Today it is used within buildings as a topcoat for a few reasons. Lime plaster is produced from lime, sand, and water, and its use dates back to ancient times.

As it can be applied over a selection of bases it represents a great all-round choice.

It creates a smooth surface on both walls and ceilings, that can then be decorated however you see fit. Multi-finish plaster is intended as a topcoat over either plasterboards or undercoats like bonding plaster. Undercoats or base coats will need to be scratched in order to help the top coat bond to them. As it is an undercoat, a top coat of plaster will be needed over it. It can be used over a variety of building materials, bonding well to almost every surface. Cement plaster offers great strength, and can be spread to create a flat surface, perfect for decorating.īonding plaster is intended as an undercoat, offering a great level of adhesion. Plastering sand is available, which is finer than the sands that would be used for brickwork mortar. Traditional plaster is made with the same ingredients as mortar, combining portland cement with sand and water. Most of these will be sold as pre-mixed powders, that water will be added to for activation. Within the UK, there will be a range of different plaster types available, created with alternative ratios or the addition of admixtures to offer specific benefits to a building. What Types of Plaster Are Used In the UK? Plaster is used to produce plaster casts for broken bones, and has also been used for its fire protection, with admixtures available to increase these benefits. It can be used for more decorative items within a house, poured into a mould to create detailing for walls and ceilings, such as the patterned arches you might see in a historical church. There are other uses for plaster worth noting. Plaster can be applied over plasterboards and bricks, and once dried can be painted, wallpapered, or tiled. While exposed brick is preferred in some homes, plaster can also be used to hide issues within a wall such as uneven brickwork, or instances where some bricks have been replaced. It can create a consistent flat layer that can then be decorated. Plaster is most commonly used on the internal walls and ceilings of a building. When buying plaster, you’ll have the option of buying the different ingredients separately or choosing a premade plaster, to which you’ll simply need to add water. Plaster and render are both types of mortar, which is used for bricklaying. Plaster is produced from a mixture of cement, fine aggregates like sand, and water. In modern buildings, plastering is used to refer to interior work, and rendering is used for the exterior, with a different mix to prioritise water resistance. Plastering has been used in some form for thousands of years, with ancient greeks using plaster for exteriors and interiors of temples. Plaster is a building material predominantly used to create smooth surfaces on internal walls and ceilings, offering both strength and visual benefits within a property. In this guide from Building Materials Nationwide, we’ll explore the uses of plaster, the many different types available within the UK, and give a quick look at the process for plastering a wall. Normally produced from a combination of cement and sand, this building material has been in use for thousands of years, and today is considered an essential element of most buildings. In order to create smooth walls within buildings that can then be decorated, plaster will be spread across them to create a consistent look.

Darby lines in veneer plaster walls