Art & Craft of Plastering

Painting Like It’s 1985: Recreating the Oil Finish with Modern Products

Tue, 27 May 2025 10:43:12 -0400

Capturing the look of traditional oil paint applications with today’s waterborne/hybrid options.

Metallic Plaster

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

How to make your plaster have a shiny look.

Understanding Plaster Finishes for Decorative Painters

Tue, 28 May 2024 06:45:12 -0400

The New York artisan returns with a new feature regarding intricate/ornate finishes for interior plaster.

More Than Marble

webbp@buildingartscollege.us (Patrick Webb) — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 04:00:00 -0400

The magic of Scagliola can be found around the world.

Five Plaster Binders

webbp@buildingartscollege.us (Patrick Webb) — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Since the first humans began to settle down as an agricultural society at the very dawn of civilization, continuing for thousands of years until the middle of the 19th century, only five mineral binders were used to create plasters and mortars.

Hemp as a Raw Building Material (Part 2)

webbp@buildingartscollege.us (Patrick Webb) — Fri, 27 May 2022 00:00:00 -0400

In the past few decades, hemp has been increasingly grown as a principal material in construction.

Plaster Models and Molds

webbp@buildingartscollege.us (Patrick Webb) — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0400

It's Clay Time!

webbp@buildingartscollege.us (Patrick Webb) — Fri, 06 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500

Clay is a simple word for a very complex material.

Patrick Webb: Spanish Natural Cement

webbp@buildingartscollege.us (Patrick Webb) — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 00:00:00 -0400

I’ve been using natural cements and natural hydraulic limes in the traditional plastering craft for many years. However, I never had the opportunity to visit a quarry where the unique limestones used to produce them are mined.

An Introduction to Traditional Plaster Blends

webbp@buildingartscollege.us (Patrick Webb) — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 00:00:00 -0400

For the past few years here at Walls & Ceilings magazine, we’ve been considering the fundamentals of traditional plasters.

How Can Cement be Natural?

webbp@buildingartscollege.us (Patrick Webb) — Wed, 01 May 2019 00:00:00 -0400

The natural designation indicates that the raw material - a type of limestone known as clayey marl - is simply mined and burnt with no further additions.

History of Veneer Plastering

webbp@buildingartscollege.us (Patrick Webb) — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 00:00:00 -0500

A deep dive into the original use of plaster, and its significance to help better understand veneers.

European Standard for Building Lime

webbp@buildingartscollege.us (Patrick Webb) — Sat, 01 Sep 2018 00:00:00 -0400

This article will cover the classification of NHL's and highlight the balanced rationale based on experience, science, and practical use reflected in the European standard.

Historical Plaster and the Irreplaceable Lime

webbp@buildingartscollege.us (Patrick Webb) — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 00:00:00 -0400

The sustainability of lime has persevered over centuries up centuries.

Hydraulic Lime Vs. Pure Form of Lime

webbp@buildingartscollege.us (Patrick Webb) — Fri, 06 Jul 2018 00:00:00 -0400

As we considered in our previous article on lime, it is perhaps the most prized and exceedingly versatile building material of the modern world.

The Creation of Gypsum

webbp@buildingartscollege.us (Patrick Webb) — Fri, 04 May 2018 00:00:00 -0400

A look into the creation of gypsum.

Clay: The Original Plaster Binder

webbp@buildingartscollege.us (Patrick Webb) — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 00:00:00 -0500

Since clay is almost always readily available, we sometimes take it for granted.

Plaster Aggregates and Fibers

webbp@buildingartscollege.us (Patrick Webb) — Fri, 02 Feb 2018 00:00:00 -0500

Now it's time to consider the aggregates and occasionally fibers that typically compose the greater percentage of the volume and mass of a plaster

Plaster Binders—Mineral Glue

webbp@buildingartscollege.us (Patrick Webb) — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 00:00:00 -0500

We're not just talking about the binders you used to put your schoolwork in either.

What is Plaster?

webbp@buildingartscollege.us (Patrick Webb) — Sun, 01 Oct 2017 00:00:00 -0400

The writing is in the sand—or should we say plaster?

Interior Plastering Vocabulary

webbp@buildingartscollege.us (Patrick Webb) — Wed, 01 Mar 2017 00:00:00 -0500

The foundations of a good trade education is an understanding of the plaster industry’s vocabulary.