Everything you need to know
There are many interventions required to create a plaster, let’s see what it is and why it is important to create it for your home.
What is plaster
It is called this way because it is a finish of a very thin layer that creates a matte effect and a diverse (rough) grain on the walls. It can also be found with a semi-gloss or glossy and smooth texture. These differences depend on the composition of the material used and the type of processing that is decided to carry out on the surface layer.
Usually semi-gloss or glossy finishes are used inside and for the outside the size of the grains varies based on the region or the type of effect you want to obtain: more rustic or more elegant.
What is it for?
The purpose of the plaster is to create a protective surface, for example for the exterior, which acts against the corrosive action of atmospheric agents as well as having an aesthetic function.
Usually a ready-to-use pigmented paste is used which contains: coloring earths, specific additives and fine marble granules to vary the color shades.
Sometimes, the aggregates are replaced with cocciopesto to give a pink color to the plaster and make it more resistant to humidity.
Its composition and application
The plaster is prepared with natural pigments and the grain of the coating can be finer or coarser. Coarse grain is usually used for historic buildings but it highlights the flatness defects and the inaccuracies of the surface are more noticeable.
The products used are, in principle, ready to use, and are mixed together before being applied. This is achieved using a wooden or steel trowel on previously smoothed surfaces.
The application is done in several passes, in which the last one is worked differently based on the grain of the mixture.