Brisbane Plastering Professionals Explain The Different Types Of Wall Plaster
When doing research for new plaster walls there can be many different terms and product names thrown around on the internet and it can be confusing as to what they are and how do they relate to plastering a home in Australia.In Australia we do use some different terms and words to describe plastering techniques and finishes.Some terms no longer relate to today’s building styles but if you are doing restoration work you will be experienced with all forms of plastering.
What Is Plastering?
Traditionally plastering was a wet mixture made up of lime, sand, clay and different stone dusts like marble dust and it was used to create smooth layers on walls both internally and externally. Over time different processes were developed to ensure the plaster work was waterproof and how it could be fashioned in different decorative finishes and ornamental plaster designs.
What is Stucco?
It is also a wet mixture that is applied to walls and ceilings and dries hard. It was used to in many older buildings to create the decorative finishes for example many cathedrals. It was versatile and could be used to cover up different building materials like timber, clay or brick and create a smooth and even surface.These days in England and Australia it is used as a term to describe an external wall finish or coating and we often refer to this as rendering. Stucco is still used in the USA to describe exterior wall coatings. Plastering is the term used to describe the internal wall finishes
Different Plaster Techniques Were Developed For Internal Walls
Plaster and Lath was used in many counties, including Australia right up to the 50’s and you will see these type of plaster walls in some of the well maintained Victorian homes and Californian Bungalows. Narrow strips of wood (lath) were laid and nailed horizontally across the wall studs. Several coats of lime based wet plaster mix was applied over the timber slats ensuring all the gaps were filled in with the wet mixture. Animal hair was usually added to the mix (horse, cow or pig) and these added extra fibres and gave better sticking capabilities to the mix. This created a strong, sealed and soundproofed wall.Plasterboard came into mainstream use in the 50’s with the housing booms happening worldwide. The demand for easier, cheaper and faster housing construction methods was needed. Over time plasterers had noticed that if gypsum was used instead in a wet plaster mix instead of lime, the plaster walls dried a lot faster and this went on to be the start of the plasterboard that we now use today.
Plasterboard And Drywall. What Is the Difference?
The original plasterboard were tiles made out of gypsum and dried between sheets of wool felt paper and these were first created in 1888 by Sackett plaster company in the UK. Over the next decade the process was refined and then the company was bought by a USA company Gypsum Corporation and the term drywall was coined as the sheets contained already dried gypsum plaster and the walls did not need to dry like traditional plaster work. Later this company became USG Boral and they renamed the plasterboard to Sheetrock.In the USA the names used for plastering or plasterboard are Drywall, Wall Board or Sheetrock.In Australia we often refer to plasterboard as Gyprock and this is a brand that was started in in 1947 by CSR.
Today, plasterboard is still made by sandwiching a layer of gypsum plaster between two thick sheets of paper. To create different variations of plasterboard, such as for sound proofing or for use in wet areas then different compounds are added to the plaster recipe or the external sheets are adapted to be better suited for these areas.
DIY Building Work Can Be Fun But You Need To Get It Right
At Brisbane Plaster Pro, we are builders and plasterers with many years of experience, so we can create any wall or ceiling and we know what types of plasterboard to use on the walls and are suitable for living in Brisbane.Brisbane has semi tropical weather and using products that can cope with the humidity and hot temperatures is important. We know the plasterboard variations best suited for Brisbane plastering and where they are best used within the building or home. We do a lot of fix up jobs to replace plaster work where the wrong plasterboard was used or the finish was not up to a good enough standard. The whole point of having smooth plasterboard on your walls is so you have the best surface to paint or decorate on.
The most experienced painter in the world will not be able to deliver a good paint job if the existing surface has visible joins, is warped or has a rough surface.The Brisbane painters we work with, love our work.We ensure that the finishes are smooth ready for painting with minimal prep required.Installing new plasterboard walls to add much needed room or privacy within a home is always rewarding when we know that the job has been done on time and to budget.
Call Brisbane Plaster Pros today on (07) 30640686 for a free quote
