Plasterers Wirral

How often you need to replaster your walls or ceilings depends on a number of factors, such as the type of plaster used, the condition of the surface and how much traffic the room gets. In general, however, you can expect to replaster every five to 10 years.

If you live in an older home with walls made of lath and plaster, you may need to replaster more frequently. Lath and plaster is a more fragile material that is prone to cracking and crumbling. If your walls are made of drywall, on the other hand, they will be much easier to maintain.

Drywall is less likely to crack or crumble, and it can be patched relatively easily if it does sustain damage. Whether you have lath and plaster walls or drywall, however, it’s always a good idea to inspect your surfaces regularly and patch any cracks or damage as soon as possible. By taking good care of your walls, you can extend the time between replastering jobs.

How often you need to replaster your walls or ceilings depends on a number of factors, such as the type of plaster used, the condition of the surface and how much traffic the room gets. In general, however, you can expect to replaster every five to 10 years.

If you live in an older home with walls made of lath and plaster, you may need to replaster more frequently. Lath and plaster is a more fragile material that is prone to cracking and crumbling. If your walls are made of drywall, on the other hand, they will be much easier to maintain.

Drywall is less likely to crack or crumble, and it can be patched relatively easily if it does sustain damage. Whether you have lath and plaster walls or drywall, however, it’s always a good idea to inspect your surfaces regularly and patch any cracks or damage as soon as possible. By taking good care of your walls, you can extend the time between replastering jobs.

There are several different types of plaster and each has its own unique qualities, see below list:

• The most common type of plaster used for interior walls is gypsum, which is also referred to as plaster of Paris and has fire-resistant properties. Gypsum plaster starts to set in about 10 minutes, but it takes 72 hours before the wet plaster is properly set.
• Cement plaster is made by combining cement, sand and water. It can be applied to both the inside and the outside of a property and is more water-resistant than gypsum plaster. The downside of cement plaster is that while it is possible to achieve a relatively smooth plaster finish, you may have to add an extra layer of gypsum plaster to get it completely smoothed out.
• Lime plaster is a mixture of lime (calcium hydroxide) and sand and it sets as a result of exposure to the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that turns the lime into limestone (calcium carbonate). Lime plaster breathes better and is more flexible than gypsum or cement plaster. Lime plaster is traditionally used on older properties, like timber-framed houses, and animal hair can be added to the lime to make a more fibrous plaster that is stronger and less likely to shrink or crack when it dries.
• Clay plaster may be old fashioned, but it is considered by many to be a more sustainable alternative to gypsum, cement or lime. It comes in a range of natural colours, does not have to be painted and breathes better than modern plaster.

Besides your four basic types of plaster mentioned above, plaster can also be categorised according to its application:

• Bonding plaster, as the name suggests, is commonly used as an undercoat on new walls but for particularly absorbent surfaces, browning plaster should be used as an undercoat.
• Hardwall plaster can be used in place of browning plaster; it dries quickly but is not as durable.
• Dri-coat plaster is moisture resistant and is ideal for walls with a dampproof course.
• Heat resistant plaster should be applied to chimney breasts and the adjacent walls.
• Board finish plaster is applied to plasterboard, multi-finish plaster creates a smooth top layer and one coat plaster is used for repair work.

The cost of our plastering services depends on the size of the property and complexity of the project. Larger, more complex projects can take longer for our plasterers to complete and require more resources which will be more expensive. Upon consultation, we will provide you with an accurate quote so there will be no hidden costs upon project completion.

The duration of a plastering project varies and is dependent on the individual project. Small plastering repairs may take our plasterers less than a day to complete, while larger projects like full-room skimming or rendering can take several days.

Upon consultation, we will set a project completion date. If complications occur which require additional work and may prolong the original completion date, we will keep you informed straight away.