Plaster & plastering - manual vs mechanical

1. Interior manual plastering

Manual plastering is the oldest way to smooth out a wall. The traditional lime plaster recipe has been changed by addition of cement to the mixture. The mixture intended for manual plastering is made using a hand-operated mixing paddle. That said, note that manual plastering is tricky and not everybody can do it. The advantage of manual mixing is the ability to change dosage and make different batches, which gives you control over the texture and structure. However, its the second stage of the process thats problematic. Plaster is mixed on site with a hand-operated mixing paddle, leading to varying composition, which in turn results in a varying degree of hardness.

2. Mechanical plastering

A plastering machine makes the work process faster and cheaper. With the advent of an injection pump, manual plastering has become obsolete. The most obvious advantage of both mechanically mixed plaster and mechanical plastering is faster operation. Whats more, owing to constant mixing, the resulting plaster is of higher quality and more homogeneous, and its composition is unvarying. Another big plus of mechanical plastering is that it creates a one-piece surface, i.e. there are no joints, meaning theres no pealing or subsequent patching needed. There are several types of mechanical plasters, which differ in hardness and insulation capabilities.

2.1. Lime-cement mechanical plasters

These plasters are harder, similarly to those mixed by hand. They look very rough when applied to the wall due to their composition. On the other hand, this makes them more resistant to load and impact, and theyre easy to operate. Their rough appearance usually requires additional processing.

2.2. Lime-gypsum mechanical plasters

Softer and more sensitive, these plasters appear smoother. As a result, they dont require any additional processing, including skimming. Theyre a perfect fit for dry rooms, i.e. bedroom and living rooms.

2.3. Thermal insulation mechanical plasters

These plasters boast great thermal insulation properties due to the added LECA (aka exclay) or other minerals and substances having similar properties.

2.4. Clay plasters

Being soft and less resistant to impact, clay plaster can be applied mechanically. Its greatest advantage is that its 100% natural and therefore provides a balanced indoor climate.

3. Cost of manual and mechanical plastering

Does it make more sense to get manual or mechanical plaster? Whats more cost-effective - manual or mechanical plastering? There are no huge price differences. Slight deviations (5–10%) have to do with the quality of the resulting surface and complexity of application, e.g. piles and sloping surfaces can pose a challenge.

If you decide to do some plastering, you can also contact us, at DaiBau.ng. Visit our website to find more tips about this topic, but also bidders and contractors who we work with and who will send you their offers if you contact them.