A Short Note On Cement Plaster

Perfect finishes for the walls are incomplete without the dedicated cement plaster. It is the final step as it offers the ready looks to the place. It covers all the uneven surfaces and cragged areas. It has a smooth and clean surface that is much-needed in any building.

All the interior and exterior walls of the house can be handled by cement plastering. Let us know all about the cement plaster, how it is made, and the different concentrations. The different coats of the cement plaster make it easy to understand the use cases of different types. Let us start with all about the cement plaster.

What is cement plaster?

A cement plaster has the ideal combination of the homogeneous combination of water, fine aggregates, and Portland cement. It is called the cement-sand plaster as OPC 43, and OPC 53 grade cement is mixed with the fine aggregates in different quantities. Hence, the cost of different types of cement plaster depends on the requirement of the place.

Different types of finishes in cement plaster

The different types of finishes possible in the cement plaster are:

Scraped finish
Pebbledash finish
Sand faced finish
Roughcast finish
Smooth cast finish

Thickness table for cement plastering

The following thickness requirements are necessary to be followed while going for the cement plastering for any building:

Sr. No.	Coat of cement plaster	Thickness
1	Single coat plaster	10 – 15 mm
2	Under coat for two coat plaster	10 – 12 mm
3	Finishing coat for two coat plaster	3 – 8 mm
4	Basecoat for three-coat plaster	10 – 15 mm
5	Second coat for three-coat plaster	3 – 8 mm
6	Finishing coat for three-coat plaster	3 – 5 mm

Not to miss are the quick guidelines for cement plaster for effective results:

Any superlative surface needs a thickness of 20 mm.
The plaster thickness of 12 mm to 18 mm is necessary for the brick masonry surfaces.
For a smooth and satisfactory surface on the concrete walls, it is important to maintain the minimum plaster thickness of 10 mm.

Grading of sand for use in cement plaster

Not all types of sand can be used in cement plastering. Hence, suitable particle-size sand grading is made based on Indian Standards. However, the sand should be free from impurities, suitably graded, sharp, and clean. The grading of sand for cement plaster is given by:

Sr. No.	IS Sieve designation	Percentage Passing
1	10 mm	100
2	4.75 mm	95 – 100
3	2.36 mm	95 – 100
4	1.18 mm	90 – 100
5	600 micron	80 – 100
6	300 micron	20 – 65
7	150 micron	0 – 50

Cement sand ratio for use in cement plaster

Sr. No.	Coat of cement plaster	Cement Sand ratio
1	Single coat plaster	1:3, 1:4, 1:6
2	Undercoat for two coat plaster	1:3, 1:4, 1:6
3	Finishing coat for two coat plaster	1:3 to 1:6
4	Basecoat for three-coat plaster	1:3, 1:4, 1:6
5	Second coat for three-coat plaster	1:3 to 1:6
6	Finishing coat for three-coat plaster	1:3 to 1:6

Advantages of cement plaster

The main benefits of cement plaster are:

It can be used on both internal and external surfaces.
It can have less or more thermal conductivity.
The cement plaster coating is not a rust inhibitor.
It has less or more identical acoustics properties.
The cement plaster creates strong and durable wall finishes.

Conclusion

Hence, it is easy to go for cement plaster based on the business needs. It is also called cement-sand plaster, which is the preferred choice over the OPC-grade cement for plastering. The OPC 43 and OPC 53-grade cement is mixed with sand in different proportions to match the building’s needs.

With the detailed guidelines for the cement plaster thickness, it becomes easy to get the best out of it. It is not only about making the building strong but adds aesthetic looks to the place. The use of cement plastering is important when it comes to adding durability, aesthetic looks, and the increased value of the property.