What Is a Plaster Guard?

Benefits

• Drywall, plaster and other similar materials crumble and create a lot of dust during building projects. It's important, therefore, to minimize the locations these small particles travel to. Plaster guards cover wall openings and plumbing fixtures, and this limits the exposure the inside of the wall or valve has to this debris. In addition, the guards protect any electrical circuitry that's in the wall from getting coated in dust that could damage components. The guards are reusable and durable, so they can be used on multiple projects over an extended period of time if necessary.

Installation Instructions

• Plaster guards are usually simple to install, and the process only takes a few minutes. Wall plaster guards are usually just drilled into place using screws. Each plaster protector has a hole on the top and bottom that screws fit through. The guards are lightweight, so they won't pull on the screws or damage the wall. Plaster guards are also frequently used on shower faucets. These varieties slide over the plumbing fixture and lay flat against the opening in the wall. They are then held in place by the other faucet components that fit on top of them. Valve plaster guards are curved and snap into place over the valve.

Cost

• Inexpensive, some plaster-guard models only cost one or two dollars, as of December 2011. Other plaster guards run as high as 20 dollars, but these are rare. Pricier models are usually specialized for a particular type of valve or fixture. Plaster guards are available at most hardware stores, or they can be purchased online from construction outlets and retailers.

Other Notes

• Available in multiple colors, white and black are the most common plaster-guard colors. The guards can be painted if necessary, and won't be damaged by the process. They can be drilled in with a power drill or can be screwed into a wall manually, if the wall material is soft enough. Most flat plaster guards are about the size of a light-switch cover.