There are several types of plasters that you can use available in the market when applying plaster after installing the wallboards. You can either mix plaster of paris or purchase roll-on plasters (which is more suitable for DIY enthusiast) which allows you to just ‘paint’ or roll the plaster on with a roller brush.
Plaster of Paris
Mix some plaster of paris (with manufacturer\’s recommendation) and start at the ceiling line and work your way down. Apply an even coat over the wall in long fluid smooth motions.
Most plasters have a grace period of 50 minutes before it hardens, if it does start to harden, throw water on it to smooth it out.
Roll-on Plaster
Roll-on plasters are designed for DIY enthusiasts, who wish to plaster their own interior walls or ceilings. The plaster is designed for interior use only. It provides a coating to interior plasterboard walls and when smoothed out with a spreader leaves a level finish ready for painting.
The method of applying the plaster is simple. The user rolls on the plaster with a standard high density roller from the bucket and provides a smooth finish with the spreader. It is fast drying and virtually non drip.
It is extremely important that the proper preparation is completed on the area to be plastered. All surfaces must be dust free. The surface should be smooth and all holes filled to a level finish with the wall. All fragments, nails and pins or any other items that will impact the application such as adhesives left from tiles etc. Place appropriate cover over the floor and furniture. Ensure taping and jointing is properly filled in and smoothed.
Depending on manufacturer’s specification, most roll-on plasters have coverage listed below:
2.5 litre bucket is for covering a small area of approximately 10 square metres.
7 litre bucket is for covering a medium area up to approximately 30 square metres.
10 litre bucket is for covering an average sized room covering approx 40 square metres.
Note: This coverage is subject to how liberal or the thickness of the plaster applied. Coverage may vary.
Dip roller into plaster fully and apply the plaster on the wall. Use a spreader to smooth the plaster after it has been applied with the roller, angle the spreader about 20 degrees from the surface in an even downward motion. When the plaster has dried for approximately 1-2 hours, dip the wet and dry sponge sanding block in some water and gently sand away any irregularities that may occur during application. It is recommended that you clean the excess plaster off the spreader by scraping it back into the bucket and cleaning the spreader using the bucket of water. Use the spreader or paintbrush to cover the areas the roller cannot reach and level out with the spreader.
Repeat this process until the wall or ceiling is completed.
Leave for 24 hours and then the plaster board wall or ceiling should be ready for painting.
The plaster should then be covered with a neutral sealer or primer paint.
