Characteristics & Sourcing

• Plaster is a smooth, contour friendly material used for coating, protecting, and decorating internal walls and ceiling.

• It is also used for architectural moldings such as ceiling roses, cornices, and corbels.

• It is made of lime, sand, fibers, gypsum, and water.

• Plaster also contains magnesium carbonate.

• It can be applied to any rough, porous surface, but is rarely used in homes since the development of gypsum board.

• Plaster is labor intensive, requiring a skilled craftsman to install.

• It also requires many coats to be applied and takes a long time to dry.

Production & Maintenance

• Plaster is typically manufactured as a dry powder and then worked into a still paste with water.

• Adding aggregates can add bulk, increase stability, and increase hardness.

• Plaster is applied to lath, a perforated surface that acts as the base for plaster on a wall.

• Lath is typically wood strips, galvanized wire mesh, or plaster board. 

• Plaster is applied in different layers and textures: basecoat, neat plaster, wood-fibered plaster, finish coat, veneer plaster, stucco, etc.

• Plaster should be kept away from moisture and can crack due to structural shifts or impact.

• It can be repaired quickly with gypsum board and veneer plaster, or professionally with wet plaster.

Environmental Impact

• Generally, plaster is good for the environment.

• It is fire resistant, making it better than gypsum board.

• Plaster can insulate and act as a sound barrier.

• It comes from rock in the earth, and the energy used to extract and produce the final product of plaster is minimal.

• There are no problems with indoor air quality after installation.

• Plaster contains lime, and when limestone is burned to produce lime it releases CO2 gas, resulting in high alkali quicklime.

• Quicklime can be dangerous to handle.

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