When it comes to the time and work involved in plastering a wall, as well as the feeling of satisfaction with the outcome, there are many benefits to understanding how to plaster correctly.
First things first, while plastering a wall, make sure you follow the guide to interior plastering in the correct order, keep your equipment clean, and have the right equipment on hand. The last thing you want is flaws on your wall that will pique you for years.
Why Should You Use Plaster And What Does It Mean?
A diverse technique for producing smooth, textured, or ornamental wall finishes is plastering. Plaiding, however, has uses beyond aesthetics; it makes walls more resilient to deterioration and more durable, particularly over a longer period.
The fact that plastering offers numerous benefits to those who like living or working in areas with walls explains why it has been used for so long.
The Ultimate Guide To Interior Plastering
Step #1: Ready The Materials And Tools Needed
It’s always a good idea to plan for wall plastering so you won’t have to scramble to find materials and tools and stop working midway through to resupply. It requires a trowel and bucket trowel, corner trowel, plasterers float, hawk board, two buckets, mixing stick or paddle, extra plaster, clean water, PVA, dust sheets, sandpaper, stepladder or stilts, and a dust mask to finish the work.
Step #2: Get The Wall Ready
Place a dust sheet down to protect your flooring and collect any possible plaster spills or debris before you start working on the wall. It is especially essential to make sure the wall you wish to plaster is clear of dust and dirt when plastering a bit older, damaged wall. Use screen tape to seal any gaps and cracks in the wall. If you are plastering over freshly installed plasterboards, cover all of the joints between the boards with screen tape.
Step #3: Get The Walls Primed
Applying PVA to the walls you’re about to plaster will guarantee that the layer you apply dries out evenly because it is a latex-based product that works similarly to the glue that plugs the drywall’s pores. The PVA must first be diluted in a 1:4 ratio, or one component PVA to four parts water. After rolling the PVA mixture onto a brush, apply it to the wall and make sure it covers the entire area. Applying the primary coat of plaster can be done after covering the wall with PVA adhesive.
Step #4: Mix The Plaster
See the manufacturer’s instructions and adjust the mixture to the sort of plaster you plan to use for the project. Put on a dust mask before opening the material’s bags. Once it has the consistency of thick cream without any lumps, pour it into a bucket of cold water and stir for a short while. Never mix the water and plaster in the opposite direction; instead, do it continuously. Any extra plaster from the bucket’s edge should be mixed into the mixture using a trowel as you work.
Step #5: Put The Plaster In Place
Hold your plastering trowel in one hand and your plasterer’s hawk in the other when plastering a wall. Start by applying a small amount of plaster on the hawk at a time; it may take some time to become used to these two.
Always begin at the wall’s lower left corner. Apply a tiny quantity of plaster to the plasterer’s hawk. Next, remove a small amount of plaster from the hawk and apply firm, equal pressure to distribute the plaster upwards while tilting your trowel slightly away from the wall. Use your trowel to flatten the plaster towards the very end of each stroke to help smooth it down. Use a sweeping motion to apply the plaster, starting with shorter sweeps and working your way up to longer sweeps to help smooth the plaster. To avoid creating gaps, begin your next stroke by slightly overlapping the previous one.
Work your way over the wall until the plaster is evenly distributed throughout. Work quickly when applying the plaster so that any trowel marks you make can be smoothed over later.
Step #6: Even Out The Gaps And Bumps
After 20 minutes of drying, go over the plaster one more with your trowel to smooth out any remaining gaps or bumps. Here, you can slightly moisten the plaster with your spray bottle to help with easier trowel movement. A damp paintbrush can also be used to assist round-off edges and corners.
Step #7: Scrape The Wall
Although it’s not necessary, most professionals advise scraping the wall to ensure that the second coat of plaster adheres correctly. The simplest technique for scraping the wall is to use a devilling float, a device made just for this purpose. If you don’t have one around, you can alternatively use an old kitchen fork to scrape the walls. Should you choose to skip this step, be sure to apply the second coat while the first is still wet.
Step #8: Put The Second Coat
You can begin working on your second coat of plaster once the first coat has been smoothed. Use a thinner plaster mixture for this coat; the precise amounts should be found in the plaster’s directions.
Follow the same technique as for the first coat when applying the second. After the second coat has dried, you can use a paintbrush to smooth the edges and your spray bottle and trowel to cover any residual flaws.
Step #9: Polish Your Work
Polish your work when the plaster has partially dried. Using a spray gun, mist the walls with some water. Don’t forget to spray the plaster’s edges, and use the trowel to smooth the surface by making inward strokes. To smooth out any ridges and holes, run a clean float over the whole wall to finish it off. Using sandpaper, remove any excess plaster after it has dried fully.
Step #10: Put Paint And Wallpaper
You can now paint or, if you’d choose, put wallpaper on your wall. Before you start painting, prepare the surface with an undercoat. This also applies if you’re going to hang wallpaper, even though using wallpaper adhesive could be a better option. You prime and seal the surface, make sure you put two coats of adhesive.
Final Thought
Here it is, the ultimate guide to interior plastering! Even though most people would rather leave plastering to the professionals, if you follow our thorough, step-by-step guide, you’ll be plastering like a pro in no time. It’s almost unbelievable how little time has passed when you glance at your watch!
