How to Prepare a Lime Plaster Ceiling

Mix a batch of plaster with water according to the directions. The lime plaster mixes are best for finished areas. Use a drill mixer to help stir the plaster and water together.

Situate a ladder so it is stable. Use a ladder that has a shelf to hold your bucket.

Dip a trowel into the bucket and spread plaster across the lath. You just want a thin coating that fills in between the holes in the lath and skims over the surface of it. Dip and repeat the process over the entire ceiling. Let the plaster dry overnight.

Mix up a new batch of plaster and repeat the process that you did the prior day. Spray the surface with water using a misting bottle before applying the second layer. The moisture helps the new layer bond to the one spread the day before. Create another thin coat that finishes covering over the lath to the point where you cannot see it any longer. Try to make this layer as smooth as possible with the trowel by sweeping the trowel over the surface in long even movements. Let the surface dry for another day.

Sand the surface of the ceiling with a fine 280-grit paper to remove any rough spots.

Make a final batch of plaster in your bucket for your third layer. Dampen the ceiling and smooth on a final thin coat. This is when you can create texture in the plaster if you want. Some examples include dragging a bristle brush through the wet plaster or stippling the surface with the ends of the brush. Leave the ceiling to dry for a couple days. Work in 3-foot areas so you can apply texture before it dries.

Sand the surface of the finished ceiling if you didn't create a texture.