Plaster used to be extremely common in houses but today people prefer to use joint compound. Although plaster is hard to use, it is generally more durable and a much better product than joint compound.

If your home is around 50-60 years old then it is likely that your walls have plaster on them and now you may find that it is looking a little worn and old. Well most old houses do tend to have plaster on the walls as it was extremely common in earlier years to have houses made with plaster. This is because it was readily available and it created fantastic results and whilst today it is still quite easy to get hold of, it is hardly ever used.

Why Plaster Decreased in Popularity

The reason that plaster did decrease in popularity was because of the introduction to joint compound. Basically joint compound has proved to be easy to use and it takes a while to dry giving you plenty of time to fix any potential mistakes that you may make. You can also sand it down afterwards really easily too and if you are short of time you can benefit by purchasing joint compound which is already mixed for you. So as you can see, it really does have a lot more advantages over plaster.

Plaster tends to set really quickly which allows little to no time for any mistakes. When it becomes hard it is basically like cement and as soon as it starts to set it is really difficult to use and work with. Unlike joint compound, it needs to be mixed as and when you need it and the way that it works is actually a chemical reaction which occurs between the water and the plaster.

So when considering the advantages and disadvantages of the two, most people do tend to opt for joint compound these days. Despite its difficulty to use, plaster is however the better product to use. This is because of the fact that it is so hard and it is extremely durable which means that it will last a lot longer than joint compound will.

The main problem people find with plaster is that it does tend to chip off when you try to do something such as hanging a picture up on the wall. It can be incredibly frustrating but there are some tips which you can follow to help you. The main thing to remember is that whatever you do try, you should always do it gently!

Firstly when you are trying to hang a picture on a hook which has a nail in it, you should start by taping over the area which you want to put the nail into. It would be a good idea to use masking tape for this. By adding the tape it will help you to prevent chips in the plaster and as soon as the nail is where you want it to be, you can then remove the tape.

Another tip is to drill a pilot hole when you want to drive a screw through the plaster. You can also use drywall screws to help to hold anything up on the wall. Make sure that you screw through the plaster and into the studs for the best results though.

Overall there are a number of tips which you can follow to ensure that your plaster does not crumble into a mess when you try and drill a hole into it. Plaster is better to use in the home but unfortunately it is hard to work with and it can be frustrating if you are not very experienced.

About the Author

Adam Peters is a freelance writer for http://www.home-decorating-reviews.com . A website with tips on stucco veneziano, amongst many related topics.