Different Types of Plaster Explained: Which is Best for Each Job?

Plaster is one of the simplest but most important building materials, offering both great protection and a beautiful finish. It’s so simple that gypsum plaster can be traced way back to Ancient Egypt, and it’s still the go-to plaster today.

That being said, technology has moved on since the days when pyramids were being built. Today, you have a lot of options when it comes to what gypsum plaster you pick up. Here, we break down some of the most commonly used plasters and what sets them apart.

What are the Common Types of Plaster?

While there are different base materials on the market, gypsum remains the go-to for internal plastering. There are various reasons gypsum plaster has stood the test of time, from its clean white finish to improved fire resistance, sound insulation, and general cleanliness.

Within gypsum plaster, however, there are a few popular styles that come with slightly different makeups. Many contain additives or use different levels of fineness to improve workability, adhesion or strength.

Fill & Finish Plaster

There are various types of fill and finish plaster, sometimes called a filler and finish compound. While this is technically a type of plaster, it’s designed to be used as a filler.

Fill and finish is a versatile compound primarily designed for plasterboard or drywall joint filling and patch repairs. Quicker and easier to use compared to normal plaster, it helps secure things like plasterboard joint tape before it can be sanded down to create a smooth finish.

While fill and finish is good for quick, localised repairs, it is not a substitute for finishing plaster. A traditional base coat plaster is much more suitable for those needing a smooth finish across a whole wall.

Bonding Plaster

Similar to browning plaster, bonding plaster is a popular choice for undercoats – it doesn’t have the smoothness of a finishing plaster but is very good for smoothing uneven surfaces and filling in holes.

Both bonding and hardwall plaster are popular undercoats. Bonding is often seen as more versatile and having stronger adhesive properties, making it a favoured choice for more awkward spaces, such as applying over previously painted, tiled or plastered walls (which still need to be prepared first). Bonding plaster can even be used as a finishing plaster if the wall is already quite smooth.

Hardwall Plaster

Hardwall plaster is another popular type of undercoat, which can be applied directly to a surface and then finished with a finer skim coat.

While bonding plaster is favoured for tricky surfaces, hardwall is popular as the first coat on masonry, such as brick or cement. As the name suggests, one of the benefits of hardwall plaster is that it creates a much stronger surface compared to a bonding plaster, making it a particularly good choice for high-traffic areas.

Finishing Plaster

As the name suggests, finishing plasters are specifically designed to provide a thin coat on top of the base plaster to ensure a smooth finish.

Finishing plasters tend to be particularly fine, ensuring they look smooth when dried. They are also quite versatile and can even be used for small repair jobs, such as cracks, where their fast-setting comes in handy.

What’s the Best Plaster for Walls or Ceilings?

Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to finding the best plaster for every wall and ceiling. Often, it comes down to features such as:

• Surface: Different plasters work best against different materials.
• Internal or External: Gypsum is great internally, but external applications may call for rendering with cement.

In most cases, plasterers will seek to use multiple plasters to get the perfect finish. Undercoat plasters are designed to be laid as thick as required to fill any cracks or holes, but they’re not designed to create a totally smooth finish. Finishing plaster doesn’t have the same strengths as undercoats, but can be applied much more thinly to make that smooth finish.

No matter what plaster you need for your next job, you’ll find it here with us at Fastbuild. With a wide range to choose from at great trade prices, find everything you need right here.