Everything You Need to Know About Ready Mix Plaster

In the field of construction, groundbreaking progress has been made over the years through innovative building materials to refine the structure and the quality of construction. Starting from planning and designing to foundation work and finishing of construction work, we use major advancements to make the construction strong and flawless both internally and externally as we expected.

One such innovation is ready mix plaster. Let’s take a look into the details of plastering which occurs during the final stage of construction work, with more focus on Ready Mix  Plaster, a  type of plaster that is increasingly being used in the industry.

What is Plastering?

Plastering is the Method of applying a coat of plaster over rough under surfaces, using a material composed of sand, cement, gypsum, lime, silica or other such materials . It is applied to protect the walls or ceiling surfaces and also for interior decorative purposes. Plaster plays a crucial role in protecting buildings and preventing cracking, by filling gaps, making them resistant to water and weather and also giving a smooth or matte finish.

Ready Mix  Plaster

Ready mix plaster is a ready-to-use pre-mixed mixture of cement, sand, gypsum, lime, and, water-absorbing additives in well-blended proportions. It requires only water for application. This pre-mixed plaster is considered effective because it is easy to use, saves time, and also quickly dries after application.

Features and benefits of ready-mixed plastering

1.  Convenience: As it is pre-blended, it is easy to use for masons by just adding water and making it into a proper mixture.

2.  Faster application: It saves time and also reduces material waste while applying.

3.  Excellent covering: It gives excellent coverage by smoothing the surface as it contains a uniform mixture of key ingredients.

4.  High strength: The composition provides a strong, long-lasting, durable finish. It has the capacity to protect the exterior walls from harsh weather conditions in hot, rainy  and humid conditions.

5.  Durable and crack resistant: Ready mix  plasters consist of , polymers and other  additives which creates a strong bond, thereby minimising cement shrinkage, preventing and controlling fissures and cracks, and producing  durable finishes.

6.   Water resistant: Water absorbing additives in ready mix plaster like synthetic polymers, natural fibres and other starch-based additives helps to absorb water in walls and make them less prone to seepage.

7.  Labour saving: It is easy to mix, reduces physical work and even unskilled laborers can use it effectively. It creates less of a mess and reduces the time of cleaning because of low rebounding losses.

8.  Cost effective and easy maintenance: It only requires minimum labour power, and also it reduces need for frequent maintenance due to its long-lasting durable finish. Small damages, if any occur in the future, can be easily repaired.

9.  Easy cleaning: If anything is spilled on the surface of walls, it is effortless to wipe up due to its smooth surface and also its ability to protect the underlying structure, thereby preventing any penetration.

10. Quality control: Ready mix  plaster is manufactured through careful selection of raw materials and binding of materials using effective techniques. Before marketing, samples are tested for strength, consistency and enduring properties to meet up the industrial standards, thus ensuring uniform and good quality.

Applications of Ready Mix  Plaster

Ready mix  plaster is suitable for various surfaces and foundation layers like concrete, brick, drywall, plywood, wood, metal, gypsum board and, wood. It can be  used in:

1.  Walls and ceilings: Provides coating for exterior and interior walls, ceilings and other structural elements  

2.  Flooring: It can be  applied as an underlay for flooring materials like tiles, marbles and wood.

3.  Pillars and beams: Gives a matte finish, which provides enhanced look and also paves way for smooth painting or any other wallpapering works.

4.  Soundproofing: It has the ability to reduce noise and echoes between rooms.

5.  Fireproofing: Cement in ready-mixed plaster has a natural property of heat-resistance. It also has other fire-resistant additives like gypsum and, vermiculite.

Conventional Plastering vs Ready Mix Plaster

Cement plastering, commonly known as conventional plastering, is a traditional way of applying plasters to ceilings and walls which needs a manual mixture of cement, sand, water and other additives. As it is mixed manually, it is not easy to get a uniform blend It also leads to material waste and consumes a lot of time, thus leading to increased costs . Difficulty in making plaster in correct proportions with, different grain sizes, scarcity of major components like sand and time to clean are all added drawbacks of conventional plastering.

To overcome these issues, ready mix plaster is being used. As aforementioned, this pre-blended mix is cost-effective, reduces labour costs, gives the best coverage, requires  less maintenance and provides long-lasting durability.

Product Features and Cost Factors of Ready Mix Plaster:

• Available packs: 5 kg, 10kg, 25 kg and 40 kg [commonly available]
• Available colours: Grey
• The average cost for ready mix  plaster  for 3000 sq ft is given in the following table approximately:

Conclusion

From the above factors, it is evident that ready mix plaster is a good choice as it provides numerous advantages like being budget friendly, high in quality, low maintenance, labour-saving and long-lasting with an enhanced appearance. It stands out as a superior  plastering solution compared to other conventional plastering.

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