Of all the trades in the building industry, plastering in one of the most prone to fail. To ensure a long lasting quality end result you should know what goes into making a successful job and as importantly, what you need to do to avoid failure.

Plaster is a material that, if correctly applied, provides a durable, long life, hard surface; but there are several factors that may cause it to fail. There a many ways in which a plaster job can fail if the job is not done to standard or if unforseen interference influences the outcome. The main obstacle to a successful long term plaster job, however, is moisture. The first sign of moisture causing the plaster to fail is a fine white powder on the plaster surface, that is formed due to soluble salts migrating to the surface. If this goes untreated and the moisture is allowed to continue to come to the surface, the plaster will eventually crumble.

The presence of moisture that causes plastering to fail can be attributed to several sources. Unstable plumbing, leaking roofs, eroded window and door seals or wet soil may cause moisture to penetrate the base masonry and affect the quality of the plaster finish. Rising damp will also cause plastering to fail if it is not recognised and treated. If you see peeling or bubbling paint or plaster work it likely that moisture through rising damp is affecting the quality of your plastering. The longer you allow the problem to persist, the more extensive the repair job is likely to be, In extreme cases, entire walls may need to be replaced but if you act in time, a patch up job will be all that’s required.

If you need advice or assistance with plastering or rendering, you should contact a professional plasterer.