Step by Step Guide to Hard Plaster a Brick Wall

After constructing a brick wall, we need to plaster it. This is to prevent water ingress into the brickwork since bricks absorb water from outside. Also, to make up the issues in underlying brickwork like plumb-outs, diagonal-outs, etc. And lastly, it also helps prepare a proper base for further painting works (Putty application, paint application, wall paper application, etc.)

Now let us look at the step by step process of applying a hard plaster on a brick wall

  • Preparing the wall – Remove any excess dust and dirt from the wall with the help of a paint brush. Lightly brush the bricks with water as it helps the plaster to stick. Lay drop sheets in front of the wall.
  • Prepare the plaster mix – Before you proceed any further put on your dust mask, safety glasses and protective gloves. Add water in your mixing bucket. Add three buckets of sand and half a bucket of cement and half a bucket of lime. Use a mixer to combine all the elements.
  • Scooping up the plaster – Put a corner of the hawk into the plaster and use a trowel to push the mix onto the hawk. Rest the trowel on the hawk, tilt the hawk back and scrape the plaster onto the trowel.
  • Apply the plaster on the wall – Start from the top and from the right, work up to the bottom and the left while applying the plaster. Spread the mortar evenly across the wall. Use the brick lines as a guide. Start at the bottom of a brick and spread the plaster upwards about two to three bricks. Continue until the entire wall is covered.
  • Screed the wall – After the plaster is dry to touch, screed the wall to remove excess plaster and give it a flat finish.
  • Check for level plaster – Hold the spirit level vertically against the wall to ensure flatness, rub spirit level in areas of uneven plaster to flatten it.
  • Screed the wall – Screed the areas you rubbed with spirit level.
  • Patch up the wall - After the last screed, there might be areas where the plaster is uneven or patchy. Use the trowel and hawk to apply plaster where it’s needed.
  • Screed the wall - Again screed to flatten after patching

Step by Step Guide to Hard Plaster a Brick Wall