• What is Plaster?
• What is the difference between plaster and drywall?
• What is 'full coat' plaster, and how many homes in the United States are made of 'full coat' plaster?
• What is 'resurfacing'?
• When plastering is done, how long do you have to wait before it can be painted?
• Is plaster repair a career women can do well at?
• How do you teach someone how to do plaster repair in just a few days, when it took you years to learn how to do it?
• What is going on with the lead issues in the construction and remodeling trades?
• Why are there so few plasterers?
• I find it impossible to locate 'real' plaster products. Are they available?
• I have heard that plastering is known as a "dying art". How and Why did the plastering trade get to be in such a bad situation?
• How did you get into producing your own DVDs and Workshops?
Plaster is most commonly known as gypsum rock. However, if you want to get technical, plaster is a 'mineral'. It is found in almost every country in the world. The only place it is not found is on islands that have been formed by volcanic activity. In the United States there are plaster quarries where gypsum can be found, including such places as Iowa, Ohio, Oklahoma and Utah. Gypsum was formed by layers of sediment that settled over millions of years. Some gypsum is found on the surface (see photo of gypsum plaster that is located in Utah), but most often it is ten to several hundred feet below ground level.
Once the gypsum is found, it is blasted loose and broken up into smaller pieces. Gypsum has a lot of moisture in it, so it is heated to burn off part of the water content, and then it's crushed into a fine powder, and then bagged. At the jobsite the dry powder is mixed with water and made into base coat or finish plaster, depending on what is mixed with it.
Q: What is the difference between plaster and drywall?
A: There are several differences. For one, plaster is harder than drywall finishes, which makes it more durable. When mixed with water, plaster has a 'chemical' set, whereas joint compound and other drywall finishes tend to have a 'physical' set. Since plaster is 'rock' out of the ground, when it is mixed with water and made into a putty, a chemical set starts to set it back into rock (Some people have experienced this setting action when they mix plaster of Paris with water). This is one reason why plaster can be applied in very thick layers and used to fill deep holes very quickly. Joint compound is meant to be put on in thin layers and allowed to 'air dry'. It is sanded between coats and is much softer than plaster is. Since plaster chemically sets, there is no need for sanding, so there is less dust created when working with plaster. Drywall finishing is usually less expensive than plastering, but it also has a tendency to get damaged easier than plastered surfaces.
Q: What is 'full coat' plaster, and how many homes in the United States are made of 'full coat' plaster?
A: The estimate is that about 22 million homes are made from 'full coat' plaster.
The term 'full coat' plaster means it is somewhere between 3/8" - 1" thick of plaster, put on in three coats, applied over wood lath or rock lath. From the 1800's on through to about the 1940's, full coat plaster was used in homes all across the United States. After that drywall finishing became popular, as did 'veneer coat' plastering. Veneer coat is put on over plaster board in two thin coats, a 'base coat' and then a 'finish coat'. Veneer plaster is about 1/8" thick over plaster board that is either 1/2" or 5/8" thick.
A: Resurfacing is something I enjoy doing the most with plaster. Many older homes have cracked and unstable ceilings or walls. Or maybe someone has really thick ugly plaster that they want to get rid of. Or maybe someone takes down paneling and they find a 'surprise' behind it - ripped plaster board or drywall, or maybe thick paste or adhesive that needs to be covered. All of these things can be solved with resurfacing.
A bonding agent is usually applied over the surface and then a base coat is applied over the entire surface. Depending on the surface and the reasons for going over it, fiberglass mesh may be embedded into the plaster to make sure cracks don't come back, or it may simply have a base coat applied over it. Once the base coat is applied, there are several options. The surface can now be turned from a heavy texture into a smooth surface, ready for wallpaper or paint. Or it can be turned from a smooth surface into a heavy texture. On one project, I rolled latex bonder over high gloss tile and then base coated over it. I then smooth coated it and applied a primer. Over this I put a venetian marble plaster. The walls ended up looking like high gloss marble walls! So the options are endless.
The nicest part of all of this is that it can be done quickly, so the effect can be dramatic in just a short time.
Q: When plastering is done, how long do you have to wait before it can be painted?
A: Plaster often contains lime. The 'ph' level in lime is very high when it is first applied, so it needs to 'cure', which simply means the ph level must come down. This takes about a week. So it's safe to paint after about one week. And it's good to apply a primer over the new plaster. If repairs are done, prime them first, then go over the entire ceiling or wall with paint.
Q: Is plaster repair a career women can do well at?
A: Plaster repair is a great way to make a living. I always make it clear to anyone I train that plastering is hard work. That being said, there are a LOT of jobs that require hard work! Try being a waitress. Or how about working at Wal Mart? Check out what some of the older ladies there have to haul around and stack on shelves, let alone their share of unloading the trucks that come in.
The real bottom line is this: 'What do you get in return for the hard work that is done'? I have taught many people how to do plaster repair work that gets them $500 - $750 per day. So if you work a day and have to take a day off to recuperate, that's not too shabby. Besides, I find that women are very good at detail work, and they usually are very neat and clean in the way they keep a job site. I will also add that the companies bagging the plaster today are having more and more pressure put on them to put plaster in 50 lb. bags instead of 100 lb. bags as it used to be bagged. 50 lb. bags can be broken down further into smaller amounts by putting it into 5 gallon buckets of dry mix. So my answer to women is: Yes You CAN learn plaster repair as a way to make a great living. If you want to learn, contact me. The skills I can teach you can change your life permanently in a very positive way.
Q: How do you teach someone how to do plaster repair in just a few days, when it took you years to learn how to do it?
A: I like to use the illustration of someone who is trying to 'guess' how to make something their grandmother had cooked. If they try and guess the ingredients, and the measurements of each, and how to combine them, it may take YEARS to learn the exact way to do it, if it's guessed at all. Now think of how the learning curve can be cut down quickly by simply handing someone an index card with the ingredients and recipe on it! It would fast forward the whole process of duplicating the dish their grandmother had made.
The same is true of plastering. For years and years, those with the knowledge kept it to themselves. Without the 'recipes' - without knowing what to use, when to use them, and how to use them, it's a exercise in frustration. But if someone shows you what to use, when to use them, and how to mix and apply them, well, you're going to be able to quickly get up to speed. Such 'secrets' being revealed could cut years of time off the learning curve. I know, because I'VE DONE IT. I've taught people how to do this type of work. All that is needed is a willing spirit and someone who has a drive to want to do quality work in a trade that has been done for thousands of years - PLASTERING!
It must be remembered that plastering is the process of doing one of two things: Filling a hole, or coating a surface. And to do one of those two things, it is simply a matter of knowing what to use and when and how to use them. That's it. And I'm more than willing to share those secrets with you. And the price is not near as much as you would imagine. If you'd like to work with me and learn these secrets, contact me and we'll set it up.
Q: What is going on with the lead issues in the construction and remodeling trades?
A: There has been growing concern that the lead in older homes is causing damage to children, as well as adults. Homes with lead paint - which was used before 1978 - need to be treated carefully when demolition and repair work is done. These are Effective April 22nd, 2010, all individuals who want to do renovation and repair work on homes will need to be 'certified' through a one day course approved by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). The course is 8 hours of training and costs between $225.00 and $500.00. For more information on this important topic, call 800-424-LEAD, or visit their website, www.epa.gov/lead. This is an issue that anyone who gets involved with plaster repair needs to be aware of. Certification is now required by those working on such projects. The fine for doing this type of work without being certified is $32,500.00. So it's a big incentive to get certified!
Q: Why are there so few plasterers?
A: Plastering is a very special trade. Often experienced plasterers attempt to hire new workers and try and train them. In my experience, I've seen two things happen: One, the person hired realizes after a few weeks that this is really hard work and simply quits. In other cases, the guy who is hired stays on a few months and then heads off to start his own business because 'he knows it all now'. These experiences make many plasterers very discouraged in hiring people. They would rather do their work alone or with a small crew and keep it that way. Many are taking their skills to the grave without passing on the knowledge and skills they have fine tuned over the years.
I myself hired some people to work with me, and both things I mentioned above happened to me - one guy stopped working because it was just too hard, and two other guys quit and formed their own business. Plasterers I've known really don't like to share the secrets of this trade in the first place. So add to it a bad experience, and you can understand why the trade is dwindling as far as those who know how to do it. I find that of the plasterers I know, one out of ten are good at repair work. Doing new plastering work takes skill. But fixing it - repairing cracks and holes, and matching in the texture or smooth coat so it looks like there never was damage, well, that's quite a different thing. It is a fine art to learn to do this type of work. That's why it's in demand, and that's why it's a great way to make some serious money. My idea is to promote the trade by sharing knowledge about it as much as I can. It's my hope that this website will go a long way in doing that.
Q: I find it impossible to locate 'real' plaster products. Are they available?
A: This has always been the issue with plastering. The demand for such products by professionals and do-it-yourselfers and homeowners has been so weak, that plastering products are fast becoming 'specialty' products. I talked to one plasterer from Pennsylvania recently and he said he has to buy an entire pallet full to get what he needs. His supplier just cannot keep the products on hand locally, as there is not a big demand for such products.
I am out to change that. I am working very hard right now to try and make plastering products available through this site. I am working with one good friend of mine who is looking for reliable sources for the plastering products we want to have on the site. I believe this will happen soon, so keep checking in and we'll see what we can do.
Q: I have heard that plastering is known as a "dying art". How and Why did the plastering trade get to be in such a bad situation?
A: Knowing some of the history of the trade will help explain this. From the early 1800's through the 1960's, "full coat" plaster was put on the walls and ceilings by plasterers (note: full coat plaster is three coats of plaster about 3/8" - 3/4" thick, spread over wood lath or rock lath board). They were a very skilled group, doing outside stucco work, inside smooth and textured finishes, and fancy ornamental work. They pretty much controlled the building market, as everything revolved around the plastering being done. Once it was completed, painting, trim work, flooring, tile, etc., came behind it. Even the banks traditionally made their final pay out on the building project after the plastering was completed. It took six months to a year to have the house done in plaster (Keep in mind that at that time there was only oil based paint, so they had to wait until the plaster cured and dried out completely. Less refined materials were used at that time - and they were also put on much thicker than is the case today - so it took longer for them to cure and dry out). Then things changed drastically. World War II - and the end of the war - brought the men home in large numbers. They didn't want to wait for a year or more to have a house finished. Building work needed to be done quickly. This brought a newer type of finishing: drywall. It was board, hung in larger sheets - 4' x 8' instead of 16" x 48". Instead of the entire sheet or surface being plastered, thin layers of joint compound were spread on the joints and nail holes. It was sanded smooth instead of trowel finished. Plasterers refused to pick this up. They looked at it like a hard wood furniture sales person looked at particle board for the first time.
They felt it was cheap and would not learn this type of finishing. However, the carpentry and painters unions picked it up, and the rest, as they say, is history. Drywall finishing became the norm and plaster slowly died out. In the 1970's the plastering world got a shot in the arm by the development of thin "veneer coat" plasters. These were put on in thin coats over the entire sheet or room surface, but were much faster than the older ways of plastering. Another boost to the industry came in the 1980's with the creation of synthetic stuccos for the exteriors of buildings, especially E.I.F.S. - exterior insulated finishing systems. This has made a big shift on exteriors, from mainly brick to these types of synthetic stucco finishes that have become very popular.The situation today with the plastering industry is one of small specialty groups.
There really is no "organized" distribution channel for products or training. The plastering union has attempted to do training, and this has been successful in some areas of the country. But this has been very limited. Today plastering skills are well guarded secrets. The knowledge has been given to the family members over time. But today this has led to many family plastering businesses dying out when the kids or grandkids take no interest in the business and leave to do other work. A favorite expression in the industry is "if I train you, you'll take my job!" Of course this is short sighted and very selfish thinking, but nonetheless very prevalent as a mindset.
Q: How did you get into producing your own DVDs and Workshops?
A: In 1995 I was working for a couple in Macomb, Illinois. The wife asked me what I was doing with my plastering career. I told her I was doing repair work. She then proceeded to tell me the story of her husband who was a dentist. For years students who were graduating from the dental school would contact him and ask him, "How do you set up a dental office?" This was followed by a long list of questions on setting up a dental office. So one day he decided to write down answers to all the questions and then put on a workshop in a nearby hotel ballroom. And that’s what he did. He invited some friends in, and then filmed the event. It became a set of videos that they profited from for many years after that.
This wonderful lady then encouraged me to think about expanding my business by writing and producing my own line of information products. She thought that I could benefit by selling these products, and the public - homeowners and professionals alike - would appreciate getting this knowledge that I had told her was really not available from too many sources.
I thought about this idea for about five years. Then, in the winter of 2000, I hosted my first Plaster Man Workshop. It included both the ‘how to’ information on how to do the actual plastering work, and then the ‘how to make money at this type of work information. All of it was filmed over two days and became a set of videos I call the "How to Turn a Bucket of Mud into a Pot of Gold!". I sold this set for many years, and then got more into the personal training side of things. However, about ten years later I filmed the "Plaster On!" series of DVDs, which are available on this site at the "Products" page. I also hosted a few more Plaster Man ‘live' workshops as well during that time period.
I will always be grateful to the lady I worked for so many years ago! I credit her for getting me to consider starting up a line of products. Of course it took me a while to think of what I wanted to put on video, and also how I wanted to do the training. But now that I've done it, I would say that being behind and in front of the camera is something I really enjoy doing. And I know many people who have personally benefited from learning from what has been put together. So it's been a great thing to be involved with all the way!