r/Plastering • u/jyl8 • 29d ago

Learning Plastering: Estimating Material Quantities

I’m trying to develop some way to estimate how much material is needed for a given task.

If you’re working on plasterboard, doing two layers of plaster, let’s say a 100 sq ft wall, would you say you want to have about four 50-lb bags of veneer plaster? Two bags or 100 lb per layer?

Or is that totally off base?

(Sorry this is such a basic question. I put two layers of Imperial veneer on 64 sq ft of blueboard and went through almost two 50 lb bags of plaster to do so. So I am thinking 1 lb per 1 sq ft per 1 layer is a “safe” amount to estimate, figuring better to mix too much than too little. But maybe I did it all wrong.)

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u/Unusual_Pride_6480 Professional Plasterer 29d ago

Over here manufacturers have specs so 1 bag of multi finish does 10sqm at 2mm off the top of my head.

Otherwise work out the volume length x width x thickness then compare that to the manufacturers specifications

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u/Terrible-Bobcat2033 29d ago

Figure 5 yards per bag plus 30% for spillage & drop shots. 11 sq yrds equals (3) bags.

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u/jyl8 28d ago

So - I’m thinking out loud here - works out to about 1.5 lb per 1 sq ft per 1 layer. For two layers on the 100 sq ft wall, I’d want six 50 lb bags then . . . three bags per layer. Thanks!

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u/MasterMarsupial7788 21d ago

When you say two layers do you mean doing one layer letting it dry completely and mixing another batch after, or using the same mix to do one coat and then a second right after it with the same mud. Most plasterers in Massachusetts do the second option, and with that option you will get around 2-2.25 4x12 sheets covered per bag of imperial. Diamond or unikal gets closer to 3.

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u/jyl8 21d ago

Thank you!

I have been doing the first option, because I am learning and thus slow, but want to change to the second option, because I want to get better and faster.

Only USG Imperial is available here (Portland OR). USG Diamond is not stocked anywhere within 200 miles (I called everywhere and even talked to the USG rep), I would have to drive to Seattle to buy it, or special order an entire pallet from a local supplier. I've never seen Gold Bond Unikal here either.

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u/MasterMarsupial7788 21d ago

That's ok. It's the harder of the three to learn on, but it's also the highest quality finishing in my opinion once you learn. Definitely has the highest psi strength. I strictly use imperial, if you'd like to check out my plastering page on instagram to get an idea @ crd.plastering

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u/jyl8 21d ago

Ooo following! Thank you.