The plastic material or plaster is made by working together a mixture of building materials which may be cement, lime or clay; fine aggregates (usually sand) and water. Certain additives are sometimes added to improve its adhesiveness, durability and lusture. When cement is used as the binding material, the plaster is termed as cement plaster and when lime is used as the binding material, it is called lime plaster. Sand normally forms the greatest proportion of the constituents of a plaster. Sand controls the shrinkage, porosity, strength and adhesive properties of plaster. Fine sand is often recommended for plastering and it should be so graded that it should not pass by more than 5% through a sieve of 100 meshes (B.S.sieve). Sand used should be clean, sharp and free from deleterious matter. Water used should be clean, and fit for drinking purposes. Depending upon the availability of the materials, the choice of plaster for any particular location is governed by the rainfall, weather conditions and the finish desired.
The types of mortars commonly used for plastering are:
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