Plaster has a long history as a building material.
The use of plaster, a paste-like substance used in building construction and interior finishing, reaches back to ancient times. People in early primitive societies used mud plaster to improve their simple huts. The ancient Egyptians incorporated plaster into pyramids. You can create plaster from a variety of materials. Each type of plaster has advantages and disadvantages based on the exact formula used.
Earthen
Plasters made from clay, called earthen plasters, represent some of the oldest building materials still in use today. Plasters typically need a structural component and a binding agent. A fiber to help give the plaster added strength might also be necessary. Clay's stickiness provides a good binder for earthen plaster. The structural material gives the mix most of its volume. Most formulas use sand as the structural component. Common fibers for earthen plasters include straw, wool and cattails, according to "The Natural Plaster Book."
Lime
Builders have used lime plaster for thousands of years. It works well for an exterior wall finish because of its resistance to inclement weather, especially rain. The lime used to make the plaster comes from limestone, a naturally occurring sedimentary rock. Like earthen plasters, lime plaster get its name from its binding agent. The typical structural agent is sand. Some plasters don't add a fiber to the mix, but those that do use a wide variety of materials, including horse hair, goat hair and chopped straw.
Cement-based
Commonly referred as stucco, cement-based plasters typically have a binding agent called Portland cement, although other cement formulas can serve this purpose. The structural component might be either fine aggregate or sand. The size of the aggregate plays an important role in the texture of the dried plaster. Cement-based plasters give structures a strong, durable finish that resists damage from weather. Owners of stucco plastered buildings, however, must guard against water seeping into the building and harming the walls.
Gypsum
Gypsum plaster, once one of the most widely used plasters for interior finishes, was superseded as an interior wall finish by drywall, which, like plaster, comes from gypsum, a naturally occurring mineral. Gypsum powder mixes and premixed wet plaster come in various formulas from commercial distributors. Manufacturers typically don't add sand to the formula, but you can add it yourself if you obtain the dry mix. Gypsum plaster does not work well as an exterior material as it's too easily damaged by water.
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