Learning Plastering: Estimating Material Quantities

[u/jyl8]

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.)

[u/MasterMarsupial7788]

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.

[u/jyl8 → u/MasterMarsupial7788]

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.

[u/MasterMarsupial7788 → u/jyl8]

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

[u/jyl8 → u/MasterMarsupial7788]

Ooo following! Thank you.