The cost of plastering walls and ceilings depends on the room size and ceiling height. Our tips can help you estimate an accurate cost.
What Is Plaster? What You Need to Know About This Classic Building Material
It’s not the most common material for walls anymore, but it was one of the first
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Plaster as a building material is a paste made from minerals like gypsum or lime mixed with water and sand to finish walls and ceilings.
Gypsum plaster is the most common type for interior walls, while lime plaster offers better flexibility and breathability for areas with moisture in your home.
Plaster costs more than drywall and requires more effort to install, but it provides better sound dampening and lasts longer in your home.
Hiring a local plaster repair professional keeps the job clean and ensures beautiful results, especially when refinishing historic walls or creating ornamental interior shapes.
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Plaster is a paste composed of minerals and water that can be used in construction. In fact, plaster has been used for this purpose for several thousand years. This versatile material has been used for everything from rough external rendering to crafting fine art stucco decorations lining the interiors of European churches. Although it’s not the most common choice anymore, it’s still in use today. Read on to learn more about what plaster is and how it’s used.
The Basics of Plaster
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Plaster is a paste most commonly composed of a mineral, like lime or gypsum, as well as water and sand. Because of its pasty texture when wet, it can be molded into place to finish ceilings and walls before it dries and hardens.
Although plaster largely fell out of fashion in the 1950s when drywall was introduced to the world, it’s still used today. It’s particularly common in the renovation or restoration of historic buildings. Additionally, because of its moldable quality, plaster is still a relatively common choice when it comes to crafting ornamental interior shapes, and it can be helpful in curved areas where it’s difficult to utilize drywall.
Interesting fact: Some of the earliest forms of plaster included animal hair as a binding agent, which you may be able to notice if you look at certain historic plaster walls.
Types of Plaster
There are a few different types of plaster, each of which is best suited for slightly different purposes.
Gypsum plaster is the most common, contemporary type of plaster, and it’s made of the natural mineral gypsum mixed with water. Gypsum plaster is durable but doesn’t stand up well to humidity, so it’s best for interior walls in areas other than bathrooms and kitchens.
Plaster of Paris is a subset of gypsum plaster in which the gypsum in the mix has been partially dehydrated. This gives Plaster of Paris a quicker setting time than other types and makes it good for interior decorations and molds.
Lime plaster is the oldest type (and luckily, any modern lime plaster you find on the shelf won’t contain animal hair). The lime in the mix makes it more flexible and breathable, which means it’s better suited for areas with moisture.
Cement plaster, as its name suggests, is composed of cement—as well as water and sand. This type of plaster can be used both internally and externally, but it can have a rough appearance to its finish and can set quickly, making it somewhat more challenging to work with.
Plaster vs. Drywall
Drywall is the more popular construction material between the two in large part because the cost of plaster is higher than that of drywall. Plaster is also more effort-intensive to install. Drywall creates thinner walls than plaster, which means it can be less useful for sound dampening, but it can also be more energy efficient and less prone to cracking.
Like some types of plaster, drywall is composed of gypsum, but it comes pre-dried (unlike plaster) between thick layers of facer and backer paper. Drywall may also contain additives like paper or glass fiber, plasticizers, foaming agents, and other substances that can help reduce its flammability and mildew risk.
| Plaster | Drywall |
|---|---|
| Great sound barrier | Less messy during installation |
| Very long-lasting | Easier to remove |
| More energy efficient | Easier to hang items on walls |
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro for Plaster Work
If you’re taking on a major home construction project involving plaster—including potentially building new walls or refinishing old ones—consider reaching out to a local plaster repair pro.
Plaster is incredibly messy, and it isn’t a very friendly material for DIYers. A pro will be able to get the job done right the first time with minimal mess and a beautiful result.
Frequently Asked Questions
Plaster repairs reviews from real Angi homeowners in Columbus, OH
4.9★ avg. • 21 total reviews
- Julio V.
Positive experience. As previously stated, the replacement/repair could not be completed (no fault of the plumbing tech) b/c misinformation was rec?d by property management maintenance. Thanks to the plumbing tech for your efforts. Appreciate you!
The Waterworks - Brent C.
Carpet repair done well. Scheduling was easy. Showed up on time.
BR Flooring Installation - Austin Y.
I would recommend this company to anyone! He showed up on time, was friendly, completed a very difficult repair on our dryer vent cover, was responsive, and pricing was extremely fair and competitive. I would have him back to do any of our repairs or cleanings without hesitation!
U.S.A. Dryer Vent, LLC - Micki B.
Everything from initial contact to completion was absolutely top notch. We contacted the business during off hours to leave a message, and the owner still reached out to feel out the issue within minutes. We were scheduled and repaired within 48 hours. I cannot say enough about the...
Supreme brick & chimney - Donald L.
Ace Fireplace Services came to the rescue for my chimney repair. They were quick to pinpoint the issue and worked their magic to fix it. My chimney is now in excellent shape, and I'm a satisfied customer.
Ace Fireplace Services - Nicholas B.
Great experience all together. Dog friendly, courteous, great results and honest with recommendations. Will certainly be using Cardinal in the future for any carpet repairs
Cardinal Carpet Care & Repair - Michael H.
Description says they handle window repair including rotten hardwood - they called me back right away but didnâ t leave a voicemail. I followed up 3 days later and they said they donâ t do that kind of work.
Window-Gurus - Diane C.
Very good experience. He even moved things around in my bedroom to get to the wall. I would highly recommend him for plaster. I plan to have him come back.
Peter J Grady - Paul C.
Great guys. Spend a lot of time repairing and prepping our walls before doing the new paint. Home looks great now.
- Pantelhs V.
They did an excellent job with the repair, took care of all communication with the insurance company and had car rental service also with a very reliable, quality care
Three C Body Shop
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