The plastering system consists of a base and a final layer of plaster and, if perfectly crafted, ensures perfectly flat and stable walls. This system is suitable for various types of buildings and provides a high quality and aesthetic appearance. The walls can then be coated, decorative wallpaper or tiles can be applied.
While the facade plaster protects the building from wind and weather, cold and moisture, the interior plaster is designed to positively support the indoor climate, contribute to fire protection and improve sound and thermal insulation.
Craftsmanship, appropriate tools and a basic knowledge of plaster types are essential for plastering and plaster finishing. For larger projects, when plastering large areas or using difficult materials, the expertise of professionals is required, so do not hesitate to contact them. They understand their craft perfectly and are able to carry out many plastering jobs efficiently by themselves or with the help of machines. No matter what steps or processes you go through, in the end, the result is always the most important thing!
There are many types of plaster, each with different properties and advantages. The right choice of plaster can significantly affect not only the visual aspect, but also the functionality of your interior. For example, cement or lime-cement plasters are more suitable for areas with high humidity, such as bathrooms, while clay or gypsum plasters work well in living rooms and bedrooms.
Plaster types vary in quality and price. It is therefore important to choose a plaster that not only suits your aesthetic requirements but also your budget. For example, in buildings with frequent changes of tenants, maintenance is a cost factor that should not be underestimated. In this case, you should choose cement plasters that are low maintenance, whereas with clay plasters, you would expect occasional touch-ups in the future.
Visible masonry often needs to be plastered, especially during construction or rehabilitation. The first layer of plaster, called the base plaster, is used to level and smooth the wall. This first layer can already contribute to thermal insulation or improve the indoor climate. The base plaster thus forms the basic substrate for all subsequent layers.
You will find many types of base plaster, based on gypsum, cement, lime, clay or a mixture of different materials or binders.
Clay plaster is a natural and eco-friendly choice for interior walls. It is made from clay, sand and can be reinforced with straw or fibreglass. Its warm and attractive texture gives the interior a unique character, or it can be painted white and look similar to other plasters. As clay plaster is made from all-natural materials, it has a low environmental impact. It has an excellent ability to absorb and release moisture, i.e. to retain it, thus regulating the humidity in the interior and promoting a healthier indoor climate.
Disadvantages include its lower durability compared to cement or lime plaster. It is also more vulnerable to impact or water damage. For this reason, it is not suitable for areas with high humidity, such as bathrooms and kitchens.
Cement plaster is one of the main plaster mixes, it is extremely resistant and durable and therefore suitable for areas subject to heavy loads, such as building plinths. Its great advantage is that it does not require high-maintenance.
Cement plaster is suitable for a variety of substrates, including concrete, brick and other materials. Due to its strong composition, cement plaster is more resistant to moisture and mechanical wear. Compared to lime-based plasters, it dries relatively quickly, which reduces construction time. The application of cement-based plaster is similar to that of lime-cement plaster. The plaster is applied in several layers, each layer having to be worked thoroughly.
Although cement plaster has many advantages, it also has its disadvantages. One of them is their lower flexibility compared to lime plasters. This means they are less resistant to movement and shock and are more prone to cracking.
Lime plaster is a traditional, natural and breathable building material used in the interior and exterior of buildings. Lime plaster is very good at absorbing excess water from the air in the room and releasing it back when needed, thus regulating the humidity in the air, which is why it is now in high demand again in green building. It can also bind harmful substances, which also improves the indoor climate.
Lime plasters are very suitable for local repairs, as they also adhere well to highly absorbent or sandy (dusty, e.g. unplastered brickwork) substrates. As lime is strongly alkaline, it does not provide a breeding ground for micro-organisms, so these plasters provide optimum protection against algae, mould and rot. They are particularly suitable for rooms, warehouses, cellars and for walls and ceilings that are particularly susceptible to mould growth.
The disadvantage of lime plasters is that they require a longer drying time than some other types of plaster and are usually applied in several coats, each coat having to dry before the next can be applied. This process can then increase the overall duration of the construction.
Lime-cement plasters are very strong and abrasion resistant and therefore suitable for interior and exterior use. Lime cement plaster is a popular plaster for interior walls because it allows you to achieve a smooth and even surface, giving your interior walls a clean look. It is particularly used for heavily stressed and wear-prone wall surfaces such as stairways, door surrounds, etc. It offers a certain elasticity so that it can expand and contract with temperature fluctuations without cracking. Due to its cement content, it is more resistant to compressive loads and more water repellent than pure lime plaster. Its greatest advantage is durability.
Lime-cement plasters are also very breathable, i.e. diffusely open, and can accumulate excess moisture from the room air to release it again when the humidity drops. The diffusive openness of lime-cement render (this is the ability of the render to let water vapour through and thus allow water vapour to diffuse out of the interior) is slightly lower than that of pure lime plaster.
Lime-cement plasters have a good resistance to moisture, thus preventing mould growth, and are therefore suitable for plastering damp rooms such as bathrooms. The lime content brings with it a high alkalinity which makes lime-cement plasters relatively resistant to mould and algae growth. However, this natural protection wears off over time. Therefore, lime-cement plasters should always be kept clean on façade surfaces, otherwise organic deposits can provide a breeding ground for mould and mildew even on walls coated with this plaster.
Gypsum plaster is a widely used interior plaster due to its advantages such as ease of application, durability and aesthetic appearance. Gypsum plaster can achieve an extremely smooth and symmetrical surface, making it ideal for interior walls that require a smooth appearance.
Due to its special crystalline structure, plaster can absorb excess moisture in the room and release it back later when the air in the room is dry. In this way, the plaster regulates the humidity in the room and ensures a healthy and pleasant living climate. It also prevents the formation of mould. However, it is also very sensitive to humidity and should not be used in damp or wet rooms. It also has the disadvantage that it tends to crack on impact and in some cases can be brittle. As a result, gypsum plasters are not as durable as cement or lime plasters and need to be repaired more frequently.
Other advantages include the fact that gypsum plaster hardens quickly and is therefore suitable for projects with time constraints. It offers very good thermal and sound insulation properties and is naturally fire resistant.
