by Jordan
(Blackburn )
I have a red brick interior wall and I'm wondering if I can plaster straight to it or do I have to use plasterboard .
Answer
You can apply plaster directly to the brickwork. However you need a backing - which can either be:
Backing coat plaster ( Details at https://www.diyplastering.co.uk/plasteringmaterials.html )
or
Plasterboard.
If you use a backing coat of plaster the brickwork may be very porous and suck the moisture out of the plaster too quickly - so controlling the suction is vital (https://www.diyplastering.co.uk/plasteringpreparation.html ).
Once you have applied the backing coat plaster or plasterboard you can then apply the skim coat of plaster to provide a nice smooth clean finish.
A few benefits of plaster backing coat:
Harder wearing
A thinner total thickness - Can be applied thinner - from a few millimetres up to 25mm no problem.
Easier for fixing to
A few benefits of plasterboard:
Can be easier to apply
Can be easier to apply the finish skim coat of plaster to