How to Plaster a Room

Plastering was once a standard method for covering interior walls in the United States, but in recent decades, drywall has become the dominant interior wall covering, due to its reduced cost and ease of installation. Drywall panels may not always work, however, if your walls have unusual shapes, and plaster is both smooth and durable. Gather all of your supplies before mixing the plaster, because once the plaster becomes wet, you must immediately get to work.

Plastic sheeting
Painter's tape
Plaster
Buckets
Trowel

Instructions

- 1
  Cover your floor with canvas tarp or plastic sheeting and use painter's tape to hold it in place. Also use the painter's tape to cover your electrical outlets.
- 2
  Combine your water and plastic in a bucket. San Francisco State University recommends using slightly less water than plaster, to ensure a thick, firm mix. Mix the ingredients immediately after pouring, using a plaster-mixing drill bit. This will help you to avoid clumping. Continue mixing until the plaster is even and smooth.
- 3
  Scoop some plaster onto the blade of a metal trowel. Press the trowel against the wall, near the floor, and swipe it gently upward as high as you can go. Maintain the same level of pressure while swiping your trowel, in order to distribute the plaster evenly.
- 4
  Swipe your trowel downward, directly over the layer of plaster that you just applied to the wall surface. If you cannot reach the top of the wall, near the ceiling, use a step ladder or stilts to go back and fill in the gaps.
- 5
  Apply more vertical layers of plaster, as evenly as possible, until the entire wall surface has full coverage. Exit the room and allow the plaster several hours to dry before removing the painter's tape and tarps.

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