A plaster guide is a narrow strip (band) of mortar applied in advance during plastering that serves as a guide or height line for screeding the applied plaster flat. It is comparable to working with guide rails.
Characteristics
- A narrow strip of mortar applied at the correct height.
- Acts as a reference or height line for the flat surface.
- Applying several guides at the correct height creates a grid of reference points.
- The plaster between the guides is screeded off with a straightedge, producing an even layer thickness.
- Dutch: guide. German: Putzlehre / Führungsstreifen.
Applications
Plaster guides are used when plastering larger or tall wall and ceiling surfaces, where working flat without a reference is difficult. The plasterer first applies guides at regular intervals and checks that they lie truly in one plane. Mortar is then applied between the guides and screeded off with a straightedge: the straightedge rests on the guides and strikes away the excess material. This produces an even, flat surface with a uniform layer thickness. The method prevents bulges or hollows and forms the basis for a crisp final result, whether for a base coat or a finish coat.
Related terms
- Straightedge
- Screed rail
- Screeding
- Base coat
- Plaster coat
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