Applications


Plaster Textures:

The term "plaster" is used generally to describe material prepared with either portland cement or gypsum. The term "stucco" used herein describes a factor-prepared, integrally colored finish which over the years has come to be used to describe all colored portland cement finishes.

Each of the pictures shown were photographed from the same distance of approximately 4 feet and depicts a one square foot panel. Plaster, applied in a plastic state, may create a great variety of design configuration or texture patterns.

Textures illustrated are not intended to show the whole range of possibilities. They are the most commonly used. Identifying names are those by which the texture is commonly referred to in the trade. It should be noted that a designer, contractor or journeyman may have differing concepts of these plaster texture terms.

Plaster Textures

Light Lace
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Trowel, float or dash on a first coat to completely cover base.
  2. When surface moisture leaves, trowel apply light second coat in random directions.
  3. Knock down surfaces lightly with trowel.
   

Heavy Lace
Suggested Applications Procedures

  1. Trowel, float or dash on a first coat to completely cover base.
  2. When surface moisture leaves, trowel apply second coat in random directions.
   

Light Dash
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Apply a first dash coat to produce compete color coverage.
  2. Apply a second dash coat for texture depth and uniformity when first coat is dry, using a plaster mix of thinner consistency.
  3. Use proportionately more atomizing air at the gun nozzle.
   

Medium Dash
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Apply a first dash coat to produce complete color coverage.
  2. Apply a second dash coat for texture depth and uniformity when first coat is dry.
  3. Use a medium amount of atomizing air at the gun nozzle.
   

Heavy Dash
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Apply a first dash coat to produce complete color coverage.
  2. Apply a second dash coat for texture depth and uniformity when first coat is dry, mortar to be of relatively stiff consistency.
  3. Use relatively less atomizing air at the gun nozzle and lower water ratio of the plaster.
   

Tunnel Dash
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Apply first dash coat to produce complete color coverage.
  2. When surface moisture leaves, or on second day, apply a second heavy coat.
  3. Use low atomizing air and reduce water ratio of the plaster
   

Knockdown Dash
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Apply first dash coat in thin consistency to produce complete color coverage.
  2. Apply a course second dash coat for texture depth and uniformity, allowing some of the first coat to show through.
  3. Trowel lightly after moisture leaves surface.
   

Cat Faces
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Trowel, float or dash on a first coat to completely cover base.
  2. Apply second coat and steel trowel to smooth finish, leaving the first coat exposed in the design specified.

Note: An exelerator can be used in the first coat. Smooth finishes are subjected to cracking and it is recommended that they be coated with an elastomeric paint.
   

California
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Float on first coat to completely cover base.
  2. Apply a thin texture coat with trowel in a random pattern, overlapping strokes.
  3. Flatten higher areas with a trowel.
   

Smooth
Suggested Application procedures

  1. Trowel, float or dash on a first coat to completely cover base.
  2. Apply second coat and steel trowel to a smooth finish.

Note: An excelerator can be used in the first coat. Smooth finishes are subjected to cracking and it is recommended that they be painted with an elastomeric paint.

   

Santa Barbara
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Apply brown coat with a rounded trowel, creating undulation in the brown coat.
  2. When Applying the finish, trowel, float or dash on a first coat to completely cover base. Apply second coat and steel trowel to a smooth finish.

Note: An excelerator can be used in the first coat. Smooth finishes are subjected to cracking and it is recommended that they be painted with an elastomeric paint.
   

Fine Sand Float
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Trowel on a finish coat and double back with a second application. Plaster mix is to be formulated with a blend of 20-30 mesh aggregate.
  2. Using circular motion, rub surface with float to achieve uniform pattern, bringing sand particles to surface. An absolute minimum of water should be used in floating.
   

Medium Sand Float
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Trowel on a finish coat and double back with a second application. Plaster mix is to be formulated with a 20-mesh aggregate.
  2. Using circular motion, rub surface with float to achieve uniform pattern. Bringing sand particles to surface. An absolute minimum of water should be used in floating.
   

Heavy Sand Float
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Trowel on a finish coat and double back with a second application. Plaster mix is to be made with course aggregate or relatively course blend.
  2. Using circular motion, rub surface with float to achieve uniform pattern, bringing sand particles to the surface. An absolute minimum of water should be used in floating.
   

Scraped
Suggested Application procedures

  1. Apply finish coat approximately 1/4 in. thick and allow to take up until surface moisture leaves.
  2. Scrape vertically with a steel joint rod or trowel held at right angles to the plane of the wall. Remove sufficient material to leave a torn surface, free from smooth spots and joinings.
   

Spanish
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Trowel on a first coat, leaving relatively smooth.
  2. Apply second coat in random texture, using overlapping strokes of the trowel.
   

Monterey
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Trowel on first coat, leaving relatively smooth.
  2. Apply second coat in a random texture, using overlapping strokes of the trowel.
   

Arizona
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Trowel on a heavy texture coat.
  2. After surface moisture is absorbed apply heavy second coat, leaving it rough under the trowel with small area texture pats.
   

Frieze
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Trowel on a first coat using double-back method, and rake with a course brush or broom.
  2. Splatter dash sparingly with dash broom, using mortar of fairly stiff consistency to partially cover the surface.
  3. After moisture leaves surface, trowel down high spots, retaining general pattern of dash texture.
   

English
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Trowel on a first coat to completely cover base.
  2. Using a rounded trowel, apply a second thick texture coat with short strokes in varying directions, leaving a rough, irregular pattern.
  3. After moisture leaves the surface, trowel down high spots, retaining general pattern.
   

Trowel Sweep
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Trowel on a first coat to completely cover base.
  2. Apply a second coat with fan shaped strokes, lapping each other so as to form narrow, high ridges where mortar flows over the toe of the trowel.
   

Web
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Trowel on a first coat and broom lightly in varying directions, using a sweeping motion.
  2. Using a trowel, apply a texture coat in strips approximately 2"x6", forming a more or less rectangular pattern.
  3. Trowel surface lightly.

 
   

Briar
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Trowel on first coat to completely cover base.
  2. Apply a texture coat, holding trowel at angle to surface. With heel of trowel serving as a pivot point. Produce fanlike ridges in radiating pattern.
  3. Flatten higher areas with trowel.
   

Combed
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Apply finish coat in sufficient thickness to accommodate depth of grooves without exposing base (brown) coat.
  2. Rod and Darby, leaving surface reasonably straight and true.
  3. Using a strip as a guide, comb surface vertically (or horizontally) with a template, formed to achieve pattern detailed on drawings.

Note: Special mix required.
   

Marblecrete
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Apply bedding coat to proper thickness.
  2. Straighten with Rod and Darby, leaving surface reasonably smooth.
  3. Apply aggregate to bedding coat.
   

Simulated Timber
Suggest Application Procedures

  1. Spread finish coat plaster to desired panel texture.
  2. Lay on a narrow band (i.e.6" to 8" wide) of same material in pattern of half-timber.
  3. Cut shallow groove on each side of simulated timber.
  4. Lightly trowel face of simulated timber to relatively smooth surface.
  5. If peg marks are desired, lightly press large screw head near ends of simulated timber.
   

Travertine
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Apply travertine finish coat 1/4 in. to 3/8 in. thick over the damp base.
  2. Rod and Darby.
  3. Lay out the travertine design as shown on drawings, to simulate joints, stamp in lines with a joint rod or rake out with a raking tool.
  4. With spring steel or a wire brush pick out small portions of the surface to imitate indentations of travertine stone.
  5. Water trowel smooth, retaining indentations.
   

Brick
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Trowel on a first coat of mortar colored joint material.
  2. Trowel on a second coat of brick-colored stucco material.
  3. Comb or broom the surface with a course fiber brush or broom to achieve desired grain. A light toweled texture may also be applied.
  4. Using a brick template or straightedge, rake joints to depth required to expose mortar joint material.
   

Rock 'n Roll
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Trowel on a first coat to completely cover base coat.
  2. Apply a second coat of a specially prepared finish plaster containing selected size pebbles to achieve desired texture.
  3. The actions of the trowel or float rolls the pebbles to create miniature troughs in a linear or circular pattern.
   

Glacier
Suggested Application Procedures

  1. Trowel on a first coat to completely cover base.
  2. Flat the surface to raise the aggregate.
  3. Trowel on a light texture coat over the floated surface.