The plastering process for concrete surfaces involves a systematic series of steps, including surface preparation, treating with slurry, mixing plaster, applying plaster, and curing. Plaster is used on interior walls due to its moisture decomposition, while stucco is used for exterior walls. Plastering kitchen, bathroom, or concrete living room walls is easy and the finished wall can withstand abrasion.
Cement plastering is used to achieve a smooth and durable finish on interior and exterior walls. This step-by-step guide will walk you through the process of mixing and applying plaster, mixing plaster, applying plaster, and finishing plaster. Plastering a concrete wall takes time, as you must prepare the wall and allow for curing and drying time between applications.
Learning how to plaster a wall is a skill that can transform any space, providing a smooth, durable, and aesthetically pleasing surface. Plastering a concrete surface involves adding lean mortar to enhance the appearance of the surface. Concrete surfaces like thick concrete can be rendered directly onto the masonry, making it an excellent base for plaster.
To apply plaster, one can use a plaster mix consisting of fine plaster sand, cement, and water with a trowel. The plaster is applied evenly, starting from the bottom and working your way up. The process requires practice and patience, but with practice, you can achieve a professional finish on your walls.
📹 Plastering interior concrete walls
Plastering interior concrete walls. Make perfect top corners in interior concrete walls. For immediate bids, send pictures to Jay or …
How do you fix an interior concrete wall?
To repair a broken or cracked concrete wall, first remove loose or flaky pieces of concrete with a trowel. Level out irregularities with a high-grit sanding pad. Apply a thin layer of mortar to fill in any cracks or rough spots. Clean the surface with a broom or a garden hose to remove any loose dirt, dust, or debris. Once all exposed areas are cleaned, use a trowel to complete the repair process.
How do you plaster an interior concrete wall?
When plastering concrete, use mixtures like flint aggregate, apply a chemical release agent instead of mold oils, check for contaminants, clean dense surfaces, apply plaster with forceful pressure, and inspect for hollowness when the plaster dries out and when heating the building. Gradually increase the temperature instead of abruptly heating. Take precautions like ventilation, wearing an EN 149 Class FFP1 half-face mask if dust cannot be managed, using waterproof gloves, protective overalls, and safety footwear, applying barrier cream to hands, and using safety eyewear if plaster powder or splashes are expected. Meoded, an industry leader in Lime-based Venetian plastering, offers products for commercial and residential clients.
Can you skim coat interior concrete walls?
Skim coating is a simple yet effective solution for updating spaces by applying a thin layer of material to create an even, smooth finish. This technique is often used on interior walls and ceilings but can also be applied to concrete surfaces like driveways, patios, and sidewalks. Skim coating is a simple yet effective solution for addressing cracks and imperfections in concrete surfaces. It is often applied on drywalls but can also be applied to concrete surfaces like driveways, patios, and sidewalks. Skim coating is a simple yet effective solution for enhancing the look and feel of your home or business space.
How do you cover concrete walls inside?
Concrete block walls are often used in construction, but their appearance can diminish curb appeal and resale value. Covering them can improve outdoor space appeal and prevent cracking, rot, mold, and structural failures due to moisture infiltration. Permeable concrete absorbs water, expanding pores, and damages the concrete. Oil settlement and hydrostatic pressure can lead to hairline cracks and leaks.
To protect the concrete block wall, contractors can use decorative stucco, vinyl siding, artificial stone panels, natural stone, and natural green coverings. Polyguard recommends using a quality sealant like Airlok Flex® VP to maximize moisture resistance.
How do you get plaster to stick to concrete?
Plaster bonding agents are a new invention that eliminates hacking and increases bonding strength after curing concrete. Sunanda Global’s bonding agent for plaster has non-ionic properties, preventing chemical ion attacks on concrete. This property protects the bond between steel and concrete. To apply, clean the concrete surface, apply Hack Aid Plast, wait for the polymer to become tacky, then apply a 1:4 ratio cement mortar coat within 10 minutes. Allow the coat to set for 24 hours, then plast the surface or place the concrete as usual. This process ensures the bond between steel and concrete remains strong and prevents deterioration.
Will plaster stick to cement?
In order to ensure that plaster adheres to new concrete, a bonding agent is required. Should any questions arise regarding the requisite bonding agent, please do not hesitate to contact us via WhatsApp on +91 93725 05367.
How to finish interior concrete walls?
Concrete block interior walls can be finished using three main methods: painting, pargeting, and wood paneling/drywall. However, these methods can be improved using different Semco applications to create a faster, more efficient, more waterproof, and more convenient method. Painting is the simplest method, ideal for those who prefer a colorful coat on the concrete without worrying about exposed concrete or visible joints. Priming is the only slightly complex step, and using a water-based latex primer and finishing paint is recommended.
Once primed, the wall can be treated like a blank canvas, providing a more visually appealing and functional finish. By incorporating different Semco applications, concrete block interior walls can be treated as a blank canvas, enhancing their overall aesthetic appeal.
Can you plaster straight onto concrete?
The text suggests that skimming onto concrete with PVA first should be fine, but the author is concerned about the potential issues if they apply multi-finish without an undercoat like bonding. They suggest using thistle bond to give a key to smooth concrete, but they have already done so and are unsure if it will be ok or if it will cause problems. The author is unsure if they should be concerned with the texture of the concrete and if they should use a key to give a key.
How do you seal interior concrete block walls?
Concrete blocks are commonly used for foundations and outbuildings due to their uniform size, ease of stacking, and hardness. However, they are more permeable to water and water vapor than poured concrete, making them particularly vulnerable. To protect them from water intrusion, it is essential to use the best block wall waterproofing products. Concrete blocks and cinder blocks are particularly vulnerable due to their larger pores, making them semi-permeable.
The permeability of concrete is 3. 2 perms per inch of thickness, while an 8- to 10-inch-thick poured concrete wall is about 0. 4 to 0. 3 perms. Once moisture intrudes into a block, it makes the pores even larger, reinforcing the cycle of damage to the structure. To waterproof concrete blocks, apply a coating directly on the bare wall, use a breathable/permeable barrier, use a weather-resistant elastomeric layer, repair cracks and fill voids first, and install an air and moisture barrier.
Can you waterproof a concrete wall from the inside?
If a foil test confirms water seepage in basement walls, remove existing paint and seal the interior with a waterproof product. This creates a watertight bond, preventing water seepage. Gutters and downspouts channel water away from the house, maintaining structural health. If you lack gutters or sump pumps, consider adding them. If already installed, fasten metal or plastic extensions to capture runoff or excess water and drain it away from the base.
How do you fix a crumbling interior concrete wall?
To patch a concrete surface, first remove loose material and dust with a paint scraper. Use masonry or concrete repair mixes or buy concrete bonding agent and mortar. Brush the bonding agent onto the old concrete and let it sit until tacky. Mix the mortar or patching concrete with water until it’s peanut butter-like consistency. Spread it on with a trowel and smooth the surface. For extensive patch jobs, thin the mortar to create slurry and brush it on. Once dry, seal the patch with a coat of waterproofing compound or paint.
📹 How to plaster a wall, a beginners guide. Plastering made easy for the DIY enthusiast.
How to plaster a wall, a beginners guide/tutorial for the DIY enthusiast. Including how to mix and apply pva, mix plaster, apply …
Plastering a wall is easy-peasy. I tried it a few years ago. I spent quite a lot of time, and money to purchase the materials. I thought the result was pretty decent, for a first try. My wife wasn’t impressed, though. And I had to call in a professional to undo the damage. I’m sure some people are able to DIY this kind of job, but it’s pretty difficult. Hats off for the professionals!!
I owe you a shout out pal. I watched your articles last year. Did a small built in wardrobe to start, it was a bit dodgy but I got the hang of it. Anyway my house WAS 70% artex covering the walls, so it was either pay a fortune or have a go myself. I Ended up doing most of the house and even the sister in-laws dining room and lounge too. aswell as another mates hallway. I just wanted to say thanks for the instructions. I watched lots of articles but yours stood out as the clearest and most helpful. Top man, you got me out of a hole. (Before anyone asks we had the artex tested and there was no asbestos before I started.)
Top man at sharing his trade most plasters would never want competition by teaching others. A true master crafts man and I’ve worked in the building trade restoring old houses so have seen it all. What anoys me in the UK any person even with no knowledge of the building trade can leaglly call them selves a builder it’s wrong. Karl (THE COFFIN MAKER).
I know a guy bites his tongue when he’s concentrating he used to do a lot of motocross snd bit half way through his tongue coming of a jump one day. 👍Nice simple article thanks. I’d of double emphasise the plaster to water vs water to plaster up be amazed how many diy ers add the water 2nd and never get it mixed-up properly
I’m at this trade 25 years n I’ve never mixed pva 2 to 1 water.. and btw drying time varies tothose below whom ask a good idea is have a cuppa. also whilst waiting to trowel walls bring a bit of skimming with you on a piece of slab. keep checking it if its hard or still soft.that way you know if it’s ready on the walls or ceiling to trowel up
Great vid. I have 1926 plaster that I’m skim coating (wall and ceiling) and some large damaged sections are drywall (gypsum wall board)…I’m confused about when to use a “bonding agent” like “plasterweld” vs. PVA vs. Water. Looks like PVA for drywall, plasterweld for exposed plaster edge/crack & Lath, and water for generally intact areas of plaster. Then everything gets a top coat of DAP Plaster Wall Patch (Mix of 60% Lime and some Gypsum with 2 hour working time). What you think?
For those people out there that don’t have a machine to mix YES you can still do it by hand with a gauge trowel and get your hands into the bucket to break any large lumps with your fingers …. keeping your tools clean .. dry with a paper towel and then use a tiny bit of machine oil on your trowel to slow down the rusting process that way your trowel will last longer…. types of trowels there are plastic and wooden handled one I would say get a wooden handled one as plastic can slip in the hand….
Thanks for this article. its simple straight to the point and really helpful. I’m a DIYer and this has given me the confidence to do some patch works myself (small jobs which full time plasters wont touch as they are like quarter day stuff), sure its not got a finish like you guys but its a lot better than when I tried previously without knowledge. I like to tell myself its the Rustic look 🙂
Thanks for a great article, very clear to follow! Looking to possibly plaster our hallway as the previous owner had glossed the walls and ceiling (several times) way back in the mists of time, and there’s old fashioned chunky tapes exposed as well. We’ve tried lining paper with zero success, so I’m wondering if its possible for plaster to stick over gloss ok? It’s no longer got a high sine and has a primer layer over the top at the minute
I just want to ask…it may sound daft but we had our living room replastered a 8 months ago and few a couple of weeks after that the wall started to show cracks on it…as in linear split cracks long on the wall..What normally cause the plaster to crack? is it the brand of plaster we used or is it the wrong ratio of water and plaster? and whats that pvc you applied before the plaster….I wished I have seen your article few months ago 🙁
Have just watched over a dozen YT vids on plastering and this is the best one! 2 top YT vids mention PVA at the beginning but then completely miss when to apply it. I suspected it was to prime the walls but untill I saw this I wasn’t sure.. Thanks for doing it. Very informative. I shall try the gurn to see if it improves the finish! 🙂
Cheers for the informative article. We have removed wallpaper from old plasterboard which has removed the top layer of paper from the board in patches and left a rough surface. Would you use same PVA mixture to seal before skim plastering? And do you wait until PVA dries or plaster when still tacky? Cheers
Hi Pouse, awesome tutorial, just ordered some tools after this vid. My new house is a 1920’s with lead paint on the walls under all the layers of wallpaper. Would you PVA the paint or remove it? Had 1 room done by a plasterer 3.5m x 2.4m £350 and he said the lead paint was a massive issue. He covered the paint with some green gunk but we still have cracking. What to do?
I agree the tongue placement is vital🤣🤣🤣🤣 The tongue comment made me crack up🤣🤣🤣🤣 Not cause I think it’s weird, but I do the same thing lol. Thanks for making me laugh!!! I have a real question though. I know you’re working with plaster, my question is for plaster and concrete. Can you mix regular interior paint with either to tint them? Or will it react oddly or is it dangerous?
You often get people making DIY articles and it’s their ”first time” and as far as I can tell, despite their 300k views, they are difficult to watch and go on a LOOOOONG time. This was done by an expert with years of experience so they make it look simple. They also give you the basics of what formula you need, tools introduced correctly and you see a finished product as they go without gaps (novice probably looking at instructions!) Great article Pouse around the house, thank you so much, I’m going of to do a less shit job than i would have before perusal this article.
I’ve got a smallish bit of wall to skim (get me with the lingo). I will be applying wallpaper so do I need the high gloss finish? Just worried I’ll be chasing my paper everywhere! Also …… being a pretty ok DIY lady of a certain age, I dont have the wizzy stirrer thingie and really dont want to buy one. Can it be done by hand? A mean cake maker, I do fancy my chances but wanted to know if by hand impacts quality. Personally not a tongue poker BUT I feel sure my bottom lip biting could also be effective! Thanks for a really helpful article.
Cheers for this brilliant article… I have a living room to plaster and radiators go in in a few days and m plasterer wasn’t available yesterday so I watched this article, went to B&Q, grabbed some multi finish and some bonder and had a go at plastering. The hubby tried but he couldn’t get the hang of it lol, there were a lot of F bombs being dropped lol. I’m mega proud of myself. Its flat but I wasn’t able to smooth it all down because it got too dark in a house that doesn’t have electricity yet so I’m gonna have to sand it a little bit. I tell ya what! It’s bloody hard work! My hat goes off to plasterers everywhere!.. I think I’ll have shoulder muscles like The Hulk soon lol. Cheers for the informative article 👍 😉
thank’s for great tutorial article, keep posting please Enlighten me please? I want to plasterboard all my ceiling and walls and I am not competent in plastering(never done before). Would you advice to apply primer an drywalls and than to paint them or is still better to skim them? Thank you for your answer.
first thank you for the time effort taken. love your humour i have 40 walls of artex in my house lol. Your hired lol. really good information .the gurn bit was the best. i getting on well with plastering .i bought thistle bond it then 2 coats of multifinish.really coming on now.keep up topvideos.thank you
Hello ! thank you for the article, I do want to ask : We have walls that are covered in layers of wallpaper, like 6 types of wallpaper, one layered behind the other – so it was a tough job getting it all off the wall without getting down to the brown paper layer of the wall – can i still use this method to fix the walls ? or am i best trying something else ?
IME a plasterer.. I’ve watched this.. 1 ALWAYS measure the water..1 bag=11/12 litres (matter of taste.) The bag says 11. Put a 3rd powder in give quick mix. This is to stop it sticking to the bottom of the bucket Put the rest in and mix on slow speed until no powder is visible. Mix on medium speed for few mins.. When you can trowel the sides of the bucket and it doesn’t fall back and it slides of the trowel cleanly ( judgement call.) Your ready to go.. DO NOT MIX IT AT HIGH SPEED..you are trying to fold air in. Not get it out..think bread dough not plasticine.. REMEMBER don’t panic if you prepare you should be fine. CEILINGS .hire an expert !
Hard to follow for the DIyer. Last year sometime someone I know gave me some spare keying plastering stuff that he had partly used and sealed. The instructions on the bag made no sense to me whatsoever, it was about keying etc. I think it was called British Gypsum. I had asked him did I need undercoat on it and he said no, just add water and mix it. I decided to try it the other day, filled a bucket with water and put some of the stuff in, but it was just watery even when I mixed it. I left it outside overnight and the plaster had sank to the bottom of the bucket and was quite hard. Does this stuff go off if you dont use it?. Im wanting to replaster a bedroom wall so that I can paint it, but the walls are quite bad so Im trying to plaster it myself. Ive heard to do a proper job you need to go back to the brickwall so that cracks dont reappear. To me thats just too much hard work. Ive never heard about putting PVA on the walls before applying the plaster.
Well done mate .. I’m a Plasterer myself NVQ LEVELS 1 AND 2 for the information you have shown that should get any beginner plastering for anyone thinking how thick the two coats should be and that’s the key coat and the finishing coat it’s 3mm also for testing to see if it’s straight with a clean trowel turn it side on look down the edge and if you can see light you have a dip use the FAT to fill in your dips … there is more I could say but I will leave that to the instructor …. happy plastering
I watched this purely out of curiosity after having a load of work done on the walls in my house. My thought was “How hard can it be, maybe I could save some cash and do it myself.” Now, Im thinking. – I wouldn’t even attempt having a go at plastering. Not that straight forward at all. Glad I just paid a professional. It would have been a plaster covered disaster! Good article though!
I love your articles. I was wondering if its POSSIBLE when you prep to start plastering can you start with the finish coat and no more coats? I know its not the standard for many reasons. MY only concern is whether a first top coat would want to fall off the wall since their is no sand aggregate like a brown coat. If I am allowed to coat this way how thick should this coat be 1/8? Or should I simply skim the house with EZ Sand 45 which does the same idea. I would just prefer to use plaster instead. Its for my house. Regards.
I’m a kitchen and bath remodeler and I often work in old houses with plaster. Over the years, I’ve just patched and filled with drywall, tape and mud but I’m told that it is more susceptible to cracks. I’m on a job now that has plaster and I’ll be removing a couple of walls and filling in the newly created gaps. I’ll cut clean lines in the plaster with a diamond blade to get smooth edges. Which type of backer board would recommend…. plain drywall or a concrete backer like Durock? Thanks.
Pva to strong at 2 to 1, won’t seep into background, weaker end result on mixed back grounds, it will dry and sit on surface of sub straight. Drills will burn out in no time not enough torque, cheap mixers can be bought cheap these days and won’t burn out and less bubbles in mix. 1st coat should be 2mm second 1 mm. Apart from these basic wrongs nice vid. And Never never never polish next day, it will over shine work and paint won’t adhere properly, in 5 years time good chance of peel even with a mist coat of paint …big no no. Apart from that nice vid.
Hi what type of plaster I need to plaster a wall. I bought a small bag of plaster in Loews and mixed it slowly with water, with little extra water as I don’t wanted it dry off too quickly. However,it was getting harder quickly before I apply to the wall. Please suggest where I can buy and what type of plaster allow ample time before i apply a bucket of plaster to wall. Thanks in advance
Hello mate, thanks for sharing this, very helpful. Mind me asking, what plaster do i use? Is there just one type which is best? I’m about to go over the top of an old council flats inside walls (stripped wallpaper already), was going to just fill the cracks, sand the old walls, but decided to skim over with plaster. Last time they saw air must have been when flat built in the 50’s so they are in a terrible state. Any tips/ advice much appreciated. Thank you.
mate, i was painting over multiple coats of paint, and ended up getting a bubble that i popped and peeled, the whole bathroom peeled away multiple coats, and i was left with holes that where filled and some final layers not coming away, ive decided to just plaster over the crap thats left, lining paper i just tried and it was a disaster ahaa! thanks for this its a small investment but hopefully worth the time and effort, also can i paint directly to the plaster ?
You make it look so easy. I don’t mind having a go like.. done everything else apart from gas obviously but plastering looks bloody hard purely because you’re on a timer before it goes too dry. Anyway.. how do you do this on a brick wall? How much mortar to apply first and how do you keep it straight/level? I have the tools just not the knowledge or confidence to try!! Cheers!
Hi mate great article I’m attempting (once I’ve done 2 or more coats if pva over the existing wall that’s black mortar ) myself question or 2 at the door frame is only where some black mortar has come away and there’s a few indents here and there would u recommend me patching these up with correct filler first ? I’m a qualified brickie but not been on sites for years lol just do hobbles etc then once set then plaster ? I’m feeling good to go but I know prep is important in any job I only have one trowel I’ve read some have 2 1 for first coat 1 fit second/final? Thanks matey I’ve got a hawk and trowel
I’m thinking about having a go at plastering for the first time ever🥴🥴 I’ve all the gear 👍 just no idea 😕 I’ve looked at a few articles 🤯 And nearly lost my will to live 😭 I found this to be as informative as it really needs to be. Without dragging it out 😔 So a massive thank you from me 👍 And to find out that I’m not on my own with the facial expressions was a massive Bonas 🤣🤣
Hey mate, I know it’s an old article but I’ve got a headache. Gone back to my Mum’s to redecorate for her, stripped off the wallpaper and a bunch of plaster came with it (I think there might’ve been some damp at some point), now should I just use a filler-type of thing on this 2foot-square area, or just re-do the whole wall? What is best for a beginner who wants his Mum to be happy? Thanks!
I’m trying to do some plaster repairs in my basement. The plaster was put over a thin layer of what looks to be cement, which was applied to some material that was covered in brown paper. These walls have no lathe, so it is literally paper, thin cement layer, then the plaster. So the cement layer crumbled in a few spots. I will have to attack the plaster directly to the paper. Will this work? Also, will Plaster of Paris work? I live in the States. What type of plaster material would you recommend I use? Thank you!!