASTER
 Apply gypsum plaster in three coats, except
as follows:
 Gypsum plaster applied to [masonry] [and]

[gypsum lath] using the two-coat double-up

method.
 Apply base coats with sufficient pressure and

ensure plaster is sufficiently plastic to

provide a strong bond to bases. Work base
coats into screeds at intervals from 1500 to
2400 mm.
APPLICATION OF GYPSUM PLASTER
Plaster must not be continuous across expansion
and control joints occurring in walls, partitions,
and ceilings. Finish work level, plumb, square, and
true, within a tolerance of 3 mm in 2400 mm,
without waves, cracks, blisters, pits, crazing,
discoloration, projections, or other imperfections.
Form plaster work carefully around angles and
contours, and well-up to screeds. Take special
care to prevent sagging and consequent dropping
of applications. There must be no visible junction
marks in finish coat where one day's work adjoins
another.[ Plastered surfaces to receive[ rubber or
vinyl base coves][ wood base boards] must
extend to wood ground indicated as backing for
base.] Plaster not required behind built-in
cabinets and equipment
GYPSUM BASE COATS
 There are four common types of gypsum base
coat plasters.
I. Gypsum neat plaster is gypsum plaster without
aggregate, intended for mixing with aggregate
and water on the job.
II. Gypsum ready-mixed plaster consists of
gypsum and ordinary mineral aggregate. On the
job, you just add water.
III.Gypsum wood-fibered plaster consists of
calcined gypsum combined with at least 0.75
percent by weight of nonstaining wood fibers. It
may be used as is or mixed with one part sand to
produce base coats of superior strength and
hardness.
IV.Gypsum bond plaster is designed to bond to
properly prepared monolithic concrete. This type
of plaster is basically calcined gypsum mixed with
from 2-to 5-percent lime by weight.
GYPSUM FINISH COATS
 Ready-mix gypsum-finish plasters are designed for use
over gypsum-plaster base coats. They consist of finely
ground calcined gypsum, some with aggregate and
others without. On the job, just add water.
 Gypsum acoustical plasters are designed to reduce sound
reverberation.
 Gypsum gauging plasters contain lime putty. The putty
provides desirable setting properties, increases
dimensional stability drying, and provides initial surface
hardness. Gauging plasters are obtainable in slow-set,
quick-set, and special high-strength mixtures.
 Gypsum moulding plaster is used primarily in casting and
ornamental plasterwork. It is available neat (that is,
without admixtures) or with lime. As with Portland
cement mortar, the addition of lime to a plaster mix
makes the mix more “buttery.”
 Keene’s cement is a fine, high-density plaster capable of
a highly polished surface. It is customarily used with fine
sand, which provides crack resistance.
BACKGROUNDS FOR PLASTER
 Plaster bonds to the background by a
combination of mechanical key and adhesion.
o Backgrounds should be clean, dry and free
from other contamination, and the
specification of the plaster should be
appropriate to the suction of the background
surface.
o Where possible, as in the case of brickwork, a
good mechanical key should be obtained by
raking out the joints.
o On hard low-suction materials such as smooth
concrete and ceramic tiles, a PVA (polyvinyl
acetate) bonding agent should be applied.
BACKGROUNDS FOR PLASTER
o Similarly, to control the high suction in
substrates such as aerated concrete blocks, a
PVA bonding agent can be applied or the
substrate wetted prior to the application of
plaster.
o Plaster can, however, be applied directly to
dense aggregate concrete blocks without prior
wetting. Where two or more coats of plaster
are applied, the undercoats should be
scratched to ensure good subsequent bonding.
o Gypsum plasters, if applied correctly, do not
shrink or crack on drying out and subsequent
coats can be applied in quick succession.
LIMITATIONS OF GYPSUM PLASTER

 A great drawback of gypsum plaster is its

solubility in water.
 On continued exposure to dampness, gradual

softening of the plaster and loss of structural

properties take place.
 It cannot, therefore, be used in humid areas

for external work.

GYPSUM PLASTER BOARD
 It is a gypsum product of recent origin made of thin
layers of card board or wood cemented together
with wall plaster, used for lining walls and ceiling of
buildings.
 The boards may be strengthened by incorporating
fibres as fibrous gypsum plaster boards Sissal or
coconut fibres are generally used.
 The weight of plaster in the later variety is 10
kg/m2 of board and that of fibre is 250 g/m2 of
board.
 They are very light weight and have high fire
resisting properties.
 Gypsum plaster boards can be sawn to desired size
and shape. They are available in widths 400, 600,
800, 900, 1200 mm; in length 1200, 1500, 1800, to
3600 mm in steps of 100 mm and
 Standard thickness are 9.5, 12.5, 15 and 19 mm
GYPSUM PLASTER BOARD
 Most wallboards have one light surface for
direct decoration and one grey surface,
which may be plastered with a skim of board
plaster.
 The decorative surface may be bevelled or

tapered at its edge, whilst the grey surface is

square for plastering. Plasterboard may be
cut with a saw or scored and snapped.
 Nail fixings should be driven in straight,

leaving a shallow depression but without

fracturing the paper surface.
 Alternatively boards may be screwed.
GYPSUM PLASTER BOARD
 Only the moisture-resistant grades of
plasterboard normally require the application
of a PVA bonding agent before plastering.
These have a water resistant core and
treated liners, so may be used behind
external finishes such as vertical tiling and
weatherboarding or in external sheltered
positions protected from direct rain.
 Boards are available finished with PVC,

backed with aluminium foil or laminated to

insulation (expanded polystyrene, extruded
polystyrene, rigid polyurethane foam or
mineral wool) for increased thermal
properties. (The thermal conductivity of
standard plasterboard is 0.19 W/m K.)
PROPERTIES
 The setting time can be controlled
 Non shrinking

 Excellent fire resistance

 Gypsum is soluble hence in some cases can

not be used for external walling, esp class

A&B
 Short time delays between the applications
PROPERTIES

 Thermal conductivity (K) of gypsum board of

density 800-1400 kg/m3 is 0.23-0.45 W/mK,
as compared to 0.35-0.7 W/mK for asbestos
cement sheet of density 1600-1900 kg/m3
 The grading period of fire resistance of 12

mm thick plaster board is 30 minutes and is

far superior to fibre building boards in this
respect.
 The boards should not be used in persisting

dampness as their strength and structural

properties are adversely affected.
LIME PLASTER
 The steps for lime base coat work are similar
to those for gypsum work except that, for
lime, an additional floating is required the
day after the brown coat is applied.
 This extra floating is required to increase the

density of the slab and to fill in any cracks

that may have developed because of
shrinkage of the plaster.
LIME PLASTER
 Hydraulic lime plaster is suitable for interior
application, particularly on earth structures and
unfired clay walls.
 It is usually applied in two or three coats – the

best quality work requiring the three-coat system.

 In this case a 13 mm coat of coarse stuff

containing 5 mm sand (lime : sand, 1 : 2½) is

followed when dry, with a similar thickness of a
1 : 3 mix and a thin final coat of between 1 : 1
and 1 : 2 lime to sand.
 Other additions, including horse-hair and cow

dung, may be added to improve the setting

properties of the lime plaster.
LIME PLASTER
 Because lime putty is the most plastic and
workable of the cementitious materials used in
plaster, it is often added to other less workable
plaster materials to improve plasticity.
 For lime plaster, lime (in the form of either dry
hydrate or lime putty) is mixed with sand, water,
and a gauging material.
 The gauging material is intended to produce early
strength and to counteract shrinkage tendencies.
 It can be either gypsum gauging plaster or
Keene’s cement for interior work or Portland
cement for exterior work.
 When using gauging plaster or Keene’s cement,
mix only the amount you can apply within the
initial set time of the material.
PLASTERING PROCESS
 Background preparation
 Cleaning, removal of dust to improve the
adherence properties of the plaster to
background
 Sprinkle water/wet the substrate to avoid suction
i.e wall sucking water from the plaster thus
leading to plaster shrinkage
 Racking of the substrate using wire brush to
make the substrate rough, thus increasing the
stickness of the plaster to the background.
 Use of bonding argents on high suction materials
and PVA bonding argent to improve bonding on a
smooth surface
PLASTERING PROCESS
 Plastering
 Scratch coat - should be troweled on hard and
tight, being forced into surface depressions to
obtain permanent bond, deeply cross scratched
to provide mechanical key to brown coat.
 Brown coat – Provides a flat surface for the finish
coat, provides a uniform suction for the finish
coat, provides enough bond for the finish coat.
 Finish coat – Provides a hard smooth surface,
aesthetic appeal, protection of the inner coats.
WATER
 In plaster, mixing water performs two functions.
First, it transforms the dry ingredients into a
plastic, workable mass. Second, it combines with
the binder to induce hardening. As with concrete,
there is a maximum quantity of water per unit of
binder required for complete hydration; an excess
over this amount reduces the plaster strength.
 The amount to be added for workability depends
on several factors: the characteristics and age of
the binder, application method, drying conditions,
and the tendency of the base to absorb water. A
porous masonry base, for example, draws a good
deal of water out of a plaster mix. If this reduces
the water content of the mix below the maximum
required for hydration, incomplete curing will
result.
WATER
 The water should be potable and contain no
dissolved chemicals that might accelerate or
retard the set.
 Never use water previously used to

wash plastering tools for mixing plaster.

It may contain particles of set plaster
that may accelerate setting.
 Also avoid stagnant water; it may contain

organic material that can retard setting and

possibly cause staining.
SUCTION
 Uniform suction is essential for uniform color.
If water is not drawn uniformly from the
stucco it will result in spotted appearance.
 Uniform suction is obtained by dampening

but not soaking the wall evenly before

applying the stucco.
 A fog spray is recommended for this work
CURING
 As in concrete it is necessary for a cement
stucco to be properly cured.
 Curing is done by moistening the cement

stucco as soon as it has hardened enough

not to be injured.
 A fine fog is recommended for curing but

avoid soaking.
COMMON FAULTS
There are times when the finish you get is not
what you expected. Some of the most common
reasons for discoloration and stains are listed
below:
 Failure to have uniform suction in either of the
base coats;
 Improper mixing of the finish coat materials;
 Changes in materials or proportions during the
work;
 Variations in the amount of mixing water;
 Use of additional water to retemper mortar; and
 Corrosion and rust from flashing or other metal
attachments and failure to provide drips and
washes on sills and projecting trim.
DEFECTS IN PLASTER
 Non structural cracks
 Structural cracks

 Debonding

 Lack of hardness

 Grinning

 Expansion

 Popping

 Efflorescence

 Scaling
DEFECTS OF PLASTERING
 Non structural cracks
 Crazing
 fine and shallow cracks that do not extend through
the whole depth of the plaster.
 Usually caused by over troweling a rich mix or
using
 a sand containing an excessive amount of dust.
(more than 15% by mass passing a 0,075 mm
sieve)
 They can be covered using reasonable quality
paint and if necessary use glass fibre tissues
during painting
 Map cracking
 Deeper than crazing and usually as a result of
plaster with a high cement content or plaster is
allowed to dry too quickly
Causes of excessive early moisture loss:
 Lack of protection from sun and wind
 Suction due to wall not been dampened
 Use of badly graded sand (less than 5% mass
passing through the 0.075mm sieve)
 Not using lime or masonry cement when the
sand lacks fine material.
 The cracks can be filled with a proprietary
filler and painted over. Glass fibre tissue can
be applied during painting.
 Plastic shrinkage cracking- occur in first

hours
 Drying shrinkage cracks- after hardening
 Debonding
 Because of different shrinkage rates of the outer
and the inner surface of plaster the plaster will
curl and debond.
 It will sound hollow when tapped
 May be evident in thick plaster layers and or
inadequate surface preparation of the substrate.
 Make sure the surface is good for plastering
 Lack of hardness
 Cant resist impacts, reduced resistance to water
penetration.
 Painted plaster can be treated with methacrylate
products
 Painted surfaces can only be replaced.
 Structural cracks
 Result from cracking of the wall, maybe due to
differential movement of foundations, moisture
expansion or drying shrinkage of the masonry units
 Establish the cause of the crack, can change the
cracks into movement joints.
 Grinning
 Appearance of a plastered wall when the position of
the mortar joints are clearly visible through plaster.
 May result from differences in suction between
masonry units and mortar. Maybe caused by
racking out joints and should be limited to soft clay
brickwork.
 Expansion
 This includes swelling, softening, layer cracking
and spalling of the plaster.
 Due to sulphate from the gypsum reacts with the
Portland cement paste and forms compounds of
increased volume which disrupt the plaster.
 Popping
 conical fragments that break out of the surface
of the plaster leaving holes which vary in size.
 Due to presence of contaminant particles in the
mix reacting with the moisture in the mix,
expand and cause cavities in the plaster.
 Contaminants are usually seeds, other organic
material, or particles of dead burnt lime.
 Remove the cause and fill with proprietary filler
and paint over.
 Efflorescence
 Presence of salts in sand which will react with
water
 Scaling
 Peeling off caused by chemical reactions