Do you remember standing in the middle of your friend's living room and admiring its ceiling not because of the chandelier but the patterned encryptions surrounding it and enhancing its beauty? That is the work of plaster. Because of its quick drying characteristics, plaster is used on the walls to give them strength, smoothness and resistance from fire. The plastered constructions are well protected from temperature variations and sulphate and chloride attacks.

Plastering is not a rocket science. With very few but vital points to keep in mind, you can perfectly accomplish the job. It is always helpful to take up a small course, not more than five days, on plastering before initiating the job. It helps you to give a professional touch to your chore.

The first and foremost step is to vacate the room to be plastered and make sure to cure it for at least twelve days after plastering. Make the estimates for cement and the plaster required. Buy or borrow the tools and tray required for the job. Decide the day to begin, get into a loose and not your favourite shirt, zip in your gum boots, keep the kids away from that area and you are ready to start!

At the time of buying supplies for plastering, go for the cement that releases low heat of hydration. Blended cement is always a good choice. While preparing the plaster, an optimum use of water should be made. Avoid using dry cement on plaster surface. And do not forget to wet the surface before plastering. Plaster also gives brickwork surface and for this purpose chicken mesh or fibre mesh plasters should be used as they provide a better strength.

Plastering of wall make the room fire resistant to a reasonable extent. It prevents the structural damage provided the fire being extinguished on time.

Plaster plays a dominating role in decorating the roofs and outer walls of the house with geometric and floral patterns. Plaster can be moulded in variety of shapes and sizes with an ease thus giving the desired design. The use of wood or stone in the plaster mixture gives the wall very substantial and impressive look. Plastering for decorating purpose should be done by or in presence of an experienced person so as to assure the tidiness of the chore.